JP2006340751A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly circulate washing water and agitate laundry without installing the pulsator in a washing machine without causing the laundry to be caught at the mouth edge of the pulsator or reducing the washing capacity. Provide a washing machine that can be performed.
A pulsator 40 is arranged at the inner bottom of a washing tub 30 and has a cup shape similar to a cylindrical cup-shaped washing tub 30 and is shorter than the washing tub 30 and has an inner surface of the washing tub 30. The shape along the line. The pulsator 40 is configured and arranged so that the inner surface of the pulsator 40 and the inner surface of the washing tub 30 are flush with each other at the mouth edge 46. Thereby, even if it is a case where the pulsator 40 is made into cup shape, it can prevent that a level | step difference arises between the inner surface of the pulsator 40 and the inner surface of the washing tub 30 in the edge part 46. Moreover, the upper part of the cup-shaped pulsator 40 can be arrange | positioned outside the washing tub 30 inner surface above it.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing machine for home use or business use.

  A general washing machine that performs a series of processes from washing, rinsing, and dehydration includes a water tank for storing water suspended inside an outer box, and further, laundry such as clothes is placed inside the water tank. A washing tub is provided for storage. In such a washing machine, the pulsator is usually provided at the inner bottom of the washing tub, and causes the washing water to flow by being rotated by a motor.

  The pulsator as a whole has a substantially disk shape and rotates around a shaft provided at the center. On the surface of the pulsator, a plurality of protrusions for causing the flow of water and the movement of the laundry are formed substantially radially at equal angular intervals. When such a pulsator is rotated in a state where water is stored in the water tank, water flows from the central part to the periphery in the vicinity of the pulsator surface. Thereby, the flow of water descending toward the pulsator occurs at the location corresponding to the axis of the pulsator in the washing tub, the flow of water rising along the inner surface of the washing tub occurs from the periphery of the pulsator, Water circulates. At the time of washing, the pulsator circulates the washing water by repeating reversal by a motor to infiltrate the washing water into clothes or the like as laundry, and promotes the chemical action of the detergent.

Although it is a pulsator that works to increase the cleaning power as described above, the effect may not be exhibited in some cases. For example, when the capacity of the laundry in the washing tub is large, there is a concern that the laundry may become resistance and adversely affect the rotation of the pulsator, making it impossible to circulate the washing water effectively. As a result, there is a risk that the laundry is not sufficiently washed, or the laundry detergent does not completely dissolve in water but adheres to the laundry and becomes hardened. In order to solve such a problem, a washing machine that causes a flow of water that can provide a strong washing power in the washing tub and a movement of the laundry is proposed, and examples thereof can be seen in Patent Documents 1 to 3. .
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-42383 (page 3-5, FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-42396 (page 4-5, FIG. 1) JP 2000-157775 A (page 3-4, FIG. 1)

  Each of the washing machines described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 includes a container-shaped (cup-shaped) stirring body (pulsator) at the inner bottom of the washing tub, and the water flow and the laundry by the rotation of the container-shaped stirring body. It is trying to exert strong washing power by causing the movement of. However, although these washing machines can obtain the flow of water and the movement of the laundry which are effective for improving the washing power, both of them have a container shape inside the washing tub whose inner surface is flush from the top to the bottom. Since the stirrer is provided, a step is generated between the inner surface of the container-shaped stirrer and the inner surface of the washing tub at the edge of the container-shaped stirrer. As a result, the flow of water from the top to the bottom of the washing tub and the movement of the laundry are hindered, and smooth circulation of the washing water and stirring of the laundry may be hindered. In addition, when the laundry moves along the inner surface of the washing tub from the top to the bottom of the washing tub, the washing is performed between the container-like stirring body and the washing tub at the step at the lip of the container-like stirring body. There is a possibility that objects will be caught. Furthermore, there is a concern that the capacity of the washing tub is reduced by the amount of the stirring body configured in a container shape, and the amount of laundry that can be washed at one time is also reduced.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and when a cup-shaped pulsator is provided in a washing machine in the hope of exerting a strong washing power, the laundry is sandwiched at the mouth edge of the pulsator, the washing capacity An object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine that can smoothly circulate washing water and stir laundry without reducing the amount of water.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows.

  (1) A pulsator for causing washing water to flow is provided in the inner bottom of the washing tub in the shape of a cup along the inner surface of the washing tub, and at the lip of the pulsator, It was decided that the inner surface of the tank was flush.

  With such a configuration, even when the pulsator is configured in a cup shape, it is possible to prevent a step from being generated between the inner surface of the pulsator and the inner surface of the washing tub at the mouth edge of the pulsator. Moreover, the cylindrical part from the mouth edge part of the pulsator comprised to the cup shape to the downward direction and a bottom part can be arrange | positioned on the outer side with respect to the upper washing tub inner surface.

  (2) Further, in the washing machine having the above-described configuration, the present invention includes a spiral protrusion on the inner peripheral surface of the pulsator.

  By adopting such a configuration, it becomes possible to give the momentum to rise strongly along the inner peripheral surface of the pulsator to the flow of water that occurs at the bottom of the pulsator and moves from the center to the periphery. .

  (3) Moreover, this invention is a washing machine of the said structure, WHEREIN: The said washing tub is provided above the said pulsator, the inner surface is flush with the inner surface of the pulsator, the outer side of the pulsator, The bottom portion having a size to accept the whole was combined.

  When the inner surface of the pulsator and the inner surface of the washing tub are configured to be flush with each other, the outer shape of the pulsator becomes larger than the outer shape of the cylindrical portion of the washing tub above the pulsator, and the washing tub is manufactured as a unit. Although it is difficult, it becomes possible to manufacture easily the washing tub provided with the cup-shaped pulsator by setting it as the above structures.

  According to the present invention, in the mouth edge of the pulsator configured in a cup shape, the inner surface of the pulsator and the inner surface of the washing tub are flush with each other. The washing water can be smoothly circulated and the laundry can be agitated without reducing the amount of water, and a strong washing power can be obtained. Moreover, by providing a spiral protrusion on the inner peripheral surface of the pulsator, it is possible to obtain a more effective water flow and laundry movement for improving the washing power. The washing tub is formed by combining a cylindrical portion provided above the pulsator and a bottom portion having a size for receiving the entire pulsator below the washing tub, so that a washing tub equipped with a cup-shaped pulsator can be easily obtained. It can be manufactured.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the configuration of the washing machine according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the overall configuration of the washing machine 1.

  The washing machine 1 is a fully automatic type and includes an outer box 10. The outer box 10 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is formed of metal or synthetic resin, and the upper surface and the bottom surface are openings. An upper surface plate 11 made of synthetic resin is stacked on the upper surface opening of the outer box 10 and fixed to the outer box 10 with screws. In FIG. 1, the left side is the front of the washing machine 1, and the right side is the back. Similarly, a back panel 12 made of synthetic resin is superimposed on the upper surface of the upper surface plate 11 positioned on the rear surface side, and fixed to the upper surface plate 11 with screws. A base 13 made of synthetic resin is applied to the bottom opening of the outer box 10 and fixed to the outer box 10 with screws. Note that none of the screws described so far are shown.

  Legs 14 a and 14 b for supporting the outer box 10 on the floor are provided at the four corners of the base 13. The rear leg portion 14 b is a fixed leg integrally formed with the base 13. The front leg portion 14a is a screw leg of variable height, and is turned to level the washing machine 1.

  The upper surface plate 11 is formed with a laundry insertion port 15 for putting laundry such as clothes into a washing tub (described later). A lid 16 covers the laundry input port 15 from above. The lid 16 is coupled to the upper surface plate 11 by a hinge portion 17 and rotates in a vertical plane.

  Inside the outer box 10 is rinse water containing washing substances such as alkaline components and surfactants, or rinse water for rinsing the washing substances (hereinafter collectively referred to as “washing water”). A washing tub 30 that also serves as a dehydration tub and a water tub 20 that stores washing water are disposed. Both the water tub 20 and the washing tub 30 have the shape of a cylindrical cup having an open top surface, and are arranged concentrically with the axis line vertical, the water tub 20 being the outside, and the washing tub 30 being the inside. A suspension member 21 suspends the water tank 20. Suspension members 21 are provided at a total of four locations so as to connect the lower outer surface of the water tank 20 and the inner corners of the outer box 10 and support the water tank 20 so that it can swing within a horizontal plane.

  A large number of dewatering holes 31 are provided in the peripheral wall of the washing tub 30, and the edge of the upper opening of the washing tub 30 vibrates when the washing tub 30 is rotated at high speed for dehydration of the laundry. An annular balancer 32 that functions to suppress is mounted. A cup-shaped pulsator 40 for causing the washing water to flow in the tub is disposed at the inner bottom of the tub 30. A drain hole 33 is formed in the bottom wall of the washing tub 30 covered with the pulsator 40. Details of the pulsator 40 will be described later.

  A drive unit 50 is mounted on the lower surface of the water tank 20. The drive unit 50 includes a motor 51, a clutch device 52, and a brake device 53, and a dehydrating shaft 54 and a pulsator shaft 55 are projected upward from the center thereof. The dewatering shaft 54 and the pulsator shaft 55 have a double shaft structure with the dewatering shaft 54 on the outside and the pulsator shaft 55 on the inside. After entering the water tank 20, the dewatering shaft 54 is connected to the washing tub 30. Support this. The pulsator shaft 55 further enters the washing tub 30 and is connected to and supports the pulsator 40. Seal members for preventing water leakage are disposed between the dewatering shaft 54 and the water tank 20 and between the dewatering shaft 54 and the pulsator shaft 55, respectively.

  A water supply valve 60 that opens and closes electromagnetically is disposed in the space below the back panel 12. The water supply valve 60 takes water from an external water source such as a water supply through a water intake path (in many cases, a hose) and supplies the water to the water tank 20 as washing water. The water supply valve 60 includes an input port 61 and a water supply port 62. A hose is connected to the input port 61 through a through hole 18 formed in the back panel 12, and water is supplied from a container-like water supply port 62 provided at a position facing the inside of the washing tub 30. A drawer (not shown) is inserted into the water supply port 62 from the front side, and a laundry detergent or finish containing a washing substance such as an alkaline component or a surfactant is put into the drawer. The laundry detergent and finish are supplied to the water tank 20 together with water from the water supply port 62 corresponding to each step of washing.

  A drain hose 70 for draining the water in the water tank 20 and the washing tank 30 out of the outer box 10 is attached to the bottom of the water tank 20. Water flows into the drain hose 70 from a drain pipe 71 connected to the bottom of the water tank 20. The drain pipe 71 is provided with a drain valve 72 that opens and closes electromagnetically. In addition, a pressure guiding pipe 80 extends from the location corresponding to the upstream side of the drain valve 72 to the drain pipe 71. A water level sensor 81 is connected to the upper end of the pressure guiding tube 80.

  On the front side of the outer box 10 is disposed a control unit 90 that controls the operation of the entire washing machine 1. The control unit 90 is placed under the upper surface plate 11 and receives an operation command from the user through an operation / display unit 91 provided on the upper surface of the upper surface plate 11, and receives the drive unit 50, the water supply valve 60, and the drain valve. An operation command is issued to 72. The control unit 90 issues a display command to the operation / display unit 91.

  In the water supply path of the water supply valve 60, a hardness component removing device 100 for removing minerals contained in water, that is, hardness components, is disposed. A circulation path 110 that connects the bottom of the water tank 20 and the upper part of the side wall is provided outside the water tank 20. A circulation pump 111 for sucking washing water from the bottom of the water tub 20 and a neutralizing device 112 for neutralizing alkali components in the washing water are disposed in the circulation path 110.

  Next, the details of the pulsator 40 and its attachment location will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 in addition to FIG. FIG. 2 is a top view of the pulsator, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of a vertical section of the mouth edge of the pulsator. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of a portion indicated by a circle A in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the pulsator 40 is disposed on the inner bottom of the washing tub 30. The pulsator 40 has a cup shape similar to the washing tub 30 having a cylindrical cup shape, is shorter than the washing tub 30, and has a shape along the inner surface of the washing tub 30.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a hub 41 is provided at the center of the inner bottom of the pulsator 40. A pulsator shaft 55 of the drive unit 50 is connected to the hub 41 from below (see FIG. 1). The pulsator 40 is rotated around the hub 41 by the drive unit 50.

  On the surface of the inner bottom portion of the pulsator 40, five radial protrusions 42 extending substantially radially from the hub 41 are provided. The five radial protrusions 42 are formed integrally with the pulsator 40 at equal angular intervals. A plurality of drain holes 44 are provided in the valley 43 between the adjacent radial protrusions 42. When the pulsator 40 is rotated, the radial protrusions 42 cause the water in the washing tub 30 to flow toward the pulsator 40 at locations corresponding to the axis of the pulsator 40, and from the periphery of the bottom of the pulsator 40. , A flow of water rising along the inner peripheral surface of the washing tub 30 occurs, and water circulates. The number of radial protrusions 42 is not limited to five.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the pulsator 40, a spiral protrusion 45 is provided on the inner peripheral surface above the bottom where the hub 41 and the radial protrusion 42 are provided. The spiral protrusion 45 is shaped like a strip that spirals upward from below the inner peripheral surface of the pulsator 40. As shown in FIG. 3, the spiral protrusion 45 has a trapezoidal shape whose cross section is convex toward the inside of the washing tub 30. Among the upper and lower slopes of the spiral protrusion 45 that are inclined with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the pulsator 40, the upper inclined surface 45a has a steep inclination with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the pulsator 40, and the lower inclined surface 45b has a gentle inclination. is there. Thereby, in the vicinity of the inner peripheral surface of the upper portion of the pulsator 40 provided with the spiral protrusion 45, the water that is going to rise smoothly goes upward, and the water that is going to descend is inside, that is, the axial direction of the pulsator 40. Led.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the pulsator 40 is configured and arranged so that the inner surface of the pulsator 40 and the inner surface of the washing tub 30 are flush with each other at the mouth edge 46. Correspondingly, the washing tub 30 is configured by connecting a cylindrical portion 30 a provided above the pulsator 40 and a bottom portion 30 b provided outside the pulsator 40. The cylindrical portion 30 a and the bottom portion 30 b are coupled in the vicinity of the mouth edge portion 46 of the pulsator 40. As described above, the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 30a is flush with the inner surface of the pulsator 40. The bottom portion 30b has a size for receiving the entire pulsator 40.

  In this way, the pulsator 40 for causing the washing water to flow is provided in the inner bottom of the washing tub 30 in the shape of a cup along the inner surface of the washing tub 30 and the lip 46 of the pulsator 40 is provided. The inner surface of the pulsator 40 and the inner surface of the washing tub 30 are flush with each other. Therefore, even when the pulsator 40 is configured in a cup shape, the inner surface of the pulsator 40 and the inner surface of the washing tub 30 are formed at the mouth edge 46 of the pulsator 40. It is possible to prevent a step from being generated between the two. Moreover, the cylindrical part from the edge part 46 of the pulsator 40 comprised in the cup shape to the downward direction and a bottom part can be arrange | positioned on the outer side with respect to the washing tub 30 inner surface of the upper direction. Therefore, the laundry is not caught at the mouth edge 46 of the pulsator 40, and the washing capacity is not reduced. Furthermore, smooth washing water circulation and laundry agitation can be performed, and a strong washing power can be obtained.

  Further, since the spiral projection 45 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the pulsator 40, the flow of water from the central part toward the peripheral edge generated at the bottom of the pulsator 40 is further along the inner peripheral surface of the pulsator 40. It is possible to give momentum to rise strongly. Thereby, it is possible to obtain more effective water flow and laundry movement for improving the washing power.

  The washing tub 30 is provided above the pulsator 40, and the inner surface of the washing tub 30 is flush with the inner surface of the pulsator 40. The bottom 30b is provided outside the pulsator 40 and has a size for receiving the entire pulsator 40. Therefore, when the inner surface of the pulsator 40 and the inner surface of the washing tub 30 are configured to be flush with each other, the outer shape of the pulsator 40 is more than the outer shape of the cylindrical portion 30a of the washing tub 30 above the pulsator 40. However, it is difficult to manufacture the washing tub 30 as a single unit, but it is possible to easily manufacture the washing tub 30 including the cup-shaped pulsator 40 by using the above-described configuration. It becomes.

  As mentioned above, although each embodiment of the present invention was described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

    The present invention can be used in general washing machines for home use or business use.

1 is a vertical sectional view showing an overall configuration of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of the pulsator of the washing machine shown in FIG. It is the vertical cross-section part enlarged view of the pulsator mouth edge part of the washing machine shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Washing machine 30 Washing tub 30a Cylindrical part 30b Bottom part 40 Pulsator 41 Hub 42 Radial protrusion 45 Helical protrusion 46 Mouth part

Claims (3)

  A pulsator for causing the washing water to flow is provided in the inner bottom of the washing tub in the shape of a cup along the inner surface of the washing tub, and at the lip of the pulsator, the inner surface of the pulsator and the inner surface of the washing tub A washing machine characterized by being flush with each other.   The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a spiral protrusion is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the pulsator.   The washing tub is provided above the pulsator, and is formed by combining a cylindrical portion whose inner surface is flush with the inner surface of the pulsator and a bottom portion provided outside the pulsator and having a size for receiving the entire pulsator. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

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