JP7522975B2 - washing machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine for washing clothes, etc.

Conventionally, washing machines of this type have been proposed that make it easier to remove dirt by raising the temperature of the washing liquid (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional washing machine. In Figure 13, the washing machine is equipped with a water supply port 62 that supplies water to a water tub 63, and a switching valve 66 that branches the water supply path from the water supply port 62 to the water tub 63 into a main water path 64 and a bypass path 65, and a heater 67 is provided midway along the bypass path 65.

However, this configuration had the problem that the flow path for supplying the heated washing liquid to the water tub 63 was complicated.

To solve this problem, it is possible to provide a heater 72 at the bottom of the water tank 71, as shown in FIG. 14.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a conventional water tank. A recess 73 is formed in the bottom of the water tank 71, and a heater 72 is disposed so as to be located within the recess 73. A fixing portion 74 for fixing the heater 72 is formed on the outer periphery of the bottom of the water tank 71.

JP 2007-167385 A

However, in the conventional configuration, the drain outlet is located near the heater, so the drain from the drain outlet flows near the heater, and there is a risk that lint contained in the drain may get caught in the heater. If lint gets caught in the heater, it becomes necessary to remove the lint from the heater, which causes a problem of poor usability.

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional washing machine, and aims to provide a washing machine that can reduce the maintenance of the heating device.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the washing machine of the present invention comprises a housing, a water tub arranged in the housing, a washing tub arranged in the water tub, a motor that rotates and drives the washing tub via a rotating shaft that is approximately vertical, a drain outlet that drains the washing liquid in the water tub, and a heating device that heats the washing liquid, wherein the bottom of the water tub is formed with a recess that is formed to be lower than the bottom surface of the water tub and a mounting portion to which the heating device is attached, and above the heating device is provided a heating plate that covers the heating device , and the heating plate is provided with a through hole at a position laterally shifted from an upper position of the heating device and close to the rotating shaft , and the through hole is in a position that does not face the heating device when viewed from above .

The washing machine of the present invention can provide a washing machine that can reduce the maintenance of the heating device.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the rear side with a door body removed; Cross-sectional view FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the circulation of the washing liquid. Plan view of the tank from above Enlarged view of the main part A plan view of the water tank from above with the heating plate removed. 6. O-O cross-sectional view of FIG. Enlarged plan view of the main part Enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part A perspective view of the tank from below. A perspective view of the tank from above. Enlarged plan view of the main part of the tank from above Cross-section of a conventional washing machine A perspective view of a water tub of a conventional washing machine

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen from the rear, and Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the same washing machine.

The housing 1 is formed in a square shape with a front, both sides, and a back, and has an opening 2 on the back side, which is closed by a door 3 in an openable and closable manner. By removing the door 3, the interior of the housing 1 can be seen through the opening 2.

In this embodiment, an opening 2 is formed on the rear side of the housing 1, and the housing 1 is rotated to a position where the inside of the housing 1 can be maintained through the opening 2, and maintenance of the inside of the housing 1 is performed. By locating the door body 3 on the rear side, it is not in the user's field of view when installing the washing machine, and the aesthetic appearance is not marred.

In this embodiment, the opening 2 is formed on the rear side of the housing 1, but it may also be formed on the side. Forming it on the side reduces the amount of movement of the housing 1 during maintenance, improving inspection workability.

An upper case 4 is attached above the housing 1. A cylindrical water tub 5 with a bottom made of flame-retardant synthetic resin is supported in the space enclosed by the housing 1 and upper case 4, and a rotating shaft 6 is disposed on the central axis of the water tub 5. A washing tub 7 connected to the rotating shaft 6 is disposed inside the water tub 5, and a pulsator 8 connected to the rotating shaft 6 is disposed at the bottom of the washing tub 7. A motor 9 is disposed below the water tub 5, and the rotating shaft 6 is connected to the motor 9, which drives and rotates the washing tub 7 and pulsator 8.

An input port 10 for inputting laundry into the washing tub 7 is formed on the top surface of the water tub 5, and the input port 10 is closed by a lid 11 so as to be freely opened and closed. An external input port (not shown) for inputting laundry into the washing tub 7 is formed on the upper case 4, and the external input port is closed by an outer lid 12 so as to be freely opened and closed.

The washing tub 7 is made of a corrosion-resistant metal, and in this embodiment, it has a cylindrical side wall 7a made of stainless steel and a bottom wall 7b made of flame-retardant synthetic resin, and the side wall 7a and bottom wall 7b are fixed together. The washing tub 7 has a number of dewatering holes 13 in the side wall 7a, and an annular fluid balancer 14 for reducing dewatering vibration is attached to the top.

The washing tub 7 is provided with circulation water channel covers 15 at opposing positions on the side wall 7a, and a circulation water channel (not shown) is formed between the side of the washing tub 7 and the circulation water channel cover 15. By attaching a pair of circulation water channel covers 15 to the washing tub 7, two circulation water channels are formed facing each other. It is preferable that the circulation water channel cover 15 and the circulation water channel are formed in the same shape to prevent imbalance from occurring when the washing tub 7 rotates, but they may have different shapes if necessary.

The circulation water channel cover 15 has discharge ports 16 formed at positions corresponding to the upper and middle parts of the washing tub 7. The discharge ports 16 may be formed only at either the position corresponding to the upper part or the position corresponding to the middle part of the washing tub 7.

The blades 8a are integrally formed at the bottom of the pulsator 8, and when the motor 9 rotates the pulsator 8, the centrifugal force of the blades 8a pushes the washing water outwards, circulating it through the circulation water channel, and the washing liquid is ejected and sprayed into the washing tub 7 from the outlet 16 of the circulation water channel.

A recess 17 is formed in the bottom of the water tub 5 in a generally arc-shaped manner centered on the rotation shaft 6, and the bottom of the water tub 5 is formed to slope gradually downward toward the recess 17. A drain outlet 18 is formed in one end of the recess 17, and the bottom of the recess 17 is formed to slope gradually downward toward the drain outlet 18. The drain outlet 18 is formed in the recess 17 at a position on the leading side of the rotation direction of the washing tub 7 during spin-drying. The rotation direction of the washing tub 7 during spin-drying is clockwise when the washing tub 7 is viewed from above, and is the direction of arrow A in Figure 11.

A mounting portion 20 for mounting a heating device 19 is integrally formed in the recess 17 of the water tub 5 and bulges upward from the bottom of the recess 17 of the water tub 5. The heating device 19 is used to heat the wash water supplied to the water tub 5, and is composed of a heater.

The mounting portion 20 is formed from the side of the water tub 5 to the recess 17, and bulges upward from the bottom of the recess 17. The top surface of the mounting portion 20 is formed at approximately the same height as the bottom surface of the water tub 5, or at a height slightly higher than the bottom surface of the water tub 5. The mounting portion 20 has a first side surface 20a that is approximately perpendicular to the rotation direction of the washing tub 7, and a second side surface 20b that is approximately perpendicular to the first side surface 20a. The first side surface 20a is configured to incline toward the rotation direction of the washing tub 7 as it moves upward from the bottom surface side. The second side surface 20b is formed in an approximately vertical plane, and an opening 21 is formed in the second side surface 20b, through which the heating device 19 is inserted from outside the water tub 5.

The heating device 19 has a heater wire formed in a serpentine shape, with both ends fixed to a mounting plate 22 that has insulating and heat-insulating properties. A temperature sensor 23 consisting of a thermistor is attached to the mounting plate 22, and the temperature of the heating device 19 is detected by the temperature sensor 23. The temperature sensor 23 is disposed at approximately the center of both ends of the heater wire, allowing the temperature of the heating device 19 to be accurately detected. A sealant (not shown) is provided on the outer periphery of the mounting plate 22, and the mounting plate 22 is watertightly attached to the periphery of the opening 21 of the second side surface 20b of the mounting portion 20 by the sealant.

The water tank 5 is attached to the housing 1 so that the opening 21 of the mounting part 20 is located in a position facing the door body 3. When the door body 3 is opened, the opening 21 of the mounting part 20 faces the opening 2 of the housing 1, making it possible to perform maintenance on the heating device 19 attached to the opening 21.

A heat shield 24 made of metal, in this embodiment stainless steel, is disposed below the heating device 19, and the heat shield 24 is fixed with a gap between it and the bottom surface of the recess 17. By disposing the heat shield 24 between the heating device 19 and the bottom surface of the recess 17, it is possible to prevent the heat generated by the heating device 19 from being directly transmitted to the recess 17, and to prevent thermal deterioration of the bottom of the aquarium 5.

In this embodiment, the heat shield 24 is made of stainless steel to provide corrosion resistance, but other metal materials may be used. Materials other than metal, such as ceramics, may also be used as long as they are capable of suppressing the conduction of heat from the heating device 19 to the water tank 5 and are flame-retardant or non-flammable.

A heating plate 25 made of metal, in this embodiment stainless steel, is disposed above the heating device 19. A through hole 25a is formed in the heating plate 25 toward the center of the water tub 5. The through hole 25a is formed in a position offset from the upper position of the heating device 19, and the heating device 19 is configured to be covered by the heating plate 25. Because the heating device 19 is covered by the heating plate 25, it is possible to prevent heat from the heating device 19 from being directly transmitted to the washing tub 7, and thermal deterioration of the bottom of the washing tub 7 can be suppressed.

The heating plate 25 is fixed to the heating device 19 with a gap between it and the heating plate 25 by a number of ribs 26 that stand upright from the bottom of the recess 17. The heating plate 25 is attached at approximately the same height as the bottom of the water tub 5 and the top of the mounting part 20. The heating plate 25 is attached at an incline so that it gradually becomes higher toward the through-hole 25a, and the inclination of the heating plate 25 allows the washing liquid heated by the heating device 19 to be efficiently guided to the through-hole 25a.

In this embodiment, the heating plate 25 is set at an inclination angle of 3 degrees from the horizontal. In this embodiment, the washing machine is set to an allowable inclination of 2 degrees from the horizontal when installed, so that the heating plate 25 is set to be inclined with respect to the ground surface even if the washing machine is installed at an inclination of 2 degrees.

The heating plate 25 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape, and the side 25b on the second side 20b of the mounting portion 20, the side 25c on the outer periphery of the recess 17, and the side 25d on the center side of the recess 17 are attached in a state of abutment or closeness to the second side 20b, the outer periphery side of the recess 17, and the center side side of the recess 17, respectively. The side 25e of the heating plate 25 on the rotation direction side of the washing tub 7 has a gap between it and the side of the recess 17, and the side 25f located between the center side side of the recess 17 of the heating plate 25 and the second side 20b is formed in a circular arc shape, and has a gap between the center side side of the recess 17 and the second side 20b.

The heating plate 25 has a through hole 25g formed above the temperature sensor 23. The laundry liquid heated by the heating device 19 passes upward through the through hole 25g, so the heated laundry liquid does not remain around the temperature sensor 23, and the temperature sensor 23 can accurately detect the temperature of the laundry liquid.

A circulating water port 32 is formed between the heat shield 24 and the side wall of the recess 17 near the heating device 19 of the recess 17. A circulation pump 27 is connected to the circulating water port 32, and one end of a circulation path 28 is connected to the circulation pump 27. The circulation path 28 is disposed outside the water tub 5, and the other end of the circulation path 28 is connected to a water inlet 29 formed near the input port 10, and the washing liquid is supplied from above by the circulation pump 27 through the water inlet 29 to the laundry in the washing tub 7.

The water inlet 29 is positioned above the discharge port 16 of the circulation water channel. The amount of laundry liquid circulated by the circulation pump 27 is set to be greater than the amount of laundry liquid circulated through the circulation water channel. This allows a large amount of laundry liquid to be supplied from the water inlet 29, and the laundry liquid supplied foams when it comes into contact with the laundry and laundry liquid in the washing tub 7, wrapping the laundry in a large amount of foam and acting on dirt, improving cleaning performance.

An operation and display device 30 is provided at the rear of the top surface of the upper case 4, and various operation courses are set by operating the operation and display device 30, and the set operation courses are displayed. A control device 33 is provided at a position facing the opening 2 of the housing 1, and the control device 33 executes the operation course selected on the operation and display device 30.

In this embodiment, the operation courses executed by the control device 33 include a course in which washing is performed by heating the washing liquid, and a course in which washing is performed without heating the washing liquid.

The operation and function of the washing machine configured as above will be explained below.

Open the outer lid 12 and the lid body 11, put the laundry into the washing tub 7 through the loading port 10, close the outer lid 12 and the lid body 11, and turn on the power by operating the power switch (not shown) on the operation display device 30. Select the operation course, etc. using the operation display device 30, and operate the start switch (not shown) to start operation.

When operation begins, the amount of laundry that has been put in is detected, and then the water supply means (not shown) is activated to start supplying water, and washing liquid is supplied to the water tub 5 together with the detergent that has been put in the detergent case (not shown).

When a predetermined amount of washing liquid is stored in the water tub 5, the circulation pump 27 is operated to inject washing liquid from the water inlet 29 (see Figure 3). Because the washing liquid from the water inlet 29 is supplied from a high position, it foams when it hits the laundry in the washing tub 7, and the foam penetrates deep into the fibers of the laundry, enveloping the dirt and lifting it out to be washed away.

The amount of water supplied to the water tub 5 is set according to the amount of laundry placed in the washing tub 7. When a water level sensor (not shown) detects a certain water level, the water supply is stopped and the motor 9 is driven to rotate the pulsator 8 alternately forward and reverse. The rotation of the pulsator 8 agitates the laundry in the washing tub 7 together with the washing liquid, washing the laundry.

The circulation pump 27 continues to operate during the washing process. By circulating the foamed laundry liquid, the foam acts on the dirt, allowing the dirt to be removed efficiently.

The washing process continues for a predetermined time, and when washing is completed, the drain valve (not shown) is opened to drain the water. When draining is completed, spin-drying is performed. Spin-drying is performed by rotating the washing tub 7 in one direction at high speed, in this embodiment, clockwise when viewed from above.

After the spin cycle, the water supply means is operated to supply a predetermined amount of water to the washing tub 7, the rinsing process is performed, and then the spin cycle is performed, completing each step of the washing process.

When a course that heats the washing liquid to wash the clothes is selected as the operating course, a heating process is carried out in the washing process to heat the washing liquid. When operation starts, the amount of laundry that has been put in is detected, and water is supplied to the water tub 5 according to the amount of laundry that has been put in. As the water is being supplied, electricity is passed through the heating device 19, which heats the washing liquid in the water tub 5.

The laundry liquid heated by the heating device 19 moves upward. The heating plate 25 located above the heating device 19 is inclined so that it gradually becomes higher toward the through-hole 25a side, so that the heated laundry liquid is guided along the heating plate 25 to the through-hole 25a and moves from the through-hole 25a to the upper part of the heating plate 25.

Because the laundry liquid below the heating plate 25 moves upward on the heating plate 25, the low-temperature laundry liquid flows from around the heating plate 25 to the lower side of the heating plate 25. The heating plate 25 has a gap between the side 25e on the rotation direction side of the washing tub 7 and the side 25f located between the side of the center side of the recess 17 and the second side 20b of the recess 17, so that the laundry liquid flows from the two approximately opposing sides of the heating plate 25 to the lower side of the heating plate 25. Since the laundry liquid flows from the two approximately opposing sides of the heating plate 25 to the lower side of the heating plate 25, the laundry liquid convects efficiently and the laundry liquid can be efficiently heated. In addition, since the heating device 19 also heats the heating plate 25, the laundry liquid is also heated by the heating plate 25, improving the heating efficiency of the laundry liquid.

The heating plate 25 has a through hole 25a formed on the inclined upper side, so that the heated washing liquid can be efficiently guided upward. The through hole 25a is formed at a position shifted laterally from the upper position of the heating device 19, and the upper part of the heating device 19 is covered by the heating plate 25, so that the heating plate 25 can prevent foreign objects from coming into contact with the heating device 19.

During the heating process, the washing liquid is heated by the heating device 19 to a predetermined temperature suitable for washing, in this embodiment, about 15°C.

When the washing liquid reaches a certain temperature slightly lower than the predetermined temperature, the circulation pump 27 is operated to circulate the washing liquid and supply it to the laundry from the water inlet 29. Since the washing liquid is circulated, the powder detergent can be dissolved efficiently, and the amount of powder detergent remaining undissolved can be reduced, improving washing efficiency.

The washing liquid supplied from the water inlet 29 is supplied to the laundry from a high position, so it foams when it hits the laundry, and the foam penetrates the laundry and washes away dirt that has adhered deep to the fibers. Because the washing liquid is heated, the detergent enzymes are activated, improving the cleaning power.

When the washing liquid reaches a predetermined temperature, the pulsator 8 is rotated alternately forward and backward. The rotation of the pulsator 8 agitates the laundry in the washing tub 7 together with the washing water, washing the laundry. As the washing liquid is heated and agitated, it is possible to prevent powder detergent from remaining undissolved. Even in this state, the circulation pump 27 continues to operate, improving washing efficiency.

When the pulsator 8 rotates, the washing liquid is pushed to the outer periphery by the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the blades 8a, rises up the circulating water passage, and is sprayed from the discharge port 16 onto the laundry in the washing tub 7.

The washing liquid sprayed onto the laundry from the outlet 16 is heated to a specified temperature, activating the enzymes in the detergent and efficiently cleaning away dirt that has soaked into the fibers of the laundry.

When the washing process with warm water is completed, the drain valve (not shown) is opened to drain the water. When draining is completed, spin-drying is performed. Spin-drying is performed by rotating the washing tub 7 in one direction at high speed, in this embodiment, clockwise when viewed from above.

After the spin cycle, the water supply means is operated to supply a predetermined amount of water to the washing tub 7, the rinsing process is performed, and then the spin cycle is performed, completing each step of the washing process.

In the spin-drying process, the washing tub 7 is rotated at high speed in the clockwise direction as viewed from above. The rotation of the washing tub 7 generates an air current in the water tub 5 in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 11, and the dehydrated laundry liquid flows along with the air current.

The first side 20a of the mounting portion 20 is inclined upwards in the direction of rotation of the washing tub 7, so that the flow caused by the rotation of the washing tub 7 is guided along the inclination of the first side 20a. Because the first side 20a is inclined, the flow caused by the rotation of the washing tub 7 is prevented from being blocked, the generation of turbulence is suppressed, and the generation of vibrations is suppressed.

The second side 20b is formed almost vertically to accommodate the heating device 19, but is located downstream of the first side 20a in the flow caused by the rotation of the washing tub 7, so it does not impede the flow and does not cause turbulence.

The heating device 19 is covered from above with a heating plate 25, which is disposed at approximately the same height as the bottom of the water tub 5 and the top of the mounting part 20, so that the flow of the washing liquid in the water tub 5 is not impeded and the occurrence of turbulence can be suppressed.

The bottom of the water tub 5 is inclined toward the recess 17, and the bottom of the recess 17 is inclined toward the drain outlet 18. During the draining process, the laundry liquid in the water tub 5 flows toward the drain outlet 18. Since the heating device 19 is disposed at a position away from the drain outlet 18, the laundry liquid in the water tub 5 facing the heating device 19 with respect to the rotating shaft 6 flows out from the drain outlet 18 without passing through the heating device 19. Since the amount of laundry liquid passing through the heating device 19 is reduced, the adhesion of lint contained in the laundry liquid to the heating device 19 is suppressed.

If the heating device 19 needs maintenance, such as when a malfunction occurs in the heating device 19, rotate the washing machine to a position where the door body 3 faces, and remove the door body 3 from the housing 1. The heating device 19 is disposed in a position facing the opening 2 from which the door body 3 has been removed, so that the heating device 19 can be viewed by removing the door body 3.

The heating device 19 can be removed from the water tub 5 by removing the wiring from the terminals on both ends of the heating device 19 and removing the fixing screws (not shown). The heating device 19 can be pulled out of the water tub 5 and maintenance can be performed. When replacing the heating device 19 with a new heating device 19, the new heating device 19 is inserted into the opening 21 of the mounting part 20 of the water tub 5, the fixing screws are screwed in to fix the heating device 19 to the water tub 5, and the wiring is attached to the terminals of the heating device 19. Maintenance is completed by attaching the door body 3 to the housing 1 and returning the washing machine to its original position.

The bottom of the aquarium 5 slopes gradually downwards towards the drain outlet 18, and the bottom of the aquarium 5, including the bottom of the recess 17, is formed so that the outer periphery is the highest. A reinforcing rib 31 is formed on the back side of the bottom of the aquarium 5, including the back surface of the recess 17. By raising the outer periphery of the back surface of the recess 17, the height of the reinforcing rib 31 located on the back surface of the recess 17 can be increased, and the strength of the recess 17 can be improved.

The heating device 19 is attached approximately parallel to the bottom of the water tank 5, and is inclined so that the drain outlet 18 side is lower than the horizontal plane. Because the heating device 19 is arranged approximately parallel to the bottom of the water tank 5, it is unlikely to cause resistance to the wastewater flowing toward the drain outlet 18, and lint contained in the wastewater can be prevented from becoming entangled in the heating device 19.

In this embodiment, the opening 2 is formed on the back side of the housing 1, but it may also be formed on the side of the housing 1 with the heating device 19 facing the opening 2 on the side of the housing 1, or it may be formed on the front of the housing 1 with the heating device 19 facing the opening 2 on the front of the housing 1.

By locating the opening 2 on the side or front of the housing 1, the amount of movement of the washing machine during maintenance can be reduced, improving workability.

As described above, the washing machine according to the present invention can suppress the occurrence of vibration during the spin-drying operation, and can therefore be used in washing and drying machines, commercial washing machines, etc.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Housing 2 Opening 3 Door body 5 Water tub 7 Washing tub 8 Pulsator 9 Motor 17 Recess 19 Heating device 20 Mounting portion 20a First side surface 20b Second side surface 21 Opening 23 Temperature sensor 24 Heat shield plate 25 Heating plate 25a Through hole 27 Circulation pump 28 Circulation path 29 Water inlet

Claims (6)

A housing and
A water tank disposed within the housing;
A washing tub disposed in the water tub;
A motor that rotates the washing tub via a rotation shaft that is substantially vertical;
The washing machine is provided with a drain outlet for draining the washing liquid in the water tub and a heating device for heating the washing liquid,
At the bottom of the tank,
A recess formed to be lower than the bottom surface of the water tank and an attachment portion to which the heating device is attached are formed,
A heating plate covering the heating device is provided above the heating device ,
The heating plate has a through hole at a position laterally shifted from an upper position of the heating device and close to the rotation shaft ,
The through hole is located at a position not facing the heating device in a top view.
washing machine. The heating plate is provided so as to be inclined with respect to the horizontal when the washing machine is installed.
The washing machine according to claim 1. The heating plate is provided at an incline so as to gradually increase in height toward the through hole.
The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2. The heating plate has a gap between it and the water tank on two substantially opposing sides.
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The heating device is provided with a temperature sensor,
The heating plate is provided with a through hole above the temperature sensor.
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The drain outlet is disposed at a position spaced apart from the heating device and the heating plate,
The heating device has a heater formed in a serpentine shape,
The heating plate has no hole at a position facing the heater in a top view.
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5.