JP7715766B2 - washing machine - Google Patents

Description

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

Conventionally, washing machines and other devices have been proposed that can irradiate clothes with ultraviolet light to prevent the growth of bacteria on the clothes.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-176646

However, in such conventional washing machines, there is still room for improvement in order to obtain a high sterilization effect by irradiating ultraviolet rays.
Therefore, we provide a washing machine that can achieve a high sterilization effect by irradiating it with ultraviolet rays.

A washing machine according to an embodiment includes an outer tub, a rotatable tub rotatably mounted within the outer tub and capable of storing clothes, a water supply mechanism connected to an external water source and capable of pouring water from the external water source into the outer tub, an ultraviolet irradiation device capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays into the rotatable tub, and an operation processing unit capable of executing a wash operation in which water is stored in the outer tub to wash the clothes in the rotatable tub, and an ultraviolet irradiation operation in which the ultraviolet irradiation device is operated before the wash operation to irradiate ultraviolet rays onto the clothes stored in the rotatable tub.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view illustrating a schematic configuration of an example of a washing machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional rear view illustrating a schematic configuration of an example of a washing machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of an ultraviolet irradiation device in a washing machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of a washing machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a course provided in a washing machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation of an ultraviolet irradiation operation performed in a washing machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a washing operation performed by a washing machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of operation details of a drying operation performed by a washing machine according to an embodiment.

A washing machine according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a horizontal-axis or diagonal-axis drum-type washer-dryer with a drying function. The washing machine of this embodiment can also be applied to a vertical-axis type so-called fully automatic washer-dryer. The washing machine 10 of this embodiment can also be applied to a configuration without a drying function.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 comprises an outer casing 11, a door 12, an outer tub 13, bellows 14, a rotating tub 15, a motor 16, a water supply mechanism 17, a drainage mechanism 18, and an operation panel 19. In this embodiment, the door 11 side of the outer casing 11, i.e., the left side of the paper in Figure 1, is the front side of the washing machine 10. The outer casing 11 is formed into a rectangular hollow box using, for example, a stainless steel plate, and forms the outer shell of the washing machine 10. The outer casing 11 has a clothing entrance/exit 111 at the front that connects the inside and outside of the outer casing 11.

The door 12 is located at the front of the outer box 11 and is configured to open and close the garment entrance 111. With the door 12 open, the user can insert or remove garments 90 into or from the rotating tub 15 through the garment entrance 111.

The outer tub 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an opening 131 on the front side. In this embodiment, the outer tub 13 can store water inside, in which case it functions as a water tank. The outer tub 13 has an exhaust port 132 and an air intake port 133. The exhaust port 132 is located, for example, in the upper front part of the peripheral wall that forms the cylindrical part of the outer tub 13, and is provided in the left-right center of the outer tub 13, that is, at a position separated left-right from the top of the cylindrical outer surface of the outer tub 13. The air intake port 133 is located, for example, in the bottom of the outer tub 13, slightly above the vertical center of the bottom. The exhaust port 132 and air intake port 133 connect the inside and outside of the outer tub 13.

The bellows 14 is provided around the clothing entrance 111 of the outer box 11 and the opening 131 of the outer tub 13. The bellows 14 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical accordion shape, and elastically connects the outer box 11 and the outer tub 13 while communicating between the clothing entrance 111 and the opening 131.

The spin tub 15 is cylindrical with a bottom that can accommodate clothes 90 and is rotatably housed inside the outer tub 13. The rotation axis of the spin tub 15 overlaps the central axis of the outer tub 13. The spin tub 15 has multiple communication ports 151. The communication ports 151 connect the inside and outside of the spin tub 15. The communication ports 151 are formed throughout the peripheral wall that constitutes the cylindrical portion of the spin tub 15 and the bottom of the spin tub 15. The communication ports 151 function primarily as water passages through which water flows in and out during the washing and spin-drying operations, and as ventilation ports through which air flows in and out during the drying operation. In addition, although not shown in detail, the spin tub 15 has multiple baffles on the inside of its cylindrical portion. The baffles agitate the clothes 90 housed inside the spin tub 15.

The motor 16 is mounted, for example, on the outside of the bottom of the outer tub 13. The tip of the shaft 161 of the motor 16 protrudes into the interior of the outer tub 13 and is connected to the rotatable tub 15. The motor 16 can be, for example, an outer rotor type direct drive motor. The shaft 161 of the motor 16 penetrates the bottom of the outer tub 13, protrudes into the interior of the outer tub 13, and is fixed to the bottom of the rotatable tub 15. The motor 16 rotates the rotatable tub 15 relative to the outer tub 13. In this case, the shaft 161 of the motor 16, the central axis of the outer tub 13, and the rotation axis of the rotatable tub 15 are all aligned.

The water supply mechanism 17 is a device for injecting water supplied from an external water source, such as a tap, into the outer tub 13. The water supply mechanism 17 is located, for example, inside the outer casing 11, above one of the left and right sides of the outer tub 13. The water supply mechanism 17 includes a water supply valve 171, a water supply case 172, and a water supply hose 173. The water supply valve 171 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid, and is connected to an external water source, such as a tap (not shown).

The water inlet case 172 is configured to accommodate laundry treatment agents such as detergent and finishing agent. The water inlet hose 173 connects the water inlet case 172 to the interior of the outer tub 13. The water supply valve 171 opens and closes the water supply path that runs from an external water source through the water supply mechanism 17 to the interior of the outer tub 13. When the water supply valve 171 is opened, water from the external water source is injected into the outer tub 13 via the water inlet case 172. If laundry treatment agents are stored in the water inlet case 172 during this water injection, the laundry treatment agents in the water inlet case 172 are carried along with the water flowing through the water inlet case 172 and washed down into the outer tub 13. Note that the washing machine 10 does not necessarily have to include the water inlet case 172. In other words, the washing machine 10 may be configured so that the user can directly add laundry treatment agents into the outer tub 13. Additionally, the washing machine 10 may be equipped with an automatic dispenser that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into the outer tub 13, either together with the water filling case 172 or instead of the water filling case 172.

The drain mechanism 18 has the function of draining water stored inside the outer tub 13 to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drain mechanism 18 is composed of a drain valve 181 and a drain pipe 182. The drain valve 181 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid. The drain valve 181 opens and closes the drain path that runs from inside the outer tub 13 to the outside of the machine via the drain mechanism 18.

The operation panel 19 accepts operation inputs from the user regarding the settings and operation of the washing machine 10, and also has the function of presenting information regarding the settings and operation of the washing machine 10 to the user by display, audio, etc. The operation panel 19 can be configured, for example, as a touch panel display, or can be configured with touch switches, mechanical switches, etc. The operation panel 19 can also be configured by combining a touch panel display with touch switches and mechanical switches, etc. The operation panel 19 is provided, for example, on the front part of the top surface of the outer casing 11.

The washing machine 10 also has a drying function. In this embodiment, the washing machine 10 is equipped with a circulation air duct 20 and a hot air supply device 30. The circulation air duct 20 connects the exhaust port 132 and the air intake port 133 on the outside of the outer tub 13. The circulation air duct 20 takes in air from inside the outer tub 13 through the exhaust port 132 into the circulation air duct 20, turns it into hot air through the hot air supply device 30, and then supplies the hot air into the outer tub 13 through the air intake port 133.

The circulating air duct 20 can be configured to include, for example, an exhaust duct 21, a filter device 22, a connecting duct 23, a heat exchanger 24, and an air supply duct 25. The exhaust duct 21, the filter device 22, the connecting duct 23, the heat exchanger 24, and the air supply duct 25 are arranged in order along the flow of air through the circulating air duct 20.

The exhaust duct 21 connects the exhaust port 132 of the outer tub 13 to the filter device 22. The filter device 22 has an internal filter (not shown) that captures lint and other foreign matter contained in the air flowing through the circulating air duct 20. The connection duct 23 connects the filter device 22 to the heat exchanger 24. The heat exchanger 24 is located on the lower inside of the outer casing 11, below the outer tub 13 and the rotating tub 15. Air taken into the circulating air duct 20 from the outer tub 13 is dehumidified and heated as it passes through the heat exchanger 24, becoming dry, warm air. The intake air duct 25 connects the heat exchanger 24 to the intake port 133 of the outer tub 13.

The hot air supply device 30 has the function of generating hot air for drying the clothes in the rotating tub 15 and supplying the hot air from the air inlet 133 into the outer tub 13. The hot air supply device 30 can be configured to include, for example, a heat pump type or heater type heating device. In this embodiment, the hot air supply device 30 is configured to include a heat pump type heating device and has an evaporator 31, a condenser 32, and a compressor 33.

The evaporator 31 and condenser 32 are located within the heat exchange unit 24. The evaporator 31 is located upstream of the condenser 32 with respect to the air flow within the heat exchange unit 24 during drying operation. The evaporator 31 and condenser 32, together with a compressor 33 located outside the heat exchange unit 24, form a heat pump mechanism, i.e., a refrigeration cycle. Air passing through the heat exchange unit 24 is cooled by the evaporator 31 and thereby dehumidified. The air dehumidified by the evaporator 31 is then heated by the condenser 32 to become warm air.

The downstream side of the heat exchange unit 24 is connected to the air intake port 133 of the outer tub 13 by the air intake duct 25. The warm air supply device 30 also includes a blower 34. The blower 34 is provided, for example, at the connection between the heat exchange unit 24 and the air intake duct 25, and can be configured, for example, as a sirocco fan. The blower 34 draws air into the heat exchange unit 24 and discharges it toward the air intake duct 25. As a result, the warm air dehumidified and heated by the heat exchange unit 24 is supplied from the air intake port 133 to the outer tub 13 and further into the rotating tub 15 by the blowing action of the blower 34.

Furthermore, if the blower 34 is operated while the compressor 33 is stopped, unheated air is supplied into the rotating tub 15, which lowers the temperature inside the rotating tub 15. Therefore, by operating the blower 34 while the compressor 33 is stopped, the blower 34 performs the function of cooling the temperature inside the rotating tub 15.

The washing machine 10 also includes an ultraviolet irradiation device 40. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be installed, for example, at a location other than the rotatable tub 15 and facing the interior of the rotatable tub 15. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be installed, for example, on the inner surface of the opening 131 of the outer tub 13, the inner surface of the bellows 14, or inside the door 12. In this embodiment, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is installed, for example, at the uppermost part of the inner surface of the opening 131 of the outer tub 13 or the inner surface of the bellows 14.

The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 has the function of irradiating the interior of the rotating tub 15 with light containing ultraviolet rays, and can emit ultraviolet light with a wavelength of, for example, 200 nm to 380 nm. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can irradiate ultraviolet rays downward on the rotating tub 15, that is, toward the lower portion of the peripheral wall of the rotating tub 15, in other words, toward the water surface when water is stored in the outer tub 13. The ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 have disinfecting or sterilizing properties by themselves, that is, without the use of a catalyst or the like. In this case, the wavelength of the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is preferably in the range of 200 nm to 280 nm, taking disinfecting or sterilizing properties into consideration.

The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated, i.e., the amount of ultraviolet light energy irradiated per unit time, in two or more stages. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 of this embodiment is configured to be able to adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated in two stages, for example, "strong" and "weak." In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 adjusts the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated by adjusting the ultraviolet light irradiation time per unit time, i.e., the duty ratio between the period when ultraviolet light is irradiated and the period when ultraviolet light is not irradiated. In this case, for example, at "strong," the duty ratio is set to 100%, meaning that ultraviolet light is always irradiated. Furthermore, at "weak," the duty ratio is set to a value smaller than the 100% of "strong," for example, 50% or less. Note that the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 may also be configured to adjust the intensity of ultraviolet light by adjusting the illuminance of the ultraviolet light.

The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 may be configured to irradiate visible light simultaneously with or separately from ultraviolet irradiation, for example. In this embodiment, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is configured to be able to irradiate visible light along with ultraviolet irradiation. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation area irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 and the visible light irradiation area irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be set to at least partially overlap. Furthermore, for example, the area irradiated with visible light can be set to fit entirely within the ultraviolet irradiation area, or the area irradiated with ultraviolet light can be set to fit entirely within the visible light irradiation area.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be configured to include, for example, a light source circuit 41, an ultraviolet light source 42, a blue light source 43, and a white light source 44. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be configured by mounting the light source circuit 41, the ultraviolet light source 42, the blue light source 43, and the white light source 44 on, for example, a single substrate 401.

The light source circuit 41 is an electrical circuit for controlling the operation of the ultraviolet light source 42, blue light source 43, and white light source 44. The ultraviolet light source 42 is a light source capable of emitting ultraviolet light and can be configured, for example, as an ultraviolet lamp or ultraviolet LED. The blue light source 43 is capable of emitting blue visible light, such as visible light close to purple, and can be configured, for example, as a blue lamp or blue LED. The white light source 44 is capable of emitting white visible light and can be configured, for example, as a white lamp or white LED.

The ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source 42 is invisible to the human eye. Therefore, when emitting ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 42, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 emits blue visible light that is close to purple from the blue light source 43, allowing the user to recognize that ultraviolet light is being emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. In this case, the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43 can be connected to the light source circuit 41 by common electrical wiring, allowing the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43 to always emit light simultaneously. However, the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43 can also be connected to the light source circuit 41 by separate electrical wiring, allowing them to emit light independently of each other.

The white light source 44 can also be used, for example, to illuminate the interior of the rotating tub 15. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 also functions as a lighting device for illuminating the interior of the rotating tub 15. The white light source 44 is connected to the light source circuit 41 by electrical wiring separate from that of the ultraviolet light source 42 and blue light source 43, and can be configured to emit light independently of the ultraviolet light source 42 and blue light source 43.

As shown in FIG. 4, the washing machine 10 also includes a control device 50, a weight detection unit 51, and an operation processing unit 52. The control device 50 is primarily composed of a microcomputer having a CPU 501 and a storage area 502 such as ROM, RAM, and non-volatile memory. The control device 50 has the function of managing the operation of the entire washing machine 10. The motor 16, water supply valve 171, drain valve 181, operation panel 19, compressor 33, blower 34, and ultraviolet irradiation device 40 are electrically connected to the control device 50 and operate under the control of the control device 50.

The weight detection unit 51 has the function of detecting the weight of laundry, such as clothes 90, contained in the rotatable tub 15. The weight detection unit 51 can be realized, for example, by an ammeter (not shown) that measures the current flowing through the motor 16. The weight detection unit 51 can measure the load acting on the motor 16 by measuring the current flowing through the motor 16 when the rotatable tub 15 is rotated, and can detect the weight of the laundry contained in the rotatable tub 15 based on that load. The weight detection unit 51 can also be realized, for example, by using an encoder that detects the rotation speed of the motor 16. In this case, the weight detection unit 51 measures the load on the motor 16 from the difference between the target rotation speed and the actual rotation speed, and detects the weight of the laundry based on that load.

The memory area 502 of the control device 50 also stores a program for implementing, for example, the operation processing unit 52. The control device 50 virtually implements the operation processing unit 52 in software by executing the program stored in the memory area 502 in the CPU 501. Note that the operation processing unit 52 may also be implemented in hardware as an integrated circuit integrated with the control device 50.

The operation processing unit 52 can selectively execute a course consisting of one or more combinations of ultraviolet irradiation operation, washing operation, and drying operation by operating the motor 16, water supply valve 171, drain valve 181, compressor 33, blower 34, ultraviolet irradiation device 40, and weight detection unit 51 as needed. Note that in this embodiment, the "operation" in ultraviolet irradiation operation, washing operation, and drying operation is a concept that includes one or more processes. Furthermore, a course is a concept that includes one or more operations and is a unit that can be selected by the user. In other words, the user can select and execute a course that includes the desired operation from ultraviolet irradiation operation, washing operation, and drying operation, for example, by operating the operation panel 19.

As shown in FIG. 5, the washing machine 10 of this embodiment is set with, for example, a wash course, a wash-dry course, a dry course, a sterilization wash course, and a sterilization wash-dry course. Note that in FIG. 5, "◯" means that the corresponding operation will be performed, and "none" means that the corresponding operation will not be performed. The wash course is a course that performs only the wash operation. The wash-dry course is a course that performs the wash operation and the dry operation in sequence. The dry course is a course that performs only the dry operation. The sterilization wash course is a course that performs the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the wash operation in sequence. The sterilization wash course is suitable for washing a small amount of clothes that are sensitive to heat, for example, but is not limited to this. The sterilization wash-dry course is a course that performs the ultraviolet irradiation operation, the wash operation, and the dry operation in sequence.

The washing operation is intended to wash clothes and involves storing water in the outer tub 13 and washing the clothes in the rotatable tub 15. The drying operation is intended to dry clothes and involves supplying warm air into the outer tub 13 to dry the clothes in the rotatable tub 15. The ultraviolet irradiation operation is intended to sterilize clothes and involves operating the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 to irradiate the clothes stored in the rotatable tub 15 with ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet irradiation operation is performed before the washing operation. The specific details of each operation can be changed automatically or based on user operation on the operation panel 19 depending on the amount of clothes and their state of dirt.

Details of each operation will be explained with reference to Figures 6 to 8, using as an example the case where the sterilization wash course or the sterilization wash-dry course is selected. When the sterilization wash course is executed, the operation processing unit 52 sequentially executes the ultraviolet irradiation operation of Figure 6 and the washing operation of Figure 7. Furthermore, when the sterilization wash-dry course is executed, the operation processing unit 52 sequentially executes the ultraviolet irradiation operation of Figure 6, the washing operation of Figure 7, and the drying operation of Figure 8.

In Figures 6 to 8, ON means that the device is operating, and OFF means that the device is not operating. When the sterilization wash course or sterilization wash-dry course is started, the operation processing unit 52 first executes the ultraviolet irradiation operation shown in Figure 6. While the ultraviolet irradiation operation is being executed, the operation processing unit 52 keeps the water supply valve 171 and the drain valve 181 closed. While the ultraviolet irradiation operation is being executed, the drain valve 181 may be kept open.

Then, while the ultraviolet irradiation operation is being performed, the operation processing unit 52 operates the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 to irradiate the inside of the rotatable tub 15 with ultraviolet light. In this case, the intensity of the irradiated ultraviolet light is set to "strong." As a result, the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 are sterilized by the ultraviolet light.

Here, if the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated at "high" for a long period of time, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 may generate heat and reach a high temperature, which may accelerate deterioration of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. Therefore, in this embodiment, the operation processing unit 52 keeps the compressor 33 stopped and operates the blower 34 while the ultraviolet irradiation operation is being performed. This causes unheated air to be supplied to the outer tub 13. The unheated air supplied to the outer tub 13 then cools the ultraviolet irradiation device 40, thereby suppressing deterioration of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 due to heat.

The ultraviolet irradiation operation of this embodiment also includes a stationary irradiation process and an agitation irradiation process. The stationary irradiation process is a process in which ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 while the motor 16 is stopped, i.e., the rotation of the rotatable tub 15 is stopped. The agitation process is a process in which the motor 16 is operated to rotate the rotatable tub 15, thereby agitating the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 while irradiating ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. In this case, the rotation speed of the motor 16 is set to a low speed. The agitation irradiation process is performed after the stationary irradiation process.

In this embodiment, low speed refers to a rotation speed at which the clothes in the rotating tub 15 do not stick to the inner peripheral wall of the rotating tub 15, that is, a speed at which the clothes are lifted up and then fall as the rotating tub 15 rotates. Medium speed refers to a speed faster than low speed, for example, a rotation speed at which the clothes in the rotating tub 15 begin to stick to the inner peripheral wall of the rotating tub 15. High speed refers to a speed even faster than medium speed, for example, a rotation speed at which the clothes in the rotating tub 15 remain stuck to the inner peripheral wall of the rotating tub 15. The rotation speed of the motor 16 in each process, i.e., the rotation speed of the rotating tub 15, can be changed as appropriate depending on the content of the process, etc.

Furthermore, the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is shorter than the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation process. That is, the stationary irradiation process continuously irradiates ultraviolet light for the execution period A1, which is longer than the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process. The ratio between the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation process and the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is set to, for example, approximately 4 to 9:1. In this embodiment, the ratio between the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation process and the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is set to 7:1. That is, if the execution period of the ultraviolet irradiation operation is, for example, 40 minutes, the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation process is 35 minutes, and the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is 5 minutes.

When the ultraviolet irradiation operation is completed, the operation processing unit 52 executes the washing operation shown in Figure 7. The washing operation includes, for example, a weight detection process, a washing process, a rinsing process, and a spin-drying process. The rinsing process and the spin-drying process can be set to occur once or multiple times. In this embodiment, the washing operation includes two rinsing processes and two spin-drying processes, excluding the spin-drying operation during the washing process.

In this specification, when the washing machine 10 performs multiple different processes in one step, the processes that make up that step are referred to as "operations." The first rinsing and spin-drying steps are referred to as the intermediate rinsing and spin-drying steps, respectively, and the second or final rinsing and spin-drying steps are referred to as the final rinsing and spin-drying steps, respectively. If a washing operation includes one rinsing and one spin-drying step, the first rinsing and spin-drying steps are the final rinsing and spin-drying steps.

The rinsing and spin-drying processes may be set to run three or more times based on user settings. In the following description, the term "rinsing process" refers collectively to the intermediate rinsing process and the final rinsing process, and the term "spin-drying process" refers collectively to the intermediate spin-drying process and the final spin-drying process.

When the operation processing unit 52 executes a washing operation, it sequentially executes the weight detection process, washing process, intermediate rinsing process, intermediate spin-drying process, final rinsing process, and final spin-drying process. The weight detection process is a process in which the weight detection unit 51 detects the weight of the laundry in the spin tub 15. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the weight detection process, it operates the motor 16 to rotate the spin tub 15, for example, at a speed ranging from low to medium, thereby detecting the load on the motor 16, i.e., the weight of the clothes.

The washing process includes, for example, a water injection operation, a washing operation, a draining operation, and a spin-drying operation. During the washing process, the operation processing unit 52 sequentially executes the water injection operation, washing operation, draining operation, and spin-drying operation. The water injection operation during the washing process is an operation in which water supplied from an external water source is injected into the outer tub 13, and is executed before the washing operation. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the water injection operation during the washing process, for example, the operation processing unit 52 opens the water supply valve 171 with the drain valve 181 closed to inject water into the outer tub 13. At this time, laundry treatment agents such as detergent that have been placed in the water injection case 172 are introduced into the outer tub 13 as water is poured in.

The washing operation involves storing water in the outer tub 13 and operating the motor 16 to rotate the rotatable tub 15, thereby agitating the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 and washing them. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the washing operation, for example, with the water supply valve 171 and drain valve 181 closed, the operation processing unit 52 operates the motor 16 to rotate the rotatable tub 15 and beat the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 to wash them. Note that during the washing operation, the operation processing unit 52 may also inject water by, for example, intermittently opening and closing the water supply valve 171.

The drain operation during the washing cycle is an operation to drain water stored in the outer tub 13 to the outside of the washing machine 10, and is performed after the washing cycle. When the operation processing unit 52 performs the drain operation during the washing cycle, for example, it opens the drain valve 181 while keeping the water supply valve 171 closed, thereby draining the water stored in the outer tub 13.

The spin-drying operation in the washing cycle involves rotating the rotatable tub 15 at high speed to centrifugally spin-dry the clothes that have been washed, and is performed after the draining operation in the washing cycle. The control device 50, for example, keeps the drain valve 181 open and operates the motor 16 to rotate the rotatable tub 15 at high speed, thereby centrifugally spin-drying the clothes in the rotatable tub 15.

The rinsing process includes, for example, a water injection operation, a rinse operation, and a drain operation. The operation processing unit 52 sequentially executes the water injection operation, the rinse operation, and the drain operation during the rinsing process. Similar to the water injection operation during the washing process, the water injection operation during the rinsing process is an operation in which water supplied from an external water source is injected into the outer tub 13, and is executed before the rinsing operation. After executing the water injection operation during the rinsing process, the operation processing unit 52 opens the water supply valve 171 with the drain valve 181 closed, for example, to inject water into the outer tub 13, similar to the water injection operation during the washing process.

The rinsing operation is an operation in which water is stored in the outer tub 13 and the motor 16 is operated to rotate the rotatable tub 15, thereby agitating the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 and rinsing the clothes. When the operation processing unit 52 performs the rinsing operation, similar to the washing operation, the operation processing unit 52 operates the motor 16 to rotate the rotatable tub 15 with the water supply valve 171 and drain valve 181 closed, for example, to rinse the clothes in the rotatable tub 15. Note that during the rinsing operation, the control unit 50 may, for example, intermittently open and close the water supply valve 171 to inject water.

The drain operation during the rinsing cycle is an operation to drain the water stored in the outer tub 13 to the outside of the washing machine 10, and is performed after the rinsing cycle. When the operation processing unit 52 performs the drain operation during the rinsing cycle, it opens the drain valve 181 with the water supply valve 171 closed, for example, in the same way as the drain operation during the washing cycle, thereby draining the water stored in the outer tub 13.

The spin cycle is a process in which the spin tub 15 is rotated at high speed to centrifuge-spin the clothes that have gone through the washing and rinsing cycles. The spin cycle in the washing operation is an operation in which the spin tub 15 is rotated at high speed without operating the hot air supply device 30 to centrifuge-spin the clothes. After executing the spin cycle, the operation processing unit 52 closes the water supply valve 171 and drives the motor 16 with the drain valve 181 open to rotate the spin tub 15 at high speed. The washing operation is completed upon completion of the final spin cycle. If the selected course is the sterilization wash course, the operation processing unit 52 completes the sterilization wash course upon completion of the washing operation. On the other hand, if the selected course is the sterilization wash-dry course, the operation processing unit 52 executes the drying operation shown in FIG. 8 after executing the washing operation.

The operation processing unit 52 is capable of executing an ultraviolet irradiation process. The ultraviolet irradiation process is a process in which the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated during a period separate from the ultraviolet irradiation operation to irradiate ultraviolet rays onto the clothes stored in the rotating tub 15. In this embodiment, the operation processing unit 52 is capable of executing the ultraviolet irradiation process while the washing operation is being performed. The operation processing unit 52 is capable of executing the ultraviolet irradiation process during each of the washing process, the final rinsing process, and the final spin-drying process.

In this case, the execution period B1 of the ultraviolet irradiation process executed during the washing process, the execution period B2 of the ultraviolet irradiation process executed during the final rinsing process, and the execution period B3 of the ultraviolet irradiation process executed during the final spinning process are shorter than the execution period A0 of the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the execution period A1 of the static irradiation process, respectively. Furthermore, the execution period B0 of the entire washing operation is longer than the execution period A0 of the entire ultraviolet irradiation operation.

The operation processing unit 52 stops the compressor 33 and the blower 34 during the washing operation. In this case, when the operation processing unit 52 performs the ultraviolet irradiation process during the washing operation, it sets the intensity of the ultraviolet light to "weak." In other words, the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the ultraviolet irradiation process during the washing operation is set to be weaker than the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the ultraviolet irradiation operation.

When the operation processing unit 52 executes the drying operation, it sequentially executes a weight detection process and a drying process, as shown in FIG. 8. Alternatively, a preheat spin-drying process may be executed between the weight detection process and the drying process based on the user's selection. The weight detection process during the drying operation is a process in which the weight detection unit 51 detects the weight of the laundry in the spin tub 15, similar to the weight detection process during the washing operation. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the weight detection process during the drying operation, it operates the motor 16 to rotate the spin tub 15, for example, at a speed ranging from low to medium, thereby detecting the load on the motor 16, i.e., the weight of the clothes.

The preheat spin-drying process is a process in which the rotating tub 15 is rotated at high speed while the compressor 33 and blower 34 are operating, thereby centrifugally spin-drying the clothes while blowing warm air onto them to warm them. In the example shown in Figure 8, the preheat spin-drying process is performed with the drain valve 181 open, but it may also be performed with the drain valve 181 closed. In this case, the operation processing unit 52 can perform an ultraviolet irradiation process during the preheat spin-drying process of the drying operation.

The execution period C1 of this preheat dehydration process is shorter than the execution period C2 of the drying process. In this embodiment, the execution period C0 of the entire drying operation is longer than the execution period A0 of the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the execution period B0 of the washing operation. During the preheat dehydration process, the compressor 33 and blower 34 are operating, but most of the heat from the warm air generated by the compressor 33 and blower 34 is absorbed by the damp clothes, so the temperature inside the outer tub 13 is unlikely to rise. Therefore, the temperature is unlikely to rise due to the operation of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. Therefore, the operation processing unit 52 sets the intensity of the ultraviolet rays to "strong" during the ultraviolet irradiation process during the preheat dehydration process.

The drying process dries the clothes by rotating the rotating tub 15 at medium speed to agitate the clothes while operating the hot air supply device 30 to blow hot air onto the clothes. When the drying process is performed, the operation processing unit 52 operates the motor 16, compressor 33, and blower 34 with the water supply valve 171 and drain valve 181 closed. Furthermore, during the drying process, the operation processing unit 52 does not perform the ultraviolet irradiation process. When the drying process is completed, the operation processing unit 52 completes the sterilization wash-dry course.

In the embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 includes an outer tub 13, a rotatable tub 15, a water supply mechanism 17, an ultraviolet irradiation device 40, and an operation processing unit 52. The rotatable tub 15 is rotatably disposed within the outer tub 13 and is configured to be able to store clothes. The water supply mechanism 17 is connected to an external water source and is configured to be able to pour water from the external water source into the outer tub 13. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is configured to be able to irradiate ultraviolet rays into the rotatable tub 15.

The operation processing unit 52 is configured to be able to perform a washing operation and an ultraviolet irradiation operation. The washing operation is an operation in which water is stored in the outer tub 13 and the clothes in the rotating tub 15 are washed. The ultraviolet irradiation operation is performed before the washing operation is performed, and is an operation in which the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated to irradiate ultraviolet rays onto the clothes stored in the rotating tub 15.

By running the UV irradiation operation before the water-based washing operation, germs killed by the UV irradiation operation can be washed away by the washing operation after the UV irradiation operation. This reduces the amount of dead germs remaining on clothes, making them cleaner, and as a result, UV irradiation can achieve a high sterilization effect.

The ultraviolet irradiation operation includes a stationary irradiation process and an agitation irradiation process. The stationary irradiation process is a process in which ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 while the rotatable tub 15 is stopped. The agitation irradiation process is performed after the stationary irradiation process, and is a process in which ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 while the rotatable tub 15 is rotated and the clothes in the rotatable tub 15 are agitated. In this case, the execution period A2 of the agitation irradiation process is shorter than the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation process.

When placing clothes in the rotating tub 15, the user positions them so that ultraviolet light hits the areas they want to sterilize intensively. By executing the static irradiation process, ultraviolet light can be continuously irradiated onto the areas they want to sterilize intensively. This allows the areas the user wants to sterilize intensively to be sterilized efficiently. Then, by executing the agitation process after the static irradiation process, ultraviolet light can be irradiated onto other areas as well, thereby sterilizing the entire garment.

The operation processing unit 52 can also perform an ultraviolet irradiation process by operating the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the washing operation to irradiate the clothes stored in the rotating tub 15 with ultraviolet light. This allows for an even greater sterilization effect to be achieved by irradiating ultraviolet light during the washing operation, in addition to the sterilization achieved by the ultraviolet irradiation operation described above.

Here, the washing operation includes a washing process and a rinsing process that is performed after the washing process. The operation processing unit 52 can perform an ultraviolet irradiation process while the washing process is being performed. This allows ultraviolet light to disinfect germs that have been transferred from the clothes to the water during the washing process, preventing the return of germs to the clothes, resulting in cleaner clothes.

The washing operation also includes a washing process and one or more rinsing processes that are performed after the washing process. The operation processing unit 52 can perform an ultraviolet irradiation process during the final rinsing process. This allows ultraviolet light to be used to sterilize germs that have been transferred from the clothes to the water during the final rinsing process, thereby preventing germs from returning to the clothes, resulting in even cleaner clothes. In this case, the operation processing unit 52 does not perform an ultraviolet irradiation process during the intermediate rinsing process or intermediate spin-drying process.

The washing operation includes a washing process, one or more rinsing processes performed after the washing process, and one or more spin-drying processes performed after each rinsing process. The operation processing unit 52 can also perform an ultraviolet irradiation process during the final spin-drying process, i.e., the final spin-drying process. This allows the ultraviolet light to sterilize any germs remaining in the final rinsing process, making the clothes even cleaner.

The intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the ultraviolet irradiation process is set to be weaker than the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during ultraviolet irradiation operation. That is, during the ultraviolet irradiation process before the wash run, there are many germs present on the clothes, so efficient sterilization can be achieved by irradiating ultraviolet light at a high intensity. During the ultraviolet irradiation process during the wash run, the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is kept low because the germs present on the clothes have been reduced by the ultraviolet irradiation process and the wash run. As a result, the ultraviolet irradiation process during the wash run sterilizes germs that were not completely sterilized during the ultraviolet irradiation process and the wash run, and by keeping the intensity of ultraviolet light during the ultraviolet irradiation process low, the life of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be extended.

The above describes one embodiment of the present invention, but this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be embodied in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims.

10... washing machine, 13... outer tub, 15... rotating tub, 17... water supply mechanism, 40... ultraviolet irradiation device, 52... operation processing unit, 90... clothing

Claims (6)

The outer tank and
a rotating tub rotatably provided within the outer tub and capable of accommodating clothes;
a water supply mechanism connected to an external water source and capable of injecting water from the external water source into the outer tub;
an ultraviolet irradiation device capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays into the rotating tank;
an operation processing unit that can execute a washing operation including a weight detection step of detecting the weight of laundry in the rotating tub and storing water in the outer tub to wash the clothes in the rotating tub , and an ultraviolet irradiation operation that operates the ultraviolet irradiation device to irradiate ultraviolet rays onto the clothes stored in the rotating tub before executing the washing operation;
The ultraviolet irradiation operation includes a stationary irradiation step in which ultraviolet rays are irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device while the rotating tub is stopped, and a stirring irradiation step that is executed after the stationary irradiation step and rotates the rotating tub for a shorter period than the stationary irradiation step, and irradiates ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet irradiation device while stirring the clothes in the rotating tub.
washing machine. The operation processing unit is capable of executing an ultraviolet irradiation process of operating the ultraviolet irradiation device during the execution of the washing operation to irradiate the clothes accommodated in the spin tub with ultraviolet rays.
The washing machine according to claim 1 . The washing operation includes a washing step and a rinsing step that is performed after the washing step,
The operation processing unit is capable of executing the ultraviolet irradiation process during execution of the washing process.
The washing machine according to claim 2 . The washing operation includes a washing step and one or more rinsing steps that are performed after the washing step,
The operation processing unit is capable of performing the ultraviolet irradiation process during the execution of the final rinsing process.
The washing machine according to claim 2 . The washing operation includes a washing step, one or more rinsing steps performed after the washing step, and one or more spin-drying steps performed after each rinsing step,
The operation processing unit is capable of performing the ultraviolet irradiation process during the execution of the final dehydration process.
The washing machine according to claim 2 . the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet light irradiation device in the ultraviolet light irradiation treatment is set to be weaker than the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet light irradiation device in the ultraviolet light irradiation operation.
The washing machine according to claim 2 .