JP7565876B2 - washing machine - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a washing machine.

In recent years, to improve user convenience, washing machines have been developed that are equipped with an automatic dosing device that stores multiple loads of laundry treatment agent in a treatment agent tank for automatic dosing and automatically dispenses the required amount from the treatment agent tank during each wash run. However, there is still a need for users to manually dispense the treatment agent for each run. For this reason, even washing machines equipped with an automatic dosing device are equipped with a conventional treatment agent case, that is, a treatment agent case for manual dosing, for manually dosing the laundry treatment agent to be used in one run, for each run.

Taking into consideration user operability, etc., it is preferable to place the processing agent tank and processing agent case in close proximity to each other. For example, in the same storage space, a processing agent case that is used frequently by the user could be placed close to the user, and a processing agent tank that is used less frequently could be placed away from the user. In this case, in order to make the product more compact, it is preferable to place the processing agent tank and processing agent case as close together as possible.

Users may periodically remove the processing agent tank from the machine to clean it. However, in such a case, since there is no gap between the processing agent tank and the processing agent case, it is not easy to remove the processing agent tank, which is larger in size and weight than the processing agent case .

JP 2018-011618 A

Therefore, we provide a washing machine in which the treatment agent tank and treatment agent case are arranged side by side, and which makes it easier to remove the treatment agent tank, improving user convenience.

The washing machine of the embodiment includes a box-shaped outer case, a water tub provided in the outer case, a storage section provided in the outer case and having an opening formed by opening the top side of the outer case, a treatment agent case that receives laundry treatment agent to be used in one operation and supplies the laundry treatment agent to the water tub, and a treatment agent tank capable of storing laundry treatment agent to be used for multiple operations. The storage section can store the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank horizontally arranged inside. The treatment agent tank can be attached to or detached from the storage section with the treatment agent case stored in the storage section.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a storage section and its surroundings in a state where a cover member is removed in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration around a storage section in the washing machine according to the first embodiment with a cover member opened; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the storage unit along line AA in FIG. 3 with the cover member removed in the washing machine according to the first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, taken along line B-B in FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a storage section of a washing machine according to a first embodiment in a state in which a treatment agent case is stored and a treatment agent tank is removed; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the treatment agent tank and its surroundings in a state where the regulating portion and the regulated portion are engaged with each other in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, taken along line CC in FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the treatment agent tank and its surroundings in a state where the regulating portion and the regulated portion are disengaged from each other in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, taken along line CC in FIG. FIG. 1 is an enlarged front view showing a schematic configuration of the regulating mechanism and its surroundings in a state where a regulating portion and a regulated portion are fitted together in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view showing a schematic configuration of the regulating mechanism and its surroundings in a state where the regulating portion and the regulated portion are disengaged from each other in the washing machine according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the periphery of the hand part of the washing machine according to the first embodiment by enlarging an ellipse D in FIG. 4 ; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration around a storage unit in a case where one treatment agent tank is not completely installed in the washing machine according to a first embodiment with a cover member opened; FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a second embodiment; FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the periphery of a storage unit in a state where a cover member is removed in a washing machine according to a second embodiment; FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to another embodiment.

Several embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components in each embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and the description will be omitted.

First Embodiment
First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 15. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 includes an outer box 11, a water tank 12, a rotating tank 13, a rotating tank motor 14, a drainage mechanism 15, an operation panel 16, a water supply mechanism 17, and a treatment agent injection mechanism 20. In Fig. 1, the installation surface side of the washing machine 10, i.e., the vertically lower side, is the lower side of the washing machine 10, and the opposite side of the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upper side, is the upper side of the washing machine 10. The left-right direction when the washing machine 10 is viewed from the front is the left-right direction of the washing machine 10. The washing machine 10 is, for example, a horizontal axis type in which the rotation axis of the rotating tank 13 is horizontal, or an oblique axis type inclined downward toward the rear.

The washing machine 10 may or may not have a drying function, such as a heat pump or heater type. The outer box 11 is made of, for example, steel or resin material and has a rectangular box shape as a whole, forming the outer shell of the washing machine 10. In this embodiment, the top surface 111 of the outer box 11 is formed as a flat surface. The water tub 12 is disposed in the outer box 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The rotating tub 13 is disposed rotatably in the water tub 12. In this case, the water tub 12 and the rotating tub 13 function as a washing tub that contains laundry. The rotating tub motor 14 is provided outside the water tub 12. The rotating tub motor 14 is connected to the rotating tub 13 and rotates the rotating tub 13 when driven.

The drain mechanism 15 shown in FIG. 2 has a function of draining water stored in the water tub 12 to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drain mechanism 15 has a drain path 151 and a drain valve 152. The drain path 151 is, for example, composed of a flexible drain hose, one end of which is connected to the drain valve 152 and the other end of which is pulled out to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drain valve 152 is, for example, composed of an opening/closing valve for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed. The drain valve 152 is provided between the drain outlet 121 provided at the bottom of the water tub 12 and the drain path 151, and opens and closes the drain path 151.

The operation panel 16 is provided on the front part of the top surface 111 of the outer box 11 as shown in FIG. 1. Although not shown in detail, the operation panel 16 is provided with a power switch, a start key, various operation keys for the user to set the washing operation course, etc. The power switch may be provided separately from the operation panel 16. When executing the washing operation, the user can select using the operation panel 16 whether to automatically add laundry treatment agent or manually add one load of laundry treatment agent. In this embodiment, the concept of laundry treatment agent includes liquid or powder detergent, fabric softener, and fragrance, but is not limited to these as long as it is an agent used in the washing operation.

The water supply mechanism 17 is provided, for example, in the upper left rear part of the water tank 12 inside the outer box 11. The water supply mechanism 17 receives water from a water supply source, such as a water tap, and supplies water to the water tank 12. As shown in FIG. 2, for example, the water supply mechanism 17 has a connection port 171, a water supply path 172, and a water supply valve 173. The connection port 171 is provided so as to be exposed at the left rear part on the top surface 111 of the outer box 11. The connection port 171 is connected to an external water source, such as a water faucet, via a hose, for example.

The water supply path 172 is a path that connects the connection port 171 to the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13. The treatment agent injection mechanism 20 is provided, for example, midway through the water supply path 172, and has the function of impregnating the water flowing through the water supply path 172 with laundry treatment agent and supplying the water to the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the treatment agent injection mechanism 20 includes a storage section 21, a pump 22, a cover member 23, a treatment agent case 30, and a treatment agent tank 40.

The storage section 21 is made of resin or metal and has a box or container shape, and has an opening 211 that opens toward the top. The storage section 21 is provided inside the outer box 11. The upper end of the storage section 21, i.e., the opening 211, is located below the top surface 111. In this embodiment, the storage section 21 forms part of the water supply path 172. In this case, the outlet of the water supply valve 173 is directly or indirectly connected to the storage section 21. The storage section 21 is then directly or indirectly connected to the water tank 12.

The pump 22, together with the treatment agent tank 40, constitutes an automatic dispenser for automatically supplying laundry treatment agent into the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 during operation. The pump 22 has the function of sucking out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 40 during operation and dispensing the sucked laundry treatment agent into a midway portion of the water supply path 172. As a result, the laundry treatment agent supplied midway through the water supply path 172 is supplied into the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 by riding on the flow of water flowing through the water supply path 172. In this way, the washing machine 10 can automatically supply a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 during operation.

The cover member 23 is rotatably attached to the outer box 11 and opens and closes the opening 211 of the storage section 21 by rotating, and is configured to be foldable and rotatable in a folded-out state. That is, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the cover member 23 is rotatably attached to the top surface 111 of the outer box 11 and is configured to be able to open and close the opening 211 of the storage section 21. In this embodiment, the cover member 23 is configured to be foldable at least in two. And, the cover member 23 is configured to be able to open and close the opening 211 by rotating in a folded-out state at least in two.

The treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are removably housed in the storage section 21. The treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged adjacent to each other in the storage section 21, and the treatment agent case 30 can be arranged on the side closer to a user who stands at the front side of the washing machine 10 to operate it, and the treatment agent tank 40 can be arranged on the side farther from the user. For example, the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged in a straight line in the front-to-back or left-to-right direction.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1, 3 to 5, etc., the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are stored side by side in the front-to-rear direction within the storage section 21. The treatment agent case 30 is located in front of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., closer to a user standing at the front of the washing machine 10 to operate it. In other embodiments, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction, the treatment agent case 30 can be located closer to the center of the washing machine 10 in the left-to-right direction than the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., closer to a user standing at the front of the washing machine 10 to operate it.

The treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are closely housed within the storage section 21. That is, the surface of the treatment agent case 30 facing the treatment agent tank 40 and the surface of the treatment agent case 30 facing the treatment agent tank 40 are close to each other. Therefore, there is no space between the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 for the user to insert their fingers, but the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 can be removed from the storage section 21 separately. That is, the user can remove the treatment agent case 30 alone from the storage section 21 without moving the treatment agent tank 40, and can also remove the treatment agent tank 40 alone from the storage section 21 without moving the treatment agent case 30.

The treatment agent case 30 receives the treatment agent to be used in one operation, and has the function of supplying the treatment agent, which was added, for example, before operation or at the start of operation, to the water tank 12 during operation. The treatment agent case 30 is made, for example, of resin, and is configured as a container with a rectangular shape that is long in the front-to-back or left-to-right direction and is open at the top.

As shown in Figures 2 to 5, etc., the treatment agent case 30 has a wall portion 31, a bottom portion 32, a partition portion 33, and one or more (in this case two) input portions 34, 35. The wall portion 31 forms the outer periphery of the container shape of the treatment agent case 30. The wall portion 31 has a front wall portion 311, left and right side wall portions 312, and a rear wall portion 313. The front wall portion 311 forms the front surface of the treatment agent case 30. The left and right side wall portions 312 form the left and right surfaces of the treatment agent case 30. The rear wall portion 313 forms the rear surface of the treatment agent case 30.

The bottom 32 forms the bottom surface of the container-shaped treatment agent case 30. The partition 33 divides the space within the container-shaped treatment agent case 30 in the front-to-back direction or the left-to-right direction, dividing it into an input section 34 and an input section 35. In this embodiment, the partition 33 extends in the left-to-right direction, dividing the space within the treatment agent case 30 in the front-to-back direction.

The input sections 34, 35 are each formed in a container shape that is recessed downward, and can receive laundry treatment agent inside. The input sections 34, 35 are the sections that receive laundry treatment agent input from the user, and have an opening at the top. The user inputs the laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent case 30 from the opening at the top of the input sections 34, 35.

The input units 34 and 35 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the input units 34 and 35 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. For example, the input unit 34 receives detergent therein, and the input unit 35 receives fabric softener therein. In this embodiment, the input unit 34 is arranged behind the input unit 35. The input unit 34 receives an amount of detergent to be used in one operation from the user, and supplies the detergent into the water tub 12. The detergent may be in liquid or powder form. The input unit 35 receives an amount of fabric softener to be used in one operation from the user, and supplies the fabric softener into the water tub 12. The fabric softener is usually in liquid form, but is not limited to this.

As shown in FIG. 2, the treatment agent case 30 has a communication hole 36 formed in the bottom 32. The treatment agent case 30 receives water supplied to the storage section 21 through the water supply valve 173. At that time, if a laundry treatment agent is placed in the treatment agent case 30, the laundry treatment agent is drained from the communication hole 36 in the bottom 32 together with the water supplied to the treatment agent case 30 and supplied to the water tank 12.

The upper end of the wall portion 31 that forms the outer periphery of the treatment agent case 30 is located on a plane that extends horizontally. That is, the upper end of the wall portion 31 forms a plane S1 that extends horizontally as shown in FIG. 5. In other words, the upper end of the wall portion 31 is located on the plane S1 that extends horizontally. Furthermore, the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall portion 31 is parallel to the surface formed by the top surface portion 111. In this embodiment, the upper end of the wall portion 31 forms the upper end of the treatment agent tank 50.

The treatment agent tank 40 is configured to be able to store an amount of treatment agent to be used for multiple operations. The treatment agent tank 40 is, for example, made of resin, and is configured as a hollow rectangular container that is long in the front-to-back or left-to-right direction, and is capable of storing liquid laundry treatment agent. The treatment agent tank 40 has a sufficient capacity to store an amount of laundry treatment agent to be used for multiple operations. In this case, the capacity of the treatment agent tank 40 is not particularly limited, but considering the convenience of the user, it is preferable to set it to at least several hundred mL to about 2 L.

As shown in Figs. 2 to 8, the treatment agent tank 40 has a tank body 41, an upper member 42, a tank outlet 43, and a leakage prevention valve 44. The tank body 41 constitutes the outer shell of the treatment agent tank 40 and is made of synthetic resin such as plastic. The upper member 42 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape and covers the tank body 41 from above, opening and closing the opening at the top of the tank body 41. In other words, the upper member 42 constitutes the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40. The tank outlet 43 is an opening through which the laundry treatment agent sucked out of the treatment agent tank 40 by the pump 22 passes. The leakage prevention valve 44 has the function of preventing the treatment agent stored in the tank body 41 from leaking out of the tank body 41 from the tank outlet 43 when the treatment agent tank 40 is removed from the storage section 21 and the tank outlet 43 and the connection section 24 of the pump 22 are not connected.

In this embodiment, the tank body 41 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped container shape that opens upward, and has a front surface 411, side surfaces 412, a rear surface 413, and a bottom surface 414. The front surface 411 constitutes the front surface of the tank body 41. The side surfaces 412 constitute the left and right side surfaces of the tank body 41. The rear surface 413 constitutes the rear surface of the tank body 41. The bottom surface 414 constitutes the bottom surface of the tank body 41.

The upper member 42 has a frame member 421, an inlet 422, and a lid member 423. The frame member 421 and the lid member 423 are made of synthetic resin such as plastic, just like the tank body 41. The frame member 421 forms the outer shell of the upper member 42. The frame member 421 is formed in a rectangular frame shape with an opening on the inside. The inlet 422 forms an opening in the frame member 421, and connects the inside and outside of the treatment agent tank 40 when the upper member 42 is attached to the tank body 41.

The lid member 423 is plate-shaped and opens and closes the input port 422. The lid member 423 is attached to the upper member 42 by a hinge (not shown) and is configured to be able to open and close the input port 422. When the treatment agent tank 40 is stored in the storage section 21, the user can open the cover member 23 and the lid member 423 to expose the input port 422 and input the laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 40 from the input port 422. In addition, the user can remove the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 and, when the lid member 423 is opened to expose the input port 422, input the laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 40 from the input port 422.

The frame member 421 and the cover member 423 are provided so that their upper surfaces are flush with each other. The upper surface of the upper member 42 forms a plane S2 that extends horizontally as a whole, as shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8. In other words, the upper surface of the upper member 42 is located on the plane S2 that extends horizontally. As shown in Figure 5, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21, the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 is parallel to the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall section 31 of the treatment agent case 30.

The tank outlet 43 is formed as an opening penetrating the lower rear of the tank body 41, in this case, a part of the back surface 413 in the thickness direction. The pump 22 is provided on the outside of the storage section 21, in this case, behind the storage section 21. As shown in FIG. 9, the storage section 21 has a connection section 24. The connection section 24 is formed in a tubular shape penetrating the storage section 21 and connects the inside of the storage section 21 to the pump 22. The connection section 24 is provided on the surface of the treatment agent tank 40 that faces the treatment agent case 30. In other words, the tank outlet 43 is provided on the surface opposite the handle section 50. In this embodiment, the connection section 24 is provided on the wall surface of the storage section 21 that faces the back surface 413 when the treatment agent tank 40 is stored in the storage section 21.

The leak prevention valve 44 is provided between the tank outlet 43 and the inside of the tank body 41. When the tank outlet 43 and the connection part 24 are connected, the leak prevention valve 44 opens the gap between the tank outlet 43 and the inside of the tank body 41. This allows the pump 22 to suck out the laundry treatment agent stored in the tank body 41. On the other hand, when the tank outlet 43 and the connection part 24 are not connected, the leak prevention valve 44 closes the gap between the tank outlet 43 and the inside of the tank body 41, thereby preventing the laundry treatment agent in the tank body 41 from leaking out to the outside through the tank outlet 43.

When the treatment agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodation section 21, the connection section 24 is inserted into the tank outlet 43. The connection section 24 is connected to the leak prevention valve 44, thereby connecting the inside of the tank body 41 to the pump 22. In other words, when the connection section 24 is inserted into the tank outlet 43, the connection port 24 connects the inside of the tank body 41 to the pump 22.

As shown in FIG. 3 etc., the washing machine 10 is equipped with one or more (in this case two) treatment agent tanks 40. In this embodiment, the washing machine 10 is equipped with a detergent tank 401 and a finishing agent tank 402 as the treatment agent tanks 40. The detergent tank 401 is for storing an amount of detergent to be used for multiple operations, in this case liquid detergent. The finishing agent tank 402 is for storing an amount of fabric softener to be used for multiple operations, in this case liquid fabric softener.

The treatment agent tank 40 has a handle 50. When removing the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21, the user can grasp the handle 50 and pull the treatment agent tank 40 diagonally upward. The handle 50 is provided on the upper part of the tank body 41, in this case, on the upper part of the front part 411.

The handle portion 50 protrudes forward from the front surface 411 and is generally U-shaped when viewed from above. As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the handle portion 50 has a front portion 51, left and right side portions 52, and a recess 53. The front portion 51 forms a surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, that is, the front surface of the handle portion 50 that extends in the up-down and left-to-right directions. In this case, perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction does not necessarily have to be strictly perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, but rather means that it includes a component perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction.

In this embodiment, the front portion 51 includes a first surface 511 extending in the vertical direction, and a second surface 512 located below the first surface 511 and inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The vertical length of the first surface 511 is set to about 1/3 to 2/3 of the vertical length of the entire front surface 411. In this embodiment, the vertical length of the first surface 511 is set to about 1/2 of the vertical length of the entire front surface 411.

The second surface 512 slopes downward from the lower end of the first surface 511 toward the rear. The upper end of the second surface 512 is connected to the lower end of the first surface 511, and the lower end of the second surface 512 is connected to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41.

The left and right side portions 52 form the left and right side surfaces of the handle portion 50. In this embodiment, the left and right side portions 52 form surfaces perpendicular to the left-right direction. In this case, perpendicular to the left-right direction does not necessarily have to be strictly perpendicular to the left-right direction, but means including a component perpendicular to the left-right direction. The side portions 52 extend from the left and right ends of the front portion 51 to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41. In other words, the front ends of the side portions 52 are connected to the left and right ends of the front portion 51, and the rear ends of the side portions 52 are connected to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41.

The recess 53 is formed in a concave shape by recessing a part of the front part 51 toward the rear. The recess 53 receives the user's fingers when gripping the handle part 50, making it easier for the user to grip. In this case, the recess 53 is located at the bottom of the front part 51. In other words, the recess 53 is provided leaving the top part of the front part 51, and is provided from the bottom end of the second surface 512 to around the center of the first surface 511 in the vertical direction. When gripping the handle part 50, the user can, for example, insert their thumb from the front into the recess 53, and insert the other fingers from the rear of the front part 51 between the handle part 50 and the tank body 41.

The vertical length dimension of the recess 53 can be set to a length that allows, for example, an adult user's thumb to be hooked or inserted. Specifically, the vertical length dimension of the recess 53 may be set to, for example, 1 cm to 4 cm. The vertical length dimension of the recess 53 may be set to, for example, 2 cm to 3 cm.

Furthermore, the recess 53 is provided in the left-right center of the handle 50. Because the left-right center lines of the handle 50 and the tank body 41 coincide, the recess 53 can also be said to be provided in the left-right center of the tank body 41. Therefore, when a user inserts his or her fingers into the recess 53 to grip the handle 50, the user will be gripping the left-right center of the treatment agent tank 40. Therefore, even if a large amount of laundry treatment agent is stored in the treatment agent tank 40 and the overall weight is heavy, the user can hold the treatment agent tank 40 stably.

The recess 53 forms a curved or flat surface extending from the front portion 51 toward the rear. In other words, the recess 53 is formed in a tunnel shape extending in the front-rear direction, having a three-dimensional curved surface or multiple flat surfaces, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. In other words, the recess 53 has a three-dimensional configuration. When the user inserts his or her fingers into the recess 53, the recess 53 comes into contact with the user's fingers at at least multiple points. Therefore, even if the weight of the treatment agent tank 40 is heavy, the user's fingers can support the hand grip 50 with a surface. Therefore, compared to when the user's fingers and the hand grip 50 are in point contact or line contact, the user's fingers receive a reaction force from the hand grip 50 in a distributed manner over a wide area. Therefore, the treatment agent tank 40 can be stably supported, and the hand grip 50 is less likely to dig into the user's fingers, improving the operability.

The recess 53 extends from the front portion 51 to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41. The length of the recess 53 in the front-rear direction may be any length that can support the user's fingers, and for example, in other embodiments, the recess 53 may not be connected to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41. Furthermore, the recess 53 does not have to form a continuous surface, and may have a notch, slit, or the like.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the recess 53 has a curved upper surface and a semicircular upper surface, so to speak, a dome shape, when viewed from the front. In this case, when the user inserts his/her fingers, the curved surface of the recess 53 fits the fingers more easily, allowing for a more stable grip. Note that the shape of the recess 53 is not limited to a dome shape. For example, in other embodiments, the upper portion may be flat. In this case, the surface perpendicular to the upward force in the direction in which the user's fingers push the handle 50 when removing the treatment agent tank 40 upward becomes wider, so that the reaction force that the user's fingers receive from the handle 50 is distributed over a wider area, improving the user's operability.

The upper end 531 of the recess 53 extends horizontally from the front to the rear as shown in the vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 8. In other words, when comparing the height from the bottom surface 414 of the treatment agent tank 40, the height position of the front end of the upper end 531 of the recess 53 is set to be the same as the height position of the rear end of the upper end 531, in this case the connection part with the front surface 411 of the treatment agent tank 40.

In other embodiments, the upper end of the recess 53 may be configured to be inclined relative to the horizontal direction. For example, the upper end 531 may be inclined downward from the front to the rear. In this case, the user inserts his or her fingers into the recess 53 from above, so that the user's insertion direction and the inclination direction of the recess 53 coincide, making it easier for the user to insert his or her fingers.

On the other hand, the upper end 531 may be inclined so as to rise from the front to the rear. In this case, after the processing agent tank 40 is removed from the storage section 21, it is expected that the user's fingers will be inserted from below into the recess 53, for example when grasping the processing agent tank 40 placed on the top surface 111 of the outer box 11. In this case, if the upper end 531 is inclined so as to rise from the front to the rear, the user's insertion direction and the inclination direction of the recess 53 will match, making it easier for the user to grasp the handle section 50.

The washing machine 10 further includes a regulating mechanism 60 as shown in Figs. 10 to 13. The regulating mechanism 60 regulates the movement of the treatment agent tank 40 when the treatment agent tank 40 is housed in the storage section 21. The regulating mechanism 60 also ensures that the treatment agent tank 40 is housed in a predetermined position in the storage section 21, and ensures a connection between the tank outlet 43 of the treatment agent tank 40 and the connection section 24 of the pump 22.

The regulating mechanism 60 is composed of a pair of regulating parts 61 and a regulated part 62. The pair of regulating parts 61 and the regulated part 62 fit together when the processing agent tank 40 is housed in the housing part 21, thereby restricting the upward, left-right, and front-rear movement of the processing agent tank 40.

In this embodiment, the pair of regulating portions 61 are provided so as to protrude upward from the bottom portion 212 of the storage portion 21. The regulated portion 62 is provided so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41. In this case, the regulating portions 61 are integrally molded with the storage portion 21, for example, from a resin or metal member. The regulated portion 62 is also integrally molded with the tank body 41, for example, from a resin.

The position of the tip 621 of the regulated portion 62 is set to be approximately the same as the position of the lower end of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41 or higher than the position of the lower end of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41. In other words, the regulated portion 62 is provided in the recessed portion 45 provided in the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41. The recessed portion 45 is formed by recessing a part of the front end of the bottom surface portion 414 upward. The regulated portion 62 protrudes downward from the upper surface of the recessed portion 45. Therefore, even if the processing agent tank 40 is removed from the storage portion 21 and placed on, for example, the top surface portion 111 of the outer box 11, the regulated portion 62 does not protrude from the bottommost portion of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41, and the processing agent tank 40 can stand independently.

As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the pair of regulating parts 61 are formed in a generally rectangular plate shape that is long in the vertical direction, and are arranged facing each other. The opposing surfaces of the regulating parts 61, i.e., the surfaces facing the regulated parts 62, are provided with recessed parts 611 that receive the tip parts 621 of the regulated parts 62. The recessed parts 611 are formed by recessing the surfaces of the regulating parts 61 that face the regulated parts 62 in the thickness direction of the regulating parts 61.

The regulated portion 62 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape extending in the up-down and left-right directions, with the tip 621 bulging out in the left-right direction, i.e., toward the recessed portion 611 of the regulating portion 61. The left-right width dimension L1 of the tip 621 is set to be greater than the distance L2 between the opposing regulating portions 61. The left-right width dimension L1 of the tip 621 is set to be approximately the same as the maximum width between the recessed portions 611 of the regulating portion 61.

Since the upper end of the regulating portion 61 is a free end, the regulating portion 61 bends in the left-right direction due to an external force. When the user places the processing agent tank 40 in the storage portion 21, the regulated portion 62 is inserted between the pair of regulating portions 61. When the regulated portion 62 is inserted between the pair of regulating portions 61 from above, the regulating portion 61 bends outward, that is, in a direction away from the regulated portion 62, to receive the regulated portion 62. FIG. 12 shows a state in which the pair of regulating portions 61 and the regulated portion 62 are fitted together. When the processing agent tank 40 is completely stored in the storage portion 21, that is, when the bottom surface portion 414 of the processing agent tank 40 reaches the bottom portion 212 of the storage portion 21, the tip portion 621 of the regulated portion 62 reaches the recessed portion 611. The tip portion 621 is stored between the pair of recessed portions 611, and the regulating portion 61 is released from the bent state.

On the other hand, when the user removes the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21, the tip 621 of the regulated portion 62 comes out of the recess 611, bending each of the pair of regulating portions 61 outward, i.e., in a direction away from the regulated portion 62. When the tip 621 of the regulated portion 62 climbs over the regulating portion 61, the regulating portion 61 is released from the bent state. Figure 13 shows the state in which the pair of regulating portions 61 and regulated portions 62 are no longer fitted together.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the regulated portion 62 is provided on the bottom portion 414 near the front portion 411. When a user positioned at the front side of the washing machine 10 removes the treatment agent tank 40, the user first lifts the handle portion 50 so that it rotates upward around the rear portion 413 of the bottom portion 414 as a fulcrum. In this case, compared to when the regulating mechanism 60 is provided near the rear portion 413 of the tank body 41, the engagement between the regulating portion 61 and the regulated portion 62 can be released by pulling the handle portion 50 slightly upward.

In this case, the upward movement distance required for the engagement between the regulating portion 61 and the regulated portion 62 to be released, i.e., the movement distance H required for the tip portion 621 of the regulated portion 62 to overcome the regulated portion 62 as shown in FIG. 12, can be set to, for example, 1 cm to 3 cm. In this embodiment, the upward movement distance H required for the engagement between the regulating portion 61 and the regulated portion 62 to be released can be set to, for example, 2 cm.

9, 10, 13, etc., the treatment agent case 30 has a notch 37. The notch 37 is formed by cutting out a part of the upper end of the wall 31 of the treatment agent case 30 so as to recess it downward. The notch 37 is provided in the part of the wall 31 that faces the treatment agent tank 40, in this case the back wall 313. More specifically, the notch 37 is provided in a position that faces the handle 50 of each treatment agent tank 401, 402. Therefore, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are stored in the storage section 21, a part of the front 51 of the handle 50 is exposed to the user side, in this case the front, through the notch 37. In other words, the user can access the handle 50 through the notch 37.

In this embodiment, the height position of the upper end of the back wall portion 313 is set to be approximately the same as the height position of the upper end of the front portion 51 of the handle portion 50 when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage portion 21. Therefore, if the cutout portion 37 is not provided, the front portion 51 of the handle portion 50 will be covered by the back wall portion 313, making it difficult for the user to see and for the user to grip.

In this embodiment, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21, only a portion of the first surface 511 is exposed by the cutout portion 37 of the front portion 51. In this embodiment, the upper end portion of the recess 53 is slightly visible from the user side, but in other embodiments, it is not essential that the recess 53 is not visible from the user side when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21.

When the treatment agent tank 40 is pulled upward by a distance H, that is, when the regulated portion 62 overcomes the regulating portion 61, the recess 53 is exposed from the cutout portion 37 toward the user side (in this case, the front) as shown in FIG. 11. Therefore, when the regulated portion 62 overcomes the regulating portion 61, the recess 53 is visible from the user side, and the user can insert his or her finger into it.

When a user removes the processing agent tank 40 contained in the storage section 21, the user first grasps the front portion 51 of the handle portion 50 exposed from the cutout portion 37 and pulls it upward as shown by the arrow in FIG. 10. When the user pulls the processing agent tank 40 upward by a distance H and the regulated portion 62 overcomes the regulating portion 61 as shown in FIG. 11, the recess 53 is exposed from the cutout portion 37. The user can securely grip the handle portion 50, for example, by inserting the thumb into the recess 53 and placing the other fingers against the first surface 511 from behind. The user can then pull the processing agent tank 40 further upward or diagonally upward to remove the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21.

Figures 3 and 4 show the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 housed in the storage section 21 with the cover member 23 removed or open. In this case, the upper end of the wall portion 31 forming the outer periphery of the treatment agent case 30 and the upper member 42 forming the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40 are exposed upward from the opening 211 of the storage section 21. In other words, with the cover member 23 open, there is no structure covering the treatment agent case 30 and the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 from above. Therefore, a user looking into the storage section 21 from above can see the entire treatment agent case 30 and the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40 at once.

In addition, when the cover member 23 is open, the treatment agent case 30 and the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 are not covered from above, so the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 can be independently pulled upward and removed. The treatment agent case 30 can be attached to the storage section 21 with the treatment agent tank 40 housed in the storage section 21, and the treatment agent tank 40 can be attached to the storage section 21 with the treatment agent case 30 housed in the storage section 21. In this case, the treatment agent tank 40 can be attached to the storage section 21 by inserting it downward. In this case, upward and downward do not necessarily mean strictly only movement in a direction perpendicular to the floor surface, but mainly include movement in a vertical direction component. In addition, upward and downward can also refer to movement in a direction that the operating user can perceive as being removed upward or inserted downward.

In this embodiment, the treatment agent tank 40 is slightly protruding toward the rear at the lower part where the tank outlet 43 is provided, but the depth dimension of the treatment agent tank 40 is set to be approximately the same at the upper and lower parts of the treatment agent tank 40. In other words, the depth dimension from the front part 51 of the handle part 50 of the treatment agent tank 40 to the back part 413 of the tank body 41 is set to be approximately the same as the depth dimension from the front part 411 to the back part 413 at the lower part of the treatment agent tank 40. In this case, the front part of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., the handle part 50, is in close contact with the treatment agent case 30, and the rear part of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., the rear end part or back part 413 of the upper member 42, is in close contact with the back wall of the storage part 21. Therefore, if the treatment agent tank 40 is moved strictly in the vertical direction, the treatment agent tank 40 may collide with the treatment agent case 30 or the storage part 21 along the way, and the movement of the treatment agent tank 40 may be restricted.

Therefore, when removing the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21, the user first lifts up the processing agent tank 40 so that the top of the processing agent tank 40 is positioned above the opening 211. The user may then pull the processing agent tank 40 slightly forward while lifting it up until the bottom of the processing agent tank 40 is above the opening 211. Alternatively, the user may rotate the handle portion 50 slightly upward and diagonally backward, using the center of the processing agent tank 40 as the center of rotation, while lifting it up until the bottom of the processing agent tank 40 is above the opening 211.

When attaching the processing agent tank 40 to the storage section 21, the user first holds the processing agent tank 40 and moves it downward to insert the lower part of the processing agent tank 40 below the opening 211. The user may then push the processing agent tank 40 slightly backwards to insert it further downward, until the upper part of the processing agent tank 40 is inserted below the opening 211. Alternatively, the user may move the handle section 50 downward while slightly rotating it diagonally downward and forward, using the vicinity of the center of the processing agent tank 40 as the center of rotation, until the upper part of the processing agent tank 40 is inserted below the opening 211.

As described above, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21, the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 is parallel to the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall section 31 of the treatment agent case 30. Furthermore, the planes S1 and S2 are parallel to the top surface 111. Therefore, when the user houses the treatment agent tank 40 in the storage section 21, the user may compare the planes S1 and S2, or the top surface 111 and S2. In this case, if it can be visually confirmed that the planes S1 and S2, or the top surface 111 and S2, are parallel to each other, it can be concluded that the treatment agent tank 40 is securely attached to the storage section 21.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 15, for example, when the treatment agent tank 40 is not completely attached to the storage section 21, i.e., when it is in a half-inserted state, the planes S1 and S2 are not parallel to each other. Therefore, if the planes S1 and S2 are not parallel to each other, the user can visually confirm that the treatment agent tank 40 is in a half-inserted state.

Here, for the convenience of the user, it is preferable that the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40, both of which are the destinations for the laundry treatment agent, are arranged in the same part. Furthermore, in order to make the entire product compact, it is preferable that the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed as closely as possible. On the other hand, it is expected that the treatment agent tank 40, which is larger than the treatment agent case 30, will be difficult to remove alone if the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed closely together. In this case, if the treatment agent case 30 is configured to need to be removed once in order to remove the treatment agent tank 40, the user will have to remove the treatment agent case 30 even when they want to remove only the treatment agent tank 40, which increases the number of steps and is troublesome. In addition, the treatment agent case 30 may be surrounded by water or laundry treatment agents, so the user may have trouble finding a place to place the wet treatment agent case 30.

In contrast, according to the present embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 includes an outer box 11, a water tub 12, a storage section 21, a treatment agent case 30, and a treatment agent tank 40. The outer box 11 is formed in a box shape. The water tub 12 is provided inside the outer box 11. The storage section 21 is provided inside the outer box 11 and has an opening 211 formed by opening the top surface section 111 side of the outer box 11. The treatment agent case 30 is configured to receive the laundry treatment agent used in one operation and supply the laundry treatment agent to the water tub 12. The treatment agent tank 40 is configured to be able to store the laundry treatment agent used for multiple operations. The storage section 21 is configured to be able to store the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 horizontally arranged inside. The treatment agent tank 40 can be attached to or detached from the storage section 21 when the treatment agent case 30 is stored in the storage section 21.

This allows the user to attach and detach the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 independently of attaching and detaching the treatment agent case 30. This makes it possible to provide a washing machine in which the treatment agent tank 40 is easy to remove, improving user convenience.

The treatment agent tank 40 is configured so that it can be inserted downward to be attached to the storage section 21, or pulled upward to be removed from the storage section 21, when the treatment agent case 30 is housed in the storage section 21.

According to this, the storage section 21 is open on the top surface 111 side, and the user is in a state of looking into the storage section 21 from above. In this state, the user can remove the treatment agent tank 40 facing upward or attach it facing downward, so that the movement of the user's arm when attaching or detaching the treatment agent tank 40 is pulling it toward the body or sticking it out from the body. Therefore, compared to movements in other directions, it is easier for the user to apply force, making it easier to attach and detach the treatment agent tank 40. It is therefore possible to provide a washing machine that is more convenient for the user.

The washing machine 10 is equipped with a cover member 23 that opens and closes the opening 211 of the storage section 21. When the cover member 23 is open and the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are stored in the storage section 21, the outer periphery of the treatment agent case 30, i.e., the wall section 31, and the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., the outer periphery of the upper member 42, are exposed upward from the opening 211.

The treatment agent tank 40 is larger in size than the treatment agent case 30, but the entire upper member 42 is exposed from the opening 211, making it easy to remove from the storage section 21. Furthermore, the user can visually check the upper end of the wall 31 of the treatment agent case 30 and the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 at once. Therefore, if the treatment agent tank 40 is not completely attached to the storage section 21, it is easy to notice that the treatment agent tank 40 is only partially inserted by comparing the positions of the two. Therefore, it is possible to provide a washing machine that is more convenient for the user.

When the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the housing 21, the upper end of the treatment agent case 30 extends parallel to the plane S2 formed by the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., the upper member 42. In other words, the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent case 30 and the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 extend parallel to each other.

Accordingly, if the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 is not parallel to the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent case 30, the treatment agent tank 40 is suspected to be in a half-inserted state, i.e., the connection between the tank outlet 43 and the connection portion 24 is incomplete. Therefore, by comparing the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent case 30 with the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40, the user can visually confirm that the treatment agent tank 40 is completely attached to the storage portion 21. Therefore, it is possible to provide a washing machine that is more convenient for the user.

The storage section 21 stores a plurality of processing agent tanks 401, 402 (two in this case). The upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 401 and the upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 402 form a plane S2 that extends parallel to each other. Therefore, by visually comparing the upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 401 with the upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 402, the user can visually confirm whether the two are completely attached to each other.

The washing machine 10 includes a pump 22, a tank outlet 43, and a connection part 24. The pump 22 has a function of sucking out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 40 and supplying the sucked out laundry treatment agent to the water tub 12. The tank outlet 43 is an opening formed in the treatment agent tank 40 and serves as an outlet when supplying laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 40 to the water tub 12. The connection part 24 has a function of connecting the pump 22 and the tank outlet 43. The treatment agent case 30 is provided with respect to the treatment agent tank 40 so as to face the surface on which the tank outlet 43 is provided, that is, the surface opposite to the back surface 413 in this case, that is, the front surface 411.

Ensuring a reliable connection between the pump 22 and the treatment agent tank 40 is necessary to prevent problems such as leakage from the treatment agent tank 40 and failure to perform automatic dispensing. According to this embodiment, if the treatment agent case 30 is raised after the treatment agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodation section 21, the user can place the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 in a predetermined position by pushing the treatment agent case 30 toward the treatment agent tank 40, that is, pushing it toward the back in this case. In addition, by pushing the treatment agent case 30 toward the treatment agent tank 40, that is, pushing it toward the back in this case, the connection between the pump 22 and the treatment agent tank 40 can be ensured. Furthermore, the user can use the positional relationship between the treatment agent case 30 and the part of the treatment agent tank 40 that faces the treatment agent case 30, that is, the front part 411 and the handle part 50, to determine the position when attaching the treatment agent tank 40. Therefore, the treatment agent tank 40 can be easily attached, and a washing machine with improved user convenience can be provided.

The treatment agent tank 40 has a handle 50 on the side facing the treatment agent case 30, on which the user can place their fingers. The wall 31 that forms the outer periphery of the treatment agent case 30 has a notch 37 at the top of the side facing the treatment agent tank 40.

As a result, at least a portion of the handle 50 is exposed to the user when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21. Therefore, even when the treatment agent case 30 is housed in the storage section 21, the user can grasp the handle 50 from the notch 37 and easily pull up the treatment agent tank 40. This makes it easy to remove the treatment agent tank 40, and provides a washing machine that is more convenient for the user.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 16 and Fig. 17. The washing machine 10 of the second embodiment has one or more recesses 70 in the treatment agent tank 40. The recesses 70 are formed by recessing at least a part of the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40 toward the inside of the treatment agent tank 40. The recesses 70 are formed so that a user's fingers can be inserted, and when removing the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 or installing it, the user can hook or insert their fingers into the recesses 70 to grip the treatment agent tank 40. Note that Fig. 16 shows the treatment agent tank 40 without the cover member 423.

The recess 70 may be formed on the front, back, or side of the processing agent tank 40. In this embodiment, the recess 70 is provided on the side of the processing agent tank 40 as shown in FIG. 16. The recess 70 may be formed on the side of the outer periphery of the processing agent tank 40 where adjacent processing agent tanks 401, 402 face each other. FIG. 16 shows the detergent tank 401, in which the recess 70 is provided on the side facing the finishing agent tank 402, i.e., the right side. The finishing agent tank 402 may have the recess 70 on the side facing the detergent tank 401, i.e., the left side, as shown in FIG. 17.

In this case, the position of the recess 70 provided in the detergent tank 401 and the position of the recess 70 provided in the finishing agent tank 402 are set to face each other. Therefore, when the processing agent tanks 401, 402 are stored in the storage section 21, a space having a width at least twice the depth of the depression of each recess 70 is formed between the processing agent tank 401 and the processing agent tank 402. The user can insert his or her fingers into the space formed jointly by the two recesses 70 to reliably remove the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 or attach it to the storage section 21.

As shown in FIG. 16, the recess 70 is formed extending in the vertical direction over substantially the entire upper member 42 and the side portion 412 of the tank body 41. In other embodiments, the recess 70 may be formed only in the upper member 42, or may be provided in the upper member 42 and a portion of the upper portion of the side portion 412.

The position of the recess 70 can be set at a position close to the center of gravity of the treatment agent tank 40. For example, the position of the recess 70 can be set at the center of the treatment agent tank 40 in the left-right direction, or the center of the treatment agent tank 40 in the front-to-rear direction, or in the vicinity of these. In this embodiment, the position of the recess 70 is set at a position slightly forward of the center point of the treatment agent tank 40's front-to-rear length dimension. In this case, the position of the recess 70 is set at the center point of the upper member 42's front-to-rear length dimension.

The depth of the recess 70 can be set to a dimension that allows, for example, an adult's thumb to be hooked or inserted into the recess. Specifically, the depth of the recess 70 may be set to 0.5 cm to 2 cm. Specifically, the depth of the recess 70 may be set to 1 cm to 1.5 cm.

Here, because the handle 50 protrudes forward from the tank body 41, it is located somewhat away from the center of gravity of the treatment tank 40. For example, if a large amount of laundry treatment agent is stored in the treatment tank 40, the weight of the treatment tank 40 and the laundry treatment agent combined can be considerable, and a user with weak strength may find it difficult to grasp the handle 50, which is away from the center of gravity, and support the treatment tank 40.

In contrast, according to the second embodiment described above, the treatment agent tank 40 of the washing machine 10 has a recess 70 formed by recessing at least a portion of the upper portion toward the inside of the treatment agent tank 40.

This allows the user to grasp the treatment agent tank 40 from above when attaching or detaching the treatment agent tank 40. Because the recess 70 is provided at least in the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., in the upper part of the tank body 41, the distance from the center of gravity of the treatment agent tank 40 is shorter than the position of the handle 50. Therefore, even when a large amount of laundry treatment agent is stored, the user can hold the treatment agent tank 40 more stably by grasping the recess 70. This improves user operability.

In this embodiment, one recess 70 is provided in each processing agent tank 40, but in other embodiments, multiple recesses 70 may be provided in each processing agent tank 40. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 18, two recesses 70 are provided in each processing agent tank 40. In this case, the recesses 70 are provided on the left and right sides of the processing agent tank 40. In yet another embodiment, the recesses 70 may be provided on the front and back sides of the processing agent tank 40. Note that FIG. 18 shows the processing agent tank 40 without the lid member 423.

Furthermore, if a recess 70 is provided in the treatment agent tank 40, the user can easily remove the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 by gripping the recess 70 without gripping the handle portion 50. Therefore, in this case, the treatment agent case 30 may be configured not to have a notch portion 37. Also, the treatment agent tank 40 may be configured not to have a handle portion 50.

Although several 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 forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims.

10... washing machine, 11... outer box, 12... water tank, 21... storage section, 211... opening, 212... bottom, 22... pump, 23... cover member, 30... treatment agent case, 31... wall, 37... notch, 40... treatment agent tank, 41... tank body, 43... tank outlet, 50... handle, 51... front, 52... side, 53... recess, 70... recess (second embodiment)

Claims (7)

An outer box formed in a box shape;
A water tank provided in the outer box;
A storage section is provided in the outer box and has an opening formed by opening a top surface side of the outer box;
a treatment case for receiving a laundry treatment agent to be used in one operation and supplying the laundry treatment agent to the water tub;
A treatment tank capable of storing a laundry treatment agent to be used for multiple operations,
the storage unit is capable of storing the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank in the same space while being arranged side by side in a horizontal direction,
The treatment agent tank is attachable to or detachable from the storage section with the treatment agent case stored in the storage section. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment agent tank can be inserted downward to be attached to the storage section, or can be pulled upward to be removed from the storage section, with the treatment agent case housed in the storage section. A cover member that opens and closes the opening is provided,
3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein when the cover member is in an open state and the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are housed in the housing section, an outer periphery of the treatment agent case and an outer periphery of an upper part of the treatment agent tank are exposed upward from the opening. The washing machine according to claim 3, wherein when the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are housed in the housing, the upper end of the treatment agent case extends parallel to a plane formed by the upper part of the treatment agent tank. a pump for drawing a predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank and supplying the drawn laundry treatment agent to the water tub;
a tank outlet that is an opening formed in the treatment agent tank and serves as an outlet for supplying the laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank to the water tub;
a connection portion that connects the pump and the tank outlet,
The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment agent case is provided facing a surface of the treatment agent tank opposite to a surface on which the tank outlet is provided. the treatment agent tank has a handle portion on which a user can place his or her hand on a side facing the treatment agent case,
The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein an outer periphery of the treatment agent case has a notch at an upper portion on a side facing the treatment agent tank. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the treatment agent tank has a recess formed by recessing at least a portion of the upper portion toward the inside of the treatment agent tank.

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