JP2010035745A - Laundry machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A positional relationship between a drain valve and a drain valve motor can be specified, and a water-related component comprising a lint filter unit, a circulation pump, a drain valve, and a drain valve motor has a reduced lateral width when viewed from the front.
A circulation pump 23 for circulating water is provided at a rear portion of the lint filter unit 22. Further, the lint filter unit 22 is provided with a drain valve 24 for discharging water in the aquarium and a drain valve motor 25 for opening and closing the drain valve 24 via a wire 30. The drain valve motor 25 and the drain valve 24 are arranged in the front-rear direction and provided in the lint filter unit 22.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing machine having a function of capturing lint by circulating water in a water tank.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a drum type washing machine, a circulation water channel for taking out water in a water tank out of the water tank and returning it to the water tank in the washing machine body, and a lint filter constituting a part of the circulation water channel A unit, a circulation pump provided at the rear of the lint filter unit for circulating water, a drain valve provided in the lint filter unit for discharging water in the water tank, and the drain valve via a wire There exists a thing of the structure provided with the drain valve motor for opening and closing (for example, patent document 1). The lint filter unit is attached to the base plate of the washing machine body.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-321654 (FIG. 5)

  In the above, the lint filter unit is disposed in the front-rear direction on the inner side of the front surface of the washing machine body, and the drain valve and the drain valve motor are directed in the direction (lateral direction). There is a problem that the water-related configuration including the lint filter unit, the circulation pump, the drain valve, and the drain valve motor is large in the left-right direction when viewed from the front.

  Here, recently, in washing machines having a drying function, washing machines using a heat pump provided with a compressor, a radiator, an evaporator, and the like as a drying means are increasing. In this configuration, an air circulation path is provided in which air in the water tank is taken out through a duct, dehumidified by an evaporator, warmed by a radiator and returned to the water tank. In this configuration, the duct is configured by a filter duct having a filter function for capturing lint in the circulating air, and the lint filter unit is arranged on the front surface of the washing machine main body for maintenance and inspection. Are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction.

  In this case, as described above, since the drain valve and the drain valve motor are oriented in the lateral direction with respect to the lint filter unit oriented in the front-rear direction, the juxtaposition with the filter duct becomes large. In order to solve this problem, a drain valve motor is provided on the base plate of the washing machine main body on the rear side of the filter duct and connected to the drain valve.

  However, in this case, since the lint filter unit including the drain valve and the drain valve motor are separately attached to the base plate of the washing machine body, the positional relationship between the drain valve and the drain valve motor is likely to vary, and the washing machine Individually, the drain valve operation may vary. In addition, when removing the lint filter unit for maintenance, the lint filter unit cannot be removed unless the wire between the drain valve motor and the drain valve is removed behind the filter duct. When maintaining the drain valve motor, there is a problem that the drain valve motor cannot be removed unless the filter duct is removed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and the positional relationship between the drain valve and the drain valve motor can be specified, there is no variation in the drain valve operation, and the lint filter unit, the circulation pump, the drain valve, The water-related component consisting of the drain valve motor can reduce the width in the left-right direction when viewed from the front, and when installing the water-related component in a washing machine equipped with a heat pump, it can be arranged alongside the filter duct, An object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine capable of incorporating and removing the water-related components from the front without removing the valve motor.

  The present invention provides a circulating water channel for temporarily taking out water from a water tank provided in the washing machine main body and returning it to the water tank, and a front and rear direction of the washing machine main body. A lint filter unit that is provided and constitutes a part of the circulation channel, a circulation pump that is integrally provided at the rear of the lint filter unit and circulates water, and a drain valve for discharging water in the water tank, A drain valve motor for opening and closing the drain valve via a wire is provided, and the drain valve motor and the drain valve are arranged in the front-rear direction and provided in the lint filter unit.

  In the above-described present invention, since the drain valve motor and the drain valve are arranged in the front-rear direction in the lint filter unit, the positional relationship between the drain valve and the drain valve motor can be specified, and the drain valve operation does not vary. Moreover, when the water-related components consisting of a lint filter unit, a circulation pump, a drain valve, and a drain valve motor are viewed from the front, the width in the left-right direction can be reduced, for example, when the water-related components are incorporated into a washing machine equipped with a heat pump. It can be installed alongside the filter duct, and the water-related components can be assembled and removed from the front without removing the drain valve motor, facilitating maintenance. Can be installed and removed together.

  According to the present invention, the positional relationship between the drain valve and the drain valve motor can be specified, and there is no variation in the drain valve operation, and the water-related component comprising the lint filter unit, the circulation pump, the drain valve, and the drain valve motor Can reduce the width in the left-right direction when viewed from the front.

  A first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a drum-type washing machine with a drying function will be described below with reference to FIGS. First, in FIG. 2, a rectangular box-shaped washing machine body 1 that forms the outer casing of a washing machine includes a front plate 2 that forms the front, left and right side plates 3 and 4, a rear plate 5, an upper top plate 6, In addition, the front plate 2 has a structure in which the base plate 7 and the like forming the bottom are assembled and coupled. For example, the front plate 2 is more specifically described. A panel frame 2a having an operation unit at the upper portion and a door frame 2b having a door 8 at the lower portion. In addition, constituent members such as a lower frame 2c having an air filter device 9 and a cold air outlet 10 are connected to the lowermost part. The lower frame 2c is provided with an opening / closing lid 2d located at a front portion of a lid portion 22b of a lint filter unit 22, which will be described later, at a site beside the air filter device 9.

  FIG. 3 shows a side surface in a state where the right side plate 4 in FIG. 2 is removed. Inside the washing machine main body 1, a water tank 11 is provided in a slightly rearward-down axis state, and a washing machine motor 12 for rotationally driving a drum in the water tank 11 is provided on the rear surface portion of the water tank 11. ing.

  A front end of the water tank 11 is provided with one end side of a discharge duct 13 for taking out air in the water tank 11, and a filter duct 14, an evaporator 15, a radiator 16, The air blower 17 and the air supply duct 18 are connected in order, and this air supply duct 18 is connected in communication from the rear part of the water tank 11 to the inside of the water tank 11. The discharge duct 13, the filter duct 14, the evaporator 15, the radiator 16, the blower 17, and the air supply duct 18 constitute an air circulation path 19, and the evaporator 15, the radiator 16, and a compressor (not shown) The compressor cover 20 shown in FIG. 4 is connected by a refrigerant pipe to constitute a heat pump 21. The aforementioned air filter device 9 is inserted into the filter duct 14 so as to be able to be taken in and out.

  During the drying operation, when the air blower 17 is operated, the air in the water tank 11 is taken out from the discharge duct 13 by the air blowing action, and thereafter, the filter duct 14, the evaporator 15, the radiator 16, and the air blower. The device 17 and the air supply duct 18 are passed through in order and returned to the water tank 11 again so that air is circulated. In this case, when the compressor of the heat pump 21 is operated, the circulating air is cooled and dehumidified by the evaporator 15 and heated by the radiator 16 repeatedly. In this case, a damper (not shown) can switch the air path so that air passes through the radiator 16 and the evaporator 15 in this order. In this case, the cool air discharged from the evaporator 15 is discharged into the room from the cold air outlet 10. It is supposed to be. The filter duct 14 is located in the lower part of the front portion of the washing machine body 1 so that the air filter device 9 is taken in and out of the front portion of the washing machine body 1.

Now, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 10, a water-related configuration including a lint filter unit 22, a circulation pump 23, a drain valve 24, and a drain valve motor 25 at the front lower portion of the washing machine body 1. A product 26 is detachably arranged side by side with the filter duct 14.
The lint filter unit 22 includes a cylindrical filter case 22a that is long in the front-rear direction, and a lid portion 22b that includes a filter (not shown) that is inserted into the filter case 22a.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, a screw insertion plate portion 22d is formed on the left portion of the front end frame portion 22c of the filter case 22a. The screw insertion plate portion 22d has screw insertion holes 22e and 22e. Is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a screw insertion plate portion 22f is formed at the lower portion of the front end frame portion 22c so as to hang down. The screw insertion plate portion 22f is long in the vertical direction and has its lower end open. A screw insertion portion 22g is formed.
Further, leg portions 22h (only one is shown) are formed on the left and right of the rear portion of the filter case 22a, and a substantially horizontal fitted plate portion 22i is formed at the lower end of the leg portion 22h.

  In the base plate 7, the portion corresponding to the mated plate portion 22 i is fitted with a mating portion 7 a (only one of the two is shown) as the insertion receiving portion into which the mated plate portion 22 i is inserted and fitted. 5) and a screw boss portion 7b is formed at a portion corresponding to the screw insertion plate portion 22f as shown in FIG. In the washing machine body 1, a screw hole (not shown) is formed in the left portion 1a (see FIGS. 5 and 8) corresponding to the screw insertion holes 22e and 22e of the screw insertion plate portion 22d.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, screw seats 22j, 22k, and 22m for mounting the motor case are formed on the left front portion of the filter case 22a.
Further, a water receiving port 22n that opens in the right direction is formed at the upper part of the front part of the filter case 22a. A drainage connecting pipe connected to the water discharging port at the bottom of the water tank via a connecting pipe. 27 is connected. The drainage connection pipe 27 is bent rearward immediately at the water receiving port 22n and directed rearward along the filter case 22a.

  The circulation pump 23 is integrally provided at the rear portion of the lint filter unit 22, and the circulation pump 23 includes a pump case 23a communicating with the inside of the filter case 22a and pump blades ( (Not shown) and a pump motor 23b. A discharge port 23c is formed upward in the pump case 23a, and the discharge port 23c communicates with an upper front portion of the water tank 11 through a communication pipe (not shown).

  In the drain valve 24, a water inlet 24b of a valve main body case 24a is connected to a drain port 22p formed at the rear and slightly below the filter case 22a. The drain valve 24 has an internal valve body (not shown). The valve opening (not shown) is opened by being pulled by a wire 30 (described later). An overflow connection port 24c is formed in the valve body case 24a upward. An overflow pipe (not shown) is connected to the overflow connection port 24c.

  The drain valve motor 25 is watertightly covered by a motor case 28 including a case main body 28a and a cover 28b. As shown in FIG. 7, the case main body 28a includes an end plate 28a1 and a peripheral wall 28a2. The drain valve motor 25 is fixed to the end plate 28a1 of the case body 28a, and a wire outlet (not shown) is formed in a part of the peripheral wall 28a2 of the case body 28a. An elongate protrusion 28c (see FIG. 1) is provided at the edge of the outlet, and screw insertion plate portions 28d, 28e, and 28f are formed on the peripheral wall of the case body 28a. Further, an engaging claw 28y is formed as an engaging means on the outer surface of the lower part of the peripheral wall of the case body 28a as shown in FIG.

  The cover 28b has an end plate 28b1 and a peripheral wall 28b2. As shown in FIG. 6, screw insertion plate portions 28g, 28h, and 28i are formed on the peripheral wall 28b2 of the cover 28b so as to correspond to the screw insertion plate portions 28d, 28e, and 28f. A piece 28j is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, an engagement hole 28k is formed as an engagement means from the lower portion of the peripheral wall 28b2 to the end plate 28b1. Furthermore, a wire outlet (not shown) is formed in the cover 28b, and an eaves-like protrusion 28m (see FIG. 1) is formed at the edge of the wire outlet.

  The case body 28a and the cover 28b temporarily assemble the motor case 28 by engaging the engaging claw 28y and the engaging hole 28k, and the screw insertion plate portions 28g, 28h, 28i of the cover 28b, Screws 29a, 29b, and 29c (see FIG. 6) that pass through the insertion plate portions 28d, 28e, and 28f are screwed to the filter case 22a, and the drain valve motor 25 and the drain valve 24 are arranged in the front-rear direction. The lint filter unit 22 is provided.

  The wire 30 connected to the output portion of the drain valve motor 25 is connected to the internal valve body of the drain valve 24. The drain valve 24 is opened by driving the drain valve motor 25 and winding the wire 30 in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

  In this case, the drain valve motor 25 is water-tightly covered by the peripheral wall 28a2 of the case body 28a of the motor case 28 being wrapped on the peripheral wall 28b2 of the cover 28b. Further, the wire outlet not shown is not exposed to water by the protruding portions 28c and 28m.

  Further, the outlet 24e of the valve main body case 24a of the drain valve 24 is connected to a connecting pipe 31 whose front end 31a is connected to a drain hose (not shown), and the connecting pipe 31 extends below the motor case 28. The tip end 31a is directed in a direction other than the wire 30 (in this case, the right direction).

  The cable 32 led out from the motor case 28 is anchored to the stopper fixing piece 28j via a cable stopper 33 (see FIG. 1). In this case, the cable 32 is bent in a U shape below the motor case 28, so that even if water adheres to the cable 32, the cable 32 does not enter the motor case 28.

  As shown in FIGS. 5, 8, 9, and 10, the lint filter unit 22 has its fitting plate portion 22i fitted into the fitting portion 7a of the base plate 7, and the screw of the screw insertion plate portion 22d. Screws 34 and 34 (see FIG. 8) that have passed through the insertion holes 22e and 22e are screwed into screw holes (not shown) in the left portion 1a of the washing machine main body 1, and the screw insertion portion 22g of the screw insertion plate portion 22f is fixed. By screwing the threaded screw 35 to the screw boss 7b, the screw 35 is assembled into the washing machine body 1 from the front.

  When the water-related component 26 is washed, the circulation pump 23 is driven, so that the water in the water tank 11 is taken into the filter case 22a through the drain connection pipe 27 as shown by an arrow B in FIG. A circulation water channel is formed in which the water is discharged from the discharge port 23c through the filter case 22a and returned to the water tank 11. The lint filter unit 22 constitutes a part of this circulation channel.

  According to the above-described embodiment, since the drain valve motor 25 and the drain valve 24 are arranged in the front-rear direction and provided in the lint filter unit 22, the attachment target of the drain valve 24 and the drain valve motor 25 is different. In contrast, the positional relationship between the drain valve 24 and the drain valve motor 25 can be specified, there is no variation in the drain valve operation, and the water-related configuration comprising the lint filter unit 22, the circulation pump 23, the drain valve 24, and the drain valve motor 25. The width of the component 26 can be reduced when viewed from the front. When the water-related component 26 is incorporated in a washing machine equipped with the heat pump 21 as in this embodiment, the component 26 can be arranged alongside the filter duct 14. It is possible to easily install and remove the water-related component 26 from the front without removing the drain valve motor 25, and maintenance is easy. Also, the drain valve motor 25 can be incorporated and removed together.

  According to the present embodiment, the drain valve motor 25 is covered with the motor case 28 including the case main body 28a and the cover 28b in a watertight manner, so that the drain valve motor 25 can be prevented from getting wet, and the drain valve 24 can be prevented. Since the distal end portion 31a of the connecting pipe 31 connected to the outlet 24e extends downward from the motor case 28 and the distal end portion 31a is directed in a direction other than the wire 30 (in this case, the right direction), the tip of the connecting tube 31 is Even if water leaks from the connection portion between the end opening portion 31a and the drain hose connected thereto, it is possible to prevent water from being applied to the wire 30 portion and to enhance waterproofing.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the fitted plate portion 22i at the rear portion of the lint filter unit 22 is inserted into the fitting portion 7a which is an insertion receiving portion formed in the washing machine body 1, and the screw insertion plate at the front portion. Since the portion 22d and the screw insertion plate portion 22f are screwed to the washing machine body 1, the water-related component 26 can be incorporated and removed by a simple operation from the front side of the washing machine.

  FIGS. 11 to 13 show a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the cover 28b of the motor case 28 does not have the screw insertion plate portions 28g, 28h and 28i of the first embodiment. As the engaging means, an engagement hole 41 is further formed in the case body 28a, an engagement claw 42 is formed in the cover 28b, the engagement between the engagement claw 28y and the engagement hole 28k, and the engagement The cover 28b is attached to the case main body 28a by the engagement between the joint hole portion 41 and the engaging claw 42. In this case, only the case main body 28a is fixed to the lint filter unit 22 with screws.

  According to the second embodiment, the cover 28b can be removed and maintained while the case main body 28a and the drain valve motor 25 are attached to the lint filter unit 22, and the maintainability is improved.

The perspective view of the water-related component which shows the 1st Example of this invention Perspective view of the entire washing machine Side view of washing machine with right side plate removed Perspective view of water plate with water-related components The perspective view seen from the direction different from FIG. Perspective view of water-related components with cover removed Front view of motor case The perspective view of the water-related component for demonstrating the assembly | attachment of a water-related component (the 1) Perspective view of water-related components for explaining assembly of water-related components (Part 2) Perspective view of water-related component for explaining assembly of water-related component (Part 3) FIG. 1 equivalent view showing a second embodiment of the present invention. 6 equivalent diagram 7 equivalent diagram

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 1 is a washing machine body, 7 is a base plate, 7a is a fitting part (insertion receiving part), 11 is a water tank, 14 is a filter duct, 19 is an air circulation path, 21 is a heat pump, and 22 is a lint filter unit. , 23 is a circulation pump, 24 is a drain valve, 25 is a drain valve motor, 28 is a motor case, 28k is an engagement hole (engagement means), 28y is an engagement claw (engagement means), 30 is a wire, 31 Is a connecting pipe, 41 is an engagement hole (engagement means), and 42 is an engagement claw (engagement means).

Claims (4)

A circulation channel for once taking out water from the water tank provided in the washing machine body and returning it to the water tank again;
A lint filter unit disposed in the front part of the washing machine body in the front-rear direction and constituting a part of the circulation channel;
A circulation pump that is integrally provided at the rear of the lint filter unit and circulates water;
A drain valve for discharging the water in the water tank;
A drain valve motor for opening and closing the drain valve via a wire,
A washing machine, wherein the drain valve motor and the drain valve are arranged in the front-rear direction and provided in the lint filter unit.   The drain valve motor is watertightly covered by a motor case composed of a case main body and a cover. The case main body includes the drain valve motor and is fixed to the lint filter unit, and the cover engages with the case main body. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the washing machine is detachably attached by means. The drain valve motor is watertightly covered by a motor case comprising a case body and a cover,
The outlet of the drain valve is connected to a connecting pipe whose tip opening is connected to the drain hose, and this connecting pipe extends below the motor case and points the tip opening in a direction other than the wire. The washing machine according to claim 1.   The lint filter unit has a rear portion inserted into an insertion receiving portion formed in the washing machine body, and a front portion screwed to a screw portion formed in the washing machine body. Item 4. The washing machine according to any one of Items 1 to 3.

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