JPH0140639B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a device for opening and closing a drain valve in a washing machine.

(b) Prior art As a conventional example, Publication No. 57-45997 is listed,
This will be explained based on FIGS. 8 and 9.

51 is a machine frame in which a washing tub 52 is installed, and 53 is a drain valve attached to the bottom of the washing tub 52. Reference numeral 54 denotes an operating rod for opening and closing the drain valve 53, which is always urged downward by a spring (not shown) to close the drain valve 53. When the drain valve 54 is moved upward, the drain valve 53 is opened. Reference numeral 55 designates a drain hose having one end connected to the outlet side of the drain valve 53 and the other end led out to the outside of the machine frame 51, and 56 a water overflow pipe.

Now, 57 is an operation section installed upright at the rear upper part of the machine frame 51, and 58 is an operation panel on the front side of the operation section, and an operation knob 59 for operating the drain valve 53 is attached to this operation panel 58. , an operating lever 60 is attached to the operating knob 59. The operating lever 60 and the operating rod 54 are connected via a string member 61 and a rod 62, and the operating knob 59 is rotated 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise to open and close the drain valve 53. There is.

However, such a device in which the operating knob 59 is rotary requires a strong rotational force during operation, and has difficulty in operability.

(c) Object of the invention The present invention is to improve the operability of a drainage device for a washing machine.

(d) Structure of the Invention The present invention comprises an operating section provided above the rear of a washing machine, a press-type operating component provided on the operating section, and an operating arm and a pressing arm that are pivotally supported within the operating section. and a drain valve provided at the bottom of the washing machine, the operating arm is linked to the drain valve, and the pressing arm is curved in a bulging shape in a direction opposite to the pressing direction of the operating part. This is a distinctive feature of the washing machine drainage system.

In other words, the drain valve can be opened and closed by pressing the pressing arm of the operating lever with the operating part, and since the pressing arm is curved, the pressing width of the operating part can be shortened, and the pressure is weak. The drain valve can be opened and closed by pressing force, improving operability.

(e) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 7.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 1 denotes a machine frame in which a washing tub 2 and a dehydrating tub (not shown) are installed, and an operating section 3 is provided at the rear of the upper part of this machine frame 1. The washing tub 2
An overflow chamber 4 whose front face is closed with a strainer plate (not shown) is provided in the corner of the 4. As shown in FIG. includes a bellows-shaped overflow pipe (not shown), a drain valve 5 that blocks the drain port 5a, and the drain valve 5.
A valve shaft 6 is provided to open and close the valve. The valve shaft 6 is always urged downward by a spring 7 to close the drain valve 5, and when moved upward against the force of the spring 7, opens the drain valve 5.

On the operation panel 8 on the front side of the operation section 3, 9
a to 9d are operation buttons for each washing and dehydration process, 1
0 is an overflow water level adjustment lever that operates the vertical movement of the overflow pipe, and 11 is a power switch. And 12a
12b is an operation button for switching water injection.
is an operation button for opening and closing the drain valve 5,
Each button is a push-button type keyboard operation button.

Now, as shown in FIG. 3, 19 is the operation section 3.
It is a base integrally provided on the bottom 20 of the holder, and is provided with a connecting line guide part 21 and a pivot base 23 having a circular fitting part 22.

Furthermore, in FIGS. 1 to 5, reference numeral 13 denotes a substantially U-shaped operating lever disposed in the operating section 3 near the operating button 12b, and includes a pressing arm 14, an operating arm 15, and a circular cross-section. The fulcrum part 16 is pivotally supported by fitting the fulcrum part 16 into the fitting part 22. The pressing arm 14 is moved in a direction (upward) opposite to the direction in which it is pressed (downward).
The operating arm 15 is curved in a bulging shape, and its distal end 17 is connected to the valve shaft 6 by a connecting line 18 in the vertical direction.

Further, the operation button 12b has a rib 24 projecting downward, and the end of the pressing arm 14 of the operating lever 13 is positioned so as to substantially abut the lower end of the rib 24, and the pressing arm 14 is moved downward with the pressing operation. to press.

The operation of the above structure will be explained based on FIGS. 1 to 5.

First, when the operation button 12b is pressed, the rib 24 directly presses the pressing arm 14 downward. Then, the operation lever 13 moves the working arm 15 upward using the fulcrum part 16 as a fulcrum, and pulls up the valve shaft 6 connected via the connecting line 18 upward against the force of the spring 7, thereby closing the drain valve 5. to open up. At this point, the operation button 12b is once locked, so the aforementioned valve open state is maintained. Then, when the operating button 12b is pressed again, the locked state is released and the operating button 12b returns to its original state. Therefore, the valve shaft 6 is urged downward again by the restoring force of the spring 7, and the drain valve 5 is closed.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be explained with reference to experimental results.

The rib 24 of the operation button 12b corresponds to the pressing arm 14.
When pressed, it relatively slides on the pressing arm 14 in the direction of its fulcrum. Here, in the present invention, since the pressing arm 14 is curved upward in a bulging shape, compared to a case where the pressing arm 14 is straight, even if the pressing width (depth) of the operation button 12b is the same, the pressing arm 14 has a curved shape. The relative sliding distance of 24 becomes longer. Therefore, the rotation angle θ ₁ of the operating lever 13 increases. That is, the drain valve 5 can be pulled up high via the connecting line 18, ensuring reliable opening and closing operations of the valve. In other words, the operation button 12b required to open the drain valve 5 to the minimum necessary extent
The pressing width can be shortened. To quote the experimental results regarding the above, operation button 12
In contrast to the pressing width L = 25 mm in b, the pressing arm 14 shown in FIG.
l ₁ =26 mm, and when the pressing arm 14 shown in FIG. 6 is linear, the movement width of the valve shaft 6 is l ₂ =17 mm. That is, when comparing the two, the rotation angle is θ ₁ >θ ₂ for the same pressing width L, and the movement width is also l ₁ >
It is clear that l ₂ .

Furthermore, referring to FIG. 2, the initial and final moments of rotation of the operating lever 13 will be described.

At the beginning and end of rotation, the valve shaft 6 (connection line 1
8) Let F ₁ and F ₂ be the force exerted on
Assuming x ₁ and x ₂ , at the beginning of rotation, the fulcrum part 16 is
It receives a moment of M ₁ =F ₁ x ₁ , and at the end of rotation it receives a moment of M ₂ =F ₂ x ₂ . here,
If the pressing arm 14 is curved, F ₂ > F ₁ but
Since x ₁ ≫ x ₂ , M ₁ > M ₂ as a result. In other words, as the operation button 12b is pressed, the force required to press it becomes weaker, and the touch when pressed becomes softer for the user. On the contrary
A material in which M ₂ >M ₁ requires a strong force to be pressed and is hard to the touch.

To show the experimental results regarding the above, at the beginning of rotation, F ₁ = 700g weight and x ₁ = 30mm, while at the end of rotation, F ₂ = 760g weight and x ₂ = 10mm, so clearly M ₁ > M It turns out that it is ₂ . A feature of this embodiment is that the rib 24 of the operation button 12b slides directly on the pressing arm 14, but a roller may be attached to the lower end of the rib 24 to ensure smooth sliding.

(F) Effects of the Invention The present invention enables the drain valve to be opened and closed by pressing the pressing arm of the operating lever with an operating component.
Moreover, since the pressing arm is curved in a bulging manner in the opposite direction to the pressing direction, the pressing width of the operation button can be shortened, and the drain valve can be opened and closed with a weak force.
Improves operability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the drainage device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is also an explanatory diagram of the operation, Fig. 3a is a front view of the operating lever, Fig. 3b is a side view of the operating lever, Fig. 3c
is a sectional view of the base, FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the main parts of the operating section and overflow chamber, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the drain valve opening/closing mechanism.
Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation when the pressing arm is in a straight line.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway side view of a conventional washing machine.
FIG. 9 is also a sectional view of the main part. 3... Operating unit, 5... Drain valve, 12b... Operating button (operating part), 13... Operating lever, 14
...pressing arm, 15...acting arm.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An operating section provided above the rear of the washing machine, a press-type operating component provided on this operating section, an operating lever that is pivotally supported within the operating section and has a pressing arm and an operating arm, and a lower part of the washing machine. a drain valve provided in the washing machine, the operating arm is linked to the drain valve, and the pressing arm is curved in a bulging shape in a direction opposite to the pressing direction of the operating part. Device.