JPS6321097A - Dehydrator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a dehydrating device for dehydrating laundry.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, centrifugal dehydration systems have been widely known as this type of dehydration equipment, but such dehydration equipment requires a rotating tank with a large number of holes, and Vibration and noise during dewatering operations were a problem.

However, the applicant does not use a rotating tank and uses vibration,
We are developing a dewatering method that can eliminate noise problems. This dewatering system consists of a tank, a lid that closes the opening of the tank, a cylindrical bellows-shaped extensible part that supports the upper end of the lid, and a pressing part provided at the lower end of the tank. A pressure-responsive body that partitions into two spaces, and a pressure-reducing device that reduces the pressure in the space below the pressure-responsive body and moves a pressing part downward by creating a negative pressure in the space. This method squeezes out water by pressing and compressing the water. This method eliminates the need for a rotating tank, eliminates the vibration and noise caused by the rotation of this tank, and eliminates the need to adopt a vibration-proof structure. .

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, in putting such a dehydration method into practical use, improving the dehydration performance has been a major issue.

However, in the present invention, the dewatering performance can be improved by effectively applying the pressing force due to the pressure difference between the upper and lower spaces to the laundry.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The contents of the present invention will be explained below using drawings corresponding to embodiments.

A tank 2, a lid 13 that closes the opening of the original seed 2, and the lid 13
A pressure-responsive body 15 that partitions the inside of the tank 2 into two upper and lower spaces 19 and 20, which is composed of a cylindrical, bellows-shaped extensible part 16 that supports the upper end thereof and a pressing part 17 provided at the lower end thereof, and By reducing the pressure and creating a negative pressure in the space 20, the pressing part 1
In the dewatering apparatus, the pressure-responsive body 15 is equipped with a decompression device 21 that moves the pressure reducing device 7 downward, and presses and compresses the laundry to squeeze out water by the downward movement of the pressing portion 17.
and are molded from a flexible material. And pressure responsive body 1
The wall thickness C of the telescopic portion 16 of No. 5 is set larger than the wall thickness of the pressing portion 17, and the outer diameter A including the expansion margin of the telescopic portion 16 is set smaller than the inner diameter B of the tank 2.

(Function) During dehydration, the pressure in the lower space 20 is reduced to negative pressure, so that the extensible portion 16 does not extend and the pressing portion 7 moves downward.

At this time, the expandable part 16 expands, but does not come into contact with the inner surface of the tank 2, and the pressure difference between the upper and lower spaces 19 and 20 is reduced by the pressing part 17.
It acts effectively as a force in the downward direction. In addition, when pressing the laundry, the small-thick pressing portion 17 adapts to the unevenness of the laundry and comes into close contact with the laundry, so that the pressing force can be applied uniformly to the laundry.

In this way, the pressing force due to the pressure difference between the upper and lower spaces 19 and 20 acts uniformly and effectively on the laundry, improving the dewatering performance.

(Example) Examples of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described in detail below. The figure is a schematic vertical cross-sectional configuration diagram of a washing machine in an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is the outer frame of the washing machine, 2 is the washing tub with an opening on the top,
3 is a pulsator provided at the bottom of the washing tub 2; 4 is a motor that rotates the pulsator 3 via a transmission mechanism consisting of a belt, a pulley, etc.; 5 is a passage cover provided vertically along the inner surface of the washing tub 2; Reference numeral 6 denotes a circulation path formed by the passage cover 5, with the water supply lower opening near the pulsator 3 and the discharge port 8 opening at the top of the washing tub 2, so that the water in the washing tub 2 is circulated by the pump action on the back side of the pulsator 3. do. 9 is washing tub 2
10 is a drainage filter, ]I
1 is an overflow port formed on the upper side wall of washing tub 2.
2 is an overflow filter.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a lid rotatably supported on the upper end of the outer frame 1 of the washing machine about an axis I4, which opens and closes the upper opening of the washing tub 2. 15
A telescopic part 16 having a cylindrical circumferential side wall formed in a bellows shape and whose upper end is attached and supported by the inner surface of the lid 13, a pressing part 17 provided at the lower end of this part, and a seal part 18 connected to the upper end of the telescopic part 16 are possible. The interior of the washing tub 2 is partitioned into two upper and lower spaces 19 and 20 by a pressure-responsive body integrally molded from a flexible material. The seal portion 18 of the pressure-responsive body 15 seals the top opening of the original seed 2 by coming into close contact with the upper step of the washing tub 2 when the lid 13 is in the closed state. In addition, the pressure-responsive body 15 has a wall thickness C of the elastic part 16 set to be larger than a wall thickness of the pressing part 17,
Furthermore, the outer diameter A including the expansion allowance of the expandable portion 16 is set smaller than the inner diameter of the washing tub 2.

2I is a water storage tank 22 having an overflow port 23 at the top, a circulation pipe 24 located in the tank 22 and submerged in water, a Venturi nozzle 25 whose tip faces the pipe 24, and a water storage tank 22 for forcing water into the circulation pipe 24. Pump impeller 26 for circulating and pump motor 27 for rotating it
This is a water circulation type decompression device constructed by Reference numeral 28 denotes a drainage branch pipe whose one end is connected to the venturi nozzle 25 via a drainage switching valve 29, and the other end is branched, with one end connected to the drainage port 9 through a drainage valve 30 and a drainage hose 3I, and the other end connected to the venturi nozzle 25. Each is connected to the overflow port 11 via an overflow hose 32. 33 is an external drainage hose;
One end thereof is branched, and the negative end is connected to the drain switching valve 29, and the other end is connected to the bottom of the water storage tank 22 via the drain valve 34.

35 is a detergent box for accommodating detergent, and 36 is a finishing agent box for accommodating fabric softener. Both boxes 35 and 36 are located above the washing tub 2 at a position covered by the upper end of the passage cover 5. Both of them serve as water supply boxes. 37 is a water supply hose whose one end is connected to a water faucet etc., a water supply valve 38 is inserted in the middle, the other end is branched, one end is connected to the detergent box 35, and the other end is connected to a water supply valve 39 to supply finishing agent. box 36 respectively. 40 is a water supply hose for supplying water to the water storage tank 22, and is connected to a water faucet or the like via a water supply valve 41.

42 is an atmosphere control valve provided in the lid 13, which closes the space 19 when opened.
This is to open the air to the atmosphere. 43 has one end as space 19
This is an intake hose that is open to the venturi nozzle 25 through the intake valve 44 and has the other end connected to the venturi nozzle 25 via the intake valve 44.

In addition, 45 in the figure is the overflow port 23 of the water storage tank 22.
This is a reverse valve provided between the drain hose 33 and the external drain hose 33.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained next.

When the washing machine is not in use, the drain switching valve 29 is in a state where the external hose 33 side is open, and all the remaining valves are closed.

The pressure-responsive body 15 is held at an upper position as shown by a solid line in the figure for reasons to be described later.

When washing, open the lid 13 and put the laundry into the washing tub 2, store the detergent in the detergent box 35 and the fabric softener in the finishing agent box 36, then close the lid 13 and start. Press the switch. Then, for example, a washing process, a draining/intermediate dehydrating process, a first rinsing process, a draining/intermediate dehydrating process, a second rinsing process, and a draining/final dehydrating process are sequentially executed.

First, when the washing process starts, the water supply valve 38 is opened, water is supplied into the detergent box 35 through the water supply hose 37, and water is supplied into the washing tub 2 through the box 35. At this time, the detergent in the detergent box 35 is supplied with water. is washed away by the water and thrown into the washing tub 2.

On the other hand, the water supply valve 39 is also opened and water is supplied to the water storage tank 22 through the water supply hose 40. Thus, the water supply valves 38 and 39 are respectively closed when a specified amount of water is supplied to the washing tub 2 and the water storage tank 22. When a specified amount of water is supplied into the washing tub 2, the motor 4
is driven to rotate the pulsator 3 and agitate the laundry, water and detergent, thereby carrying out the washing work.

In the next stage drainage/intermediate dewatering process, when the drain valve 30 is opened and the atmospheric control valve 42 is opened, the water in the washing tub 2 is discharged from the drain port 9, the drain hose at, and the drain branch pipe 28 to the drain switching valve 29 to the outside. It is discharged outside the machine via the drainage hose 33. Then,
After draining is completed, close the drain switching valve 29 to the Venturi nozzle 25.
When the side is switched to the open state and the pump motor 27 is driven to rotate the pump impeller 26, the water in the water storage tank 22 is forcibly circulated in the circulation pipe 24, and the water in the washing tub 2 is circulated from the Venturi nozzle 25 due to the Venturi effect. By sucking out the air in the space 20, that is, the air in the space 20
Begin depressurizing the inside. Then, the inside of the space 20 becomes a negative pressure with respect to the space 19 to which atmospheric pressure is applied, and the pressing part 17 of the pressure responsive body 15 moves downward as shown by the two-dot chain line and presses the laundry. At this time, the elastic part 16 expands laterally as it stretches, but it does not reach the point where it comes into contact with the inner surface of the washing tub 2, and the pressing part 17 easily deforms according to the unevenness of the laundry. You will become familiar with it. Therefore, rain space 19.
The pressing force due to the pressure difference of 20 degrees acts uniformly and effectively on the laundry, and the laundry is compressed efficiently, improving the dehydration performance and preventing uneven dehydration. The water squeezed out from the laundry is sucked out together with air by the pressure reducing device 21, and is discharged from the overflow port 23 to the outside of the machine via the check valve 45.

When the dehydration is completed in this way, the intake valve 44 is opened and then the pump motor 27 is stopped. Then, since the atmosphere control valve 42, the intake valve 44, and the drainage switching valve 29.30 are in the open state, the intake hose 43 and the drainage branch pipe 28 are in the space 20.
Outside air flows in through the drain hose 31 and overflow hose 32, and the negative pressure in the space 20 is eliminated. After that,
Switch the drain switching valve 29 to the external hose 33 side, and close the drain valve 3.
0 and the atmosphere control valve 12 are closed, the pump motor 27 is driven, and the air in the space 19 is sucked out by the pressure reducing device 21 through the venturi nozzle 25 and the intake hose 43, thereby reducing the pressure in the space 19. Then, the pressure in the space 19 becomes lower than the pressure in the space 20 and becomes a negative pressure, and the pressing portion 17 of the pressure-responsive body 15 is pulled up. Then,
When the pressing part 17 of the pressure responsive body 15 returns to the solid line position, the intake valve 44 is closed and the pump motor 27 is stopped.
The inside of the space 19 becomes a closed space, and the pressing part 17 is maintained at the upper position.

In the first rinsing step, the water supply operation is performed in the same manner as in the previous washing step. However, even after the prescribed amount of water has been supplied into the washing tub 2, the water supply is continued and the motor 4
Perform an over-70-rinse by rotating the .

The drainage/intermediate dehydration process is performed in the same manner as the drainage/intermediate dehydration process after the washing process.

In the second rinsing step, the water supply valves 38 and 39 are opened and water is supplied from the water supply hose 37 to the detergent box 35 and finishing agent box 36.
By supplying water into the washing tub 2 through the water, the softening agent is added. After supplying the specified amount of water, the water supply valve 38.3
9 is closed and the pulsator 3 is rotated by the motor 4 to perform a pre-rinsing operation.

The drainage/final dehydration process is carried out in the same manner as the previous drainage/intermediate dehydration process. However, after the pressing part 17 of the pressure-responsive body 15 is pulled up and held in the upper position, the drain valve 34 is opened to drain the water in the water storage tank 22, thereby completing the entire process.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, but can of course be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the gist.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the pressing force due to the pressure difference between the upper and lower spaces can be applied uniformly and effectively to the laundry, and the dewatering performance can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is a schematic vertical cross-sectional configuration diagram of a washing machine in an embodiment of the present invention. 2: Washing tub, 13: Lid, 15: Pressure responsive body, 16: Expandable part, 17: Pressing part, 19/20: Space, 21: Pressure reducing device, 29/30: Drain valve, 42: Atmospheric control valve, 44 : Intake valve, 45: Drainage switching valve.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Consisting of a tank, a lid that closes the opening of the tank, a cylindrical bellows-shaped extensible part that supports the upper end of the lid, and a pressing part provided at the lower end of the tank, the tank is divided into two spaces, upper and lower. A pressure-responsive body for partitioning, and a pressure reducing device that reduces the pressure in a space below the pressure-responsive body and moves a pressing part downward by creating negative pressure in the space, and presses the laundry by the downward movement of the pressing part. In the pressure-responsive body that dehydrates by compressing, the elastic part and the pressing part are integrally molded from a flexible material, and the thickness of the elastic part is set to be larger than the thickness of the pressing part. A dewatering device characterized in that an outer diameter including an expansion allowance is set smaller than an inner diameter of the tank.