JP6845415B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine.

In the washing machine described in Patent Document 1 below, the outer tub is supported by four hanging rods inside the machine frame, and the washing / dehydrating tub is rotatably supported inside the outer tub, and is located at the bottom of the washing / dehydrating tub. Is equipped with a pulsator to stir the laundry. The rotational power of the motor mounted on the lower surface of the outer tub is transmitted to the washing / dehydrating tub and the pulsator. In the hanging rod, the lower end portion is fixed to the mounting piece protruding from the bottom wall of the outer tank, and the upper end portion is held by the hanging rod receiving metal fitting fixed to the mounting piece protruding inward from the machine frame. By expanding and contracting the compression coil spring of the vibration isolator provided at the tip of the suspension rod, the vibration of the outer tub when the washing / dehydrating tub rotates in the dehydration process in the washing operation or the like is absorbed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-137592

Since it is difficult for the hanging rod of the washing machine described in Patent Document 1 to sufficiently absorb the vibration of the outer tub, the machine is prevented from generating noise when the outer tub comes into contact with the machine frame during vibration. It is necessary to make the frame larger and the washing / dehydrating tub smaller. If the machine frame is made larger, the washing machine becomes larger, and if the washing / dehydrating tub is made smaller, the capacity of the laundry that can be washed by the washing machine is reduced.

The present invention has been made in such a background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine capable of miniaturization and reduction of vibration and noise without reducing the capacity of laundry.

The present invention has a housing having a frame and a dehydration tub that accommodates and rotates laundry, and is connected to the washing tub hanging from the frame and the washing tub arranged in the housing. The four support members are formed in a rod shape and elastically support the washing tub. In the four support members, the first pair of adjacent support members are arranged in the arrangement direction of the first pair of support members. It is shorter than the second pair of support members adjacent to each other in the alignment direction at a position away from the first pair of support members in the direction orthogonal to the first pair of support members, and the distance between the upper ends of the first pair of support members is set. The first pair of support members are wider than the distance between the upper ends of the second pair of support members, and the first pair of support members are inclined in the vertical direction so that the distance between the first pair of support members becomes narrower toward the lower side. The pair of support members is a washing machine that inclines in the vertical direction so that the distance between the support members increases toward the lower side.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the orthogonal direction is the front-rear direction of the washing machine, and the first pair of support members are arranged in front of the second pair of support members. ..

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the frame includes a front vertical column located on the front surface of the housing and bent forward as it goes upward.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the washing tub is rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the horizontal direction.

According to the present invention, four rod-shaped support members suspended from the frame of the housing are connected to the washing tub. In the four support members, the first pair of support members are adjacent to each other, and the remaining second pair of support members are separated from the first pair of support members in a direction orthogonal to the alignment direction of the first pair of support members. At distant positions, they are adjacent to each other in the above-mentioned alignment direction.
The first pair of support members are shorter than the second pair of support members, and the distance between the upper ends of the first pair of support members is wider than the distance between the upper ends of the second pair of support members. Then, the first pair of support members are inclined in the vertical direction so that the distance between them narrows toward the lower side, and the second pair of support members increase the distance between each other toward the lower side. Tilt with respect to the vertical direction. By elastically supporting the washing tub with the four support members having such a configuration, the vibration of the washing tub due to the rotation of the dehydration tub is reduced, and the swing width of the washing tub due to the vibration is reduced. This prevents the washing tub during vibration from coming into contact with the housing. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the noise caused by the contact of the washing tub with the housing. Further, since the swing width of the washing tub is small, the gap between the washing tub and the housing can be reduced by making the housing smaller without changing the size of the washing tub. As a result, the size of the washing machine can be reduced without reducing the capacity of the laundry in the washing tub.

Further, according to the present invention, in the front-rear direction of the washing machine, the first pair of support members are arranged on the front side of the second pair of support members, so that the distance between the upper ends is relatively narrow. Since the width of the rear part of the washing machine in which the pair of support members 2 are located can be narrowed, the size of the washing machine can be further reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, the front vertical column located on the front surface of the housing in the frame and bent forward toward the upper side has elasticity. Therefore, the vibration of the washing tub transmitted to the frame via the support member can be absorbed by the elastic deformation of the front vertical column. As a result, the vibration of the washing tub due to the rotation of the dehydration tub can be suppressed from being transmitted to the installation surface such as the floor surface, and the vibration and noise can be further reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, the washing tub may be rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the horizontal direction, and even a washing machine having this configuration may be compact without reducing the capacity of the laundry. It is possible to reduce vibration and noise.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the washing machine. FIG. 3 is a left side view of a main part of the washing machine. FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a main part of a support member in a washing machine and a peripheral part thereof. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vertical direction in FIG. 1 is referred to as the vertical direction Z of the washing machine 1, the direction connecting the lower left and the upper right in FIG. 1 is referred to as the horizontal direction X of the washing machine 1, and the direction connecting the upper left and the lower right in FIG. 1 is washing. It is called the front-back direction Y of the machine 1. The vertical direction Z is also the vertical direction. Of the vertical directions Z, the upper side is referred to as the upper side Z1 and the lower side is referred to as the lower side Z2. The left-right direction X and the front-back direction Y are included in the horizontal direction. Of the left-right directions X, the direction toward the lower left in FIG. 1 is referred to as the left side X1, and the direction toward the upper right in FIG. 1 is referred to as the right side X2. Of the front-rear directions Y, the direction toward the lower right in FIG. 1 is referred to as the front side Y1, and the direction toward the upper left in FIG. 1 is referred to as the rear side Y2.

The washing machine 1 also includes a washer / dryer having a drying function, but the washing machine 1 will be described below by taking as an example a washing machine in which the drying function is omitted and only the washing operation is performed. The washing operation includes a washing step, a rinsing step, and a dehydration step. The washing machine 1 includes a housing 2 that constitutes the outer shell thereof. A washing tub 3, a motor 4 (see FIG. 3 described later), a support frame 5, a drive mechanism 6, a connecting portion 7, a receiving portion 8, and a support member 9 are arranged in the housing 2. To.

The housing 2 is made of a metal frame 10 constituting the frame, and a metal or resin fixed to the frame 10 so as to cover the frame 10 from at least the left side X1, the right side X2, the front side Y1, the rear side Y2, and the upper side Z1. It has a decorative cover 11 made of. The housing 2 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box shape as a whole. In FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation, the decorative cover 11 is shown by a broken line.

The frame 10 includes four vertical columns 12, two first upper horizontal columns 13, two second upper horizontal columns 14, two first lower horizontal columns 15, and two second lower horizontal columns. 16 is integrally included. These struts have a substantially L-shaped cross section.

The four vertical columns 12 are arranged one by one at the four corners of the housing 2 in a plan view seen from the upper side Z1 and extend in the vertical direction Z. The four vertical columns 12 include a pair of left and right front vertical columns 12A located on the front surface portion 2A of the housing 2, and a pair of left and right rear vertical columns 12B located on the rear surface portion 2B of the housing 2. The height position of the lower end of each front vertical column 12A and each rear vertical column 12B is the same, but the upper end of each front vertical column 12A is lower than the upper end of each rear vertical column 12B.

Each front vertical column 12A extends linearly along the vertical direction Z from the lower end to the middle, and then inclines toward the front Y1 to reach the upper end. Therefore, each front vertical column 12A is formed in a bow shape so as to bend toward the front Y1 toward the upper Z1. Further, the front surface portion 2A of the housing 2, specifically, the portion of the decorative cover 11 located at the front surface portion 2A is formed so as to bend toward the front side Y1 toward the upper side Z1 along each front side vertical column 12A. .. As a result, a space S is formed around the front surface portion 2A to receive the portion below the knee of the user who accesses the washing machine 1 from the front side Y1. Therefore, the user, especially the user in a wheelchair, can operate the operation unit (not shown) of the washing machine 1 while being close to the washing machine 1, and can put in and take out the laundry, which is convenient. Is good. Each front vertical column 12A is thicker than each rear vertical column 12B.

Each rear vertical column 12B extends linearly along the vertical direction Z over the entire area from the lower end to the upper end. The left-right spacing of the pair of rear vertical columns 12B is narrower than the left-right spacing of the pair of front vertical columns 12A. Therefore, the rear vertical column 12B of the left side X1 is arranged so as to be offset from the front vertical column 12A of the left side X1 to the right side X2, and the rear vertical column 12B of the right side X2 is arranged on the left side X1 of the front vertical column 12A of the right side X2. It is placed out of alignment.

The two first upper horizontal columns 13 extend linearly in the left-right direction X and are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. The first upper horizontal column 13 of the front side Y1 is erected between the upper ends of the two front vertical columns 12A, and the first upper horizontal column 13 of the rear side Y2 is erected between the upper ends of the two rear vertical columns 12B. ..

The two second upper horizontal columns 14 extend back and forth and are arranged side by side. The second upper horizontal column 14 of the left side X1 is erected between the upper ends of the front vertical column 12A and the rear vertical column 12B of the left side X1, and is erected between the left ends of the two first upper horizontal columns 13. The second upper horizontal column 14 of the right side X2 is erected between the upper ends of the front vertical column 12A and the rear vertical column 12B of the right side X2, and is erected between the right ends of the two first upper horizontal columns 13. The two second upper horizontal columns 14 extend from the upper end of the front vertical column 12A toward the upper Z1 while extending to the rear Y2, bend in a crank shape so as to approach each other on the way, and then tilt toward the lower Z2. It extends to the rear side Y2 and is connected to the upper end of the rear side vertical support 12B. The upper surface portion 2C of the housing 2, specifically, the portion of the decorative cover 11 located on the upper surface portion 2C is rearward while being inclined from the upper end of the front surface portion 2A to the upper side Z1 so as to follow the shape of the second upper horizontal support column 14. It extends to the side Y2, extends to the rear side Y2 while inclining to the lower side Z2 at the rear end portion of the upper surface portion 2C, and is connected to the upper end of the rear surface portion 2B. A doorway (not shown) for loading and unloading laundry to and from the washing machine 1 and a door 17 for opening and closing the doorway are provided in a portion of the upper surface portion 2C that is inclined at Y1 on the front side of the rear end portion. Be done.

In each of the second upper horizontal columns 14, one connecting portion 18 is provided at each of the portion slightly displaced from the front end portion to the rear side Y2 and the rear end portion. That is, there are four connecting portions 18 in total, including a pair of left and right front connecting portions 18A and a pair of left and right rear connecting portions 18B. Each connecting portion 18 is formed in the shape of a metal plate. The connecting portion 18 may be provided integrally with the second upper horizontal column 14, or may be stacked on the second upper horizontal column 14 as a separate component and fixed with a bolt or the like. Each connecting portion 18 is formed with a circular through hole 18C that penetrates the connecting portion 18 in the vertical direction Z and is exposed from the second upper horizontal column 14 to the lower Z2. The inner peripheral surface 18D that partitions the through hole 18C in the connecting portion 18 is formed in a spherical shape that narrows toward the lower side Z2.

The two first lower horizontal columns 15 extend linearly in the left-right direction X and are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. The first lower horizontal column 15 of the front side Y1 is erected between the lower ends of the two front vertical columns 12A, and the first lower horizontal column 15 of the rear side Y2 is erected between the lower ends of the two rear vertical columns 12B. Will be done.

The two second lower horizontal columns 16 extend back and forth and are arranged side by side. The second lower horizontal column 16 of the left side X1 is erected between the lower ends of the front vertical column 12A and the rear vertical column 12B of the left side X1 and between the left ends of the two first lower horizontal columns 15. .. The second lower horizontal column 16 of the right side X2 is erected between the lower ends of the front vertical column 12A and the rear vertical column 12B of the right side X2, and is erected between the right ends of the two first lower horizontal columns 15. .. The left end edge of the second lower horizontal column 16 of the left side X1 extends linearly from the lower end of the front vertical column 12A along the front-rear direction Y, bends to the right side X2 in the middle, and then extends linearly to the rear side Y2. It is connected to the lower end of the rear vertical column 12B. The right end edge (not shown) of the second lower horizontal column 16 of the right side X2 extends linearly from the lower end of the front vertical column 12A along the front-rear direction Y, bends to the left side X1 in the middle, and then becomes linear. It extends to the rear side Y2 and is connected to the lower end of the rear side vertical support 12B. Legs 19 and casters 20 that come into contact with an installation surface such as a floor on which the washing machine 1 is installed are provided at the front and rear ends of the lower surface of each of the second lower horizontal columns 16.

Inside such a frame 10, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped accommodation space 10A for accommodating a washing tub 3, a motor 4, a support member 9, a support frame 5, a connecting portion 7, and a drive mechanism 6 is formed. Further, the frame 10 has a substantially rectangular side opening surrounded by a front vertical column 12A, a rear vertical column 12B, a second upper horizontal column 14, and a second lower horizontal column 16 which are located at the same position in the left-right direction X. Part 10B is formed. A pair of side opening portions 10B are provided so as to sandwich the accommodation space 10A from the left and right. Each side opening 10B has a shape and size that substantially coincides with the accommodation space 10A when viewed from the left-right direction X, and most of the upper ends thereof are directed toward the front side Y1 along the second upper horizontal column 14. Inclin to the lower Z2.

The washing tub 3 has an outer tub 25 and a dehydration tub 26. The outer tank 25 is made of resin, for example, and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, and water is stored inside. In FIG. 1, the outer tank 25 has a substantially cylindrical circumferential wall 27 arranged along a substantially vertical direction Z, and a disk-shaped bottom wall 28 that closes a hollow portion of the circumferential wall 27 from the lower side Z2 (see FIG. 3). And have. The outer tank 25 is formed with an opening 25A surrounded by the upper end edge of the circumferential wall 27. The opening 25A is located directly below the above-mentioned entrance / exit (not shown) on the upper surface portion 2C of the housing 2, and communicates the inside of the outer tank 25 with the entrance / exit.

The dehydration tank 26 is made of metal, for example, and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape that is one size smaller than the outer tank 25, and is coaxially housed in the outer tank 25. The dehydration tub 26 can accommodate laundry inside. An opening 26A is formed on the upper surface of the dehydration tank 26 so as to communicate with the opening 25A of the outer tank 25 from directly below. The user of the washing machine 1 puts in and takes out the laundry to and from the dehydration tub 26 through the above-mentioned doorway (not shown), the opening 25A, and the opening 26A. A plurality of through holes 26B are formed in the dehydration tank 26, and water in the outer tank 25 can flow between the outer tank 25 and the dehydration tank 26 through these through holes 26B. Therefore, the water level in the outer tank 25 and the water level in the dehydration tank 26 match. A rotation shaft (not shown) projecting to the lower side Z2 is provided at a portion of the bottom wall of the dehydration tank 26 that coincides with the center of the circle of the dehydration tank 26. The dehydration tank 26 is rotatable around the rotation shaft because the rotation shaft is rotatably supported by the bottom wall 28 of the outer tank 25.

The motor 4 (see FIG. 3) is an electric motor. The motor 4 is fixed to the bottom wall 28 of the outer tank 25 from the lower side Z2. The driving force of the motor 4 is transmitted to the rotating shaft (not shown) of the dehydration tank 26. As a result, the dehydration tank 26 is driven and rotated. In particular, in the dehydration step, the dehydration tub 26 rotates at high speed in order to effectively dehydrate the laundry by applying centrifugal force. A rotating pulsator (not shown) is provided in the dehydration tub 26 to agitate the stored laundry, and even if the driving force of the motor 4 is transmitted to the pulsator in the washing step and the rinsing step. Good.

With reference to FIG. 2, which is a perspective view of the main part of the support frame 5 and the like, the support frame 5 includes a pair of left and right side plates 30 and a pair of front and rear connecting plates 31 erected between the side plates 30. Including. Each side plate 30 has a plate thickness direction corresponding to the left-right direction X, and is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the left-right direction X. In each side plate 30, the upper end portion is bent outward of the washing machine 1 in the left-right direction X, and the front end portion, the rear end portion, and the lower end portion are bent toward the center side of the washing machine 1 in the left-right direction X. Each connecting plate 31 has a plate thickness direction corresponding to the front-rear direction Y, and is formed in a substantially U shape when viewed from the front-rear direction Y. The connecting plate 31 of the front side Y1 is erected between the front ends of the left and right side plates 30, and is fixed from the front side Y1 by a fastening member 32 such as a bolt to most of the area in the vertical direction Z at the front end of each side plate 30. To. Further, the lower end portion 31A of the connecting plate 31 on the front side Y1 is bent into the rear side Y2 in a substantially L shape, and is fixed to the lower end portion of each side plate 30 in a state of being engaged from the lower side Z2 (FIG. 3). reference). The connecting plate 31 of the rear side Y2 is erected between the rear ends of the left and right side plates 30, and is fixed from the rear side Y2 by the fastening member 32 to most of the regions in the vertical direction Z at the rear ends of each side plate 30. To. Further, the lower end portion 31A of the connecting plate 31 on the rear side Y2 is bent into the front side Y1 in a substantially L shape, and is fixed to the lower end portion of each side plate 30 in a state of being engaged from the lower side Z2 (FIG. 3). See also). In the support frame 5 configured by erection of the front and rear connecting plates 31 between the left and right side plates 30 in this way, the rigidity is improved, so that it is difficult to twist.

The washing tub 3 is arranged between the pair of side plates 30 (see FIG. 1). With reference to FIG. 3 in which the outlines of the washing tub 3 and the motor 4 are shown by broken lines, the left and right side surfaces of the outer tub 25 of the washing tub 3 at the same position as viewed from the left and right directions X are in the left and right directions. A metal rotating shaft 33 projecting horizontally to the outside in X is provided one by one. The rotating shaft 33 protruding from the left side X1 in the outer tank 25 penetrates the side plate 30 of the left side X1 and is rotatably supported by the side plate 30 of the left side X1 via the bearing 34. The rotation shaft 33 (see FIG. 5 described later) protruding from the right side X2 in the outer tank 25 penetrates the side plate 30 of the right side X2 and is rotated by the side plate 30 of the right side X2 via another bearing 34 (see FIG. 2). It is movably supported.

The washing tub 3 in which the left and right rotation shafts 33 are rotatably supported by the left and right side plates 30 is supported by the support frame 5 and around the rotation shaft 33 extending in the horizontal direction, specifically, the left and right direction X. It is rotatable. Specifically, as the washing tub 3 rotates, the central axis J of the outer tub 25 and the dehydration tub 26 is inclined in the front-rear direction Y with respect to the vertical direction Z. The washing tub 3 and the motor 4 together form a rotating unit 35 that rotates integrally.

The acute angle intersection angle between the virtual reference axis M and the central axis J extending along the vertical direction Z is the rotation angle θ of the washing tub 3 with respect to the reference axis M. The smaller the rotation angle θ, the closer the washing tub 3 is to the upright posture, and the larger the rotation angle θ, the more the washing tub 3 is inclined toward the front side Y1 so that the opening 25A of the outer tub 25 faces the front side Y1. Become a posture. The rotation angle θ can be changed in four steps of, for example, 5 degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees, and 30 degrees. The rotation angle θ in FIG. 3 is 30 degrees. As an example of operation in the washing machine 1, when the laundry is loaded into the washing tub 3 at the start of the washing operation, the rotation angle θ is set to 30 degrees so that the laundry can be easily loaded. Then, in the washing step and rinsing step, the rotation angle θ is between 5 degrees and 30 degrees in order to promote the replacement of the positions of the laundry in the dehydration tub 26 and realize effective washing and rinsing. Set to fluctuate. By setting the rotation angle θ between 5 degrees and 30 degrees in this way, the rotation range of the washing tub 3 becomes relatively narrow, so that the depth of the washing machine 1 in the front-rear direction Y is reduced accordingly. It can be suppressed.

In the side plate 30 of the left side X1, an opening 30A that penetrates the side plate 30 in the left-right direction X is formed in the region of Z2 below the rotation shaft 33. The opening 30A is formed in a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the front-rear direction Y. The drive mechanism 6 is arranged in the opening 30A. The drive mechanism 6 includes a main body frame 40, a pair of support portions 41, a screw shaft 42, a motor 43, a coupling 44, a nut member 45, and a sensor 46.

The main body frame 40 is formed so as to be recessed toward the right side X2 by bending a metal plate into a crank shape, for example, and from the right side X2 with respect to the side plate 30 so as to cover the opening 30A of the side plate 30 of the left side X1 from the right side X2. It is fixed (see FIG. 5, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 3). The pair of support portions 41 are fixed to the bottom portion of the main body frame 40 in a state of being arranged apart from each other in the front-rear direction Y, and are in a state of protruding from the bottom portion of the main body frame 40 to the left side X1. The screw shaft 42 is formed in a columnar shape extending elongated along the front-rear direction Y, and a screw thread formed of, for example, a trapezoidal screw and extending spirally is formed in substantially the entire outer peripheral surface thereof. The screw shaft 42 is rotatably supported by both front and rear support portions 41 by bearings (not shown).

The motor 43 is an electric motor, and its output shaft is integrally rotatably connected to the front end portion of the screw shaft 42 by a coupling 44. Therefore, when the motor 43 is driven, the screw shaft 42 is driven and rotated so as to rotate. The nut member 45 includes, for example, an annular nut 45A formed of a trapezoidal screw and having a spirally extending thread (not shown) formed on the inner peripheral surface, and a side plate of the left side X1 provided on the left side surface of the nut 45A. A connecting pin 45B protruding to the left side X1 from the opening 30A of 30 and a lever-shaped detected portion 45C called a dog are included (see also FIG. 5). The nut 45A is fitted onto the screw shaft 42 so that the thread and the thread of the screw shaft 42 are screwed together. When the screw shaft 42 rotates in response to the drive of the motor 43, the entire nut member 45 moves along the front-rear direction Y, which is the axial direction of the screw shaft 42, as the screw shaft 42 rotates.

The sensor 46 is a sensor for detecting the rotation angle θ of the washing tub 3 from the position of the nut member 45 in the front-rear direction Y, and a photoelectric sensor such as a photo sensor can be used as the sensor 46. In this case, the sensors 46 are provided in the same number as the set number of rotation angles θ, that is, the four of 5 degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees, and 30 degrees described above, and the bottom of the main body frame 40 is arranged in the front-rear direction Y. It is fixed to the part. Each sensor 46 is formed with a groove 46A that penetrates the sensor 46 in the front-rear direction Y, and the sensor 46 is in a state where the detection light crosses the groove 46A in the vertical direction Z. The electric wire 47 connected to each sensor 46 is pulled out to the right side X2 of the main body frame 40 through a through hole 40A that penetrates the bottom portion of the main body frame 40 in the left-right direction X around each sensor 46. As a result, it is possible to prevent the detected portion 45C of the nut member 45 from being caught in the electric wire 47 without positioning the electric wire 47 with a binding band or the like so as not to shift the electric wire 47 to the left side X1 due to vibration or the like.

The connecting portion 7 is formed in a thin lever shape in the left-right direction X. A circular through hole 7A that penetrates the connecting portion 7 in the left-right direction X is formed at one end of the connecting portion 7 in the longitudinal direction, and the connecting portion 7 is left and right at the other end of the connecting portion 7 in the longitudinal direction. A guide hole 7B penetrating in the direction X is formed. The connecting portion 7 is arranged on the left side X1 of the side plate 30 on the left side X1. In the outer tank 25, the rotating shaft 33 that protrudes to the left side X1 and penetrates the side plate 30 of the left side X1 is inserted into the through hole 7A of the connecting portion 7 and fixed to the connecting portion 7. As a result, the connecting portion 7 is integrally rotatably connected to the outer tank 25 via the rotating shaft 33. The guide hole 7B is a long hole long in the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 7, is at the same position in the vertical direction Z as the opening 30A of the side plate 30 of the left side X1, and always faces the opening 30A from the left side X1.

When fixing the connecting portion 7 and the rotating shaft 33, it is conceivable to arrange two general nuts (not shown) side by side and assemble them to the rotating shaft 33 to prevent them from loosening. 1 increases in the left-right direction X. Therefore, as the locking nuts instead of these two nuts, for example, one thin bearing nut and one washer may be used, or only one fine U-nut (registered trademark) may be used. These locking nuts can also be used when the rotating shaft 33 projecting to the right side X2 and penetrating the side plate 30 of the right side X2 is fixed to the bearing 34 in the outer tank 25.

Further, it is preferable that two or more keys are provided in one of the through hole 7A of the rotating shaft 33 and the connecting portion 7, and the rotating shaft 33 and the connecting portion 7 are key-fitted or spline-fitted. As a result, the connecting portion 7 can be thinned in the left-right direction X while ensuring the connecting strength between the rotating shaft 33 and the connecting portion 7, so that the washing machine 1 can be miniaturized in the left-right direction X.

The nut member 45 is connected to the connecting portion 7 by inserting the connecting pin 45B of the nut member 45 into the guide hole 7B of the connecting portion 7 so as not to be detached from the right side X2. With the connecting pin 45B inserted into the guide hole 7B, if the above-mentioned locking nut or the like is assembled from the left side X1 to the tip of the connecting pin 45B, the nut member 45 does not slip around the screw shaft 42 and is in a stable state. Since the nut member 45 can be easily connected to the connecting portion 7, the assembling property can be improved.

In a state where the nut member 45 is connected to the connecting portion 7, the screw shaft 42 is rotated by the drive of the motor 43, and when the nut member 45 moves along the front-rear direction Y, the connecting portion 7 is moved in the front-rear direction by the nut member 45. By being pulled by Y, it rotates around the rotation shaft 33 with the washing tub 3. At this time, the position of the connecting pin 45B of the nut member 45 in the guide hole 7B of the connecting portion 7 in the longitudinal direction of the guide hole 7B changes. When the drive of the motor 43 is stopped and the rotation of the screw shaft 42 is stopped, the rotation of the connecting portion 7 and the washing tub 3 is stopped, and the washing tub 3 is locked at the rotation angle θ at the time of stopping. When the rotation angle θ is any of 5, 20, 25, and 30 degrees, the detected portion 45C of the nut member 45 fits into the groove 46A of the sensor 46 of any one of the four. The detection light in the groove 46A is blocked. Therefore, the four sensors 46 detect whether the rotation angle θ is 5 degrees, 20 degrees, 25 degrees, or 30 degrees. As described above, since the rotation range of the washing tub 3 is relatively narrow, the stroke of the nut member 45 in the front-rear direction Y due to the rotation of the washing tub 3 is shortened. The total length of the mechanism 6 and the support frame 5 can be shortened to keep the depth of the washing machine 1 small. Further, since the drive mechanism 6 having a shortened overall length can secure the strength, it can sufficiently withstand the vibration of the washing tub 3.

Here, the rotating shaft 33 is biased toward the rotating unit 35 in the direction in which the central axis J extends, that is, Z2 below the center G of the washing tub 3 and the motor 4, and more specifically, the motor 4 side which is a heavy object. Is placed. As a result, the rotating shaft 33 and the center of gravity of the rotating unit 35 in the state where the laundry is stored and water is stored are brought close to each other, so that the rotating shaft 33 rotates even if the driving force of the motor 43 in the driving mechanism 6 is small. The entire unit 35 can be rotated. Therefore, the load on the drive mechanism 6 for rotating the rotating unit 35 can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced by using an inexpensive low torque motor 43.

There are four receiving portions 8, and one is fixed to each of the front end portion and the rear end portion of the pair of left and right side plates 30 in the support frame 5 so that one is arranged at each of the four corners of the housing 2 in a plan view. To. Of the four receiving portions 8, the pair of left and right receiving portions 8 located on the front side Y1 is referred to as a front receiving portion 8A, and the pair of left and right receiving portions 8 located on the rear side Y2 are referred to as a rear receiving portion 8B. The front receiving portion 8A is attached to the upper end portion of the front end portion of each side plate 30 from the front side Y1, and the rear side receiving portion 8B is attached to the upper end portion of the rear end portion of each side plate 30 from the rear side Y2. Each receiving portion 8 has a base portion 8C having a plate thickness direction corresponding to the front-rear direction Y, and a plate-shaped bulging portion 8D erected on the left and right edge edges of the base portion 8C and bulging outward in the front-rear direction Y. And the engaging portion 8E formed in a dome shape that bulges from the upper end of the bulging portion 8D toward the upper side Z1 (see also FIG. 2). The base portion 8C is fixed to the support frame 5 by a fastening member 48 (see FIG. 2) such as a bolt assembled to the support frame 5.

The space surrounded by the base portion 8C, the bulging portion 8D, and the engaging portion 8E in each receiving portion 8 is referred to as an accommodation space 8F. The accommodation space 8F is a recess that is recessed toward the upper Z1 toward the engaging portion 8E, and is opened from the lower end of the bulging portion 8D to the lower Z2. Each receiving portion 8 has a through hole 8G penetrating the upper end portion of the engaging portion 8E in the vertical direction Z, and a bulging portion 8D and an engaging portion 8E extending continuously from the through hole 8G to the lower side Z2. A slit 8H that divides into two is formed (see FIG. 2). The through hole 8G and the slit 8H are in a state of communicating with the accommodation space 8F.

The washing tub 3, the motor 4, the support frame 5, the drive mechanism 6, the connecting portion 7, and the receiving portion 8 form an assembly 50 in a united state. The pair of left and right side opening 10Bs in which the accommodation space 10A is opened to both outer sides in the left-right direction X in the frame 10 have a size that allows the assembly 50 to pass through. In particular, since each of the second upper horizontal columns 14 in which the side opening 10B is partitioned from the upper Z1 in the frame 10 does not have a stepped portion bent in a crank shape in the vertical direction, the assembly 50 passing through the side opening 10B is the first. 2 It is unlikely to interfere with the upper horizontal column 14. Therefore, the assembly 50 can be accommodated in the accommodating space 10A from the side opening 10B as it is without being disassembled, so that the assembling property can be improved.

The support member 9 is a rod-shaped member, also called a suspension rod, and is arranged in the accommodation space 10A of the frame 10 in a vertically elongated state. There are four support members 9, one at each of the four corners of the housing 2 (see FIG. 2). Of the four support members 9, the first pair of support members 9 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction X in the region of the front side Y1 in the accommodation space 10A is called the front side support member 9A, and in the region of the rear side Y2 in the accommodation space 10A. The second pair of support members 9 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction X is referred to as a rear support member 9B. The arrangement direction of the pair of front support members 9A is the left-right direction X, and the direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction is the front-rear direction Y. The pair of rear support members 9B are located at positions separated from the pair of front support members 9A to the rear Y2 in the front-rear direction Y. The pair of left and right front support members 9A are located at overlapping positions when viewed from the left and right direction X, and the pair of left and right rear support members 9B are located at overlapping positions when viewed from the left and right direction X.

An example of each support member 9 is a friction damper. Of course, as the support member 9, another known damper such as a hydraulic damper can be used. The support member 9 in the case of a friction damper includes a rod 52 extending vertically and vertically in a straight line, and a hollow case 53 accommodating a lower end portion of the rod 52. With reference to FIG. 4, which is a schematic vertical sectional view of a main part of the support member 9 and a peripheral portion thereof, the support member 9 is a disk-shaped damper member 54 connected to a lower end portion of a rod 52 in a case 53. And an urging member 55 such as a coil spring arranged in the case 53. The rod 52 can move relative to the case 53, and the entire support member 9 can be expanded and contracted by this relative movement. Further, since the urging member 55 urges the damper member 54 to the lower side Z2 in the case 53, the entire support member 9 can be elastically expanded and contracted.

The case 53 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape that is vertically elongated. The upper end portion of the case 53 is formed as a lower engaging portion 53A in a hemispherical shape that bulges toward the upper side Z1. The rod 52 is in a state of penetrating the upper end 53B of the lower engaging portion 53A up and down and projecting to the upper Z1. The lower engaging portion 53A of each front support member 9A is fitted from the lower Z2 to the accommodation space 8F in the front receiving portion 8A at the same position in the left-right direction X, whereby the front receiving portion 8A is engaged. It is in a state of being engaged with the joint portion 8E from the lower side Z2. The lower engaging portion 53A of each rear support member 9B is fitted from the lower Z2 to the accommodation space 8F in the rear receiving portion 8B at the same position in the left-right direction X, whereby the rear receiving portion is fitted. It is in a state of being engaged with the engaging portion 8E of 8B from the lower side Z2.

In this way, the four receiving portions 8 in the support frame 5 supporting the washing tub 3 are attached one by one to the lower engaging portion 53A at the lower end portion of each support member 9. The lower end of each support member 9 is connected to the washing tub 3 via the receiving portion 8 and the support frame 5 (see FIG. 1). When the lower engaging portion 53A is fitted into the accommodation space 8F, the rod 52 passes through the slit 8H (see FIG. 2) of the receiving portion 8. In each support member 9, the lower engaging portion 53A is in a spherical contact state with the inner peripheral surface 8I that partitions the accommodation space 8F in the engaging portion 8E, and the rod 52 is a through hole at the upper end portion of the receiving portion 8. It is in a state of protruding from 8G to the upper side Z1.

With reference to FIG. 1, a substantially cylindrical upper engaging portion 52A is provided at the upper end portion of the rod 52 in each support member 9. The upper engaging portion 52A of each front support member 9A is fitted from the upper Z1 into the through hole 18C of the front connecting portion 18A of the second upper horizontal column 14 located at the same position in the left-right direction X in the frame 10. , It is in a state of being engaged with the front connecting portion 18A from the upper side Z1. The upper engaging portion 52A of each rear support member 9B is fitted from the upper Z1 into the through hole 18C of the rear connecting portion 18B of the second upper horizontal column 14 at the same position in the left-right direction X, thereby. It is in a state of being engaged with the rear connecting portion 18B from the upper side Z1. With reference to FIG. 5, at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of each upper engaging portion 52A has a curved surface portion, and each upper engaging portion 52A is inside the through hole 18C in the connecting portion 18 in this curved surface portion. It is in a state of spherical contact with the peripheral surface 18D.

As described above, each of the support members 9 having the lower end connected to the receiving portion 8 on the washing tub 3 side and the upper end connected to the connecting portion 18 on the frame 10 side is the second upper horizontal column 14 of the frame 10. It is in a state of being suspended from each connecting portion 18 (see FIG. 1). Since each support member 9 can be elastically expanded and contracted, the four support members 9 are in a state of elastically supporting the washing tub 3, the motor 4, the support frame 5, the drive mechanism 6, and the connecting portion 7 by suspending them. (See FIG. 1). Therefore, the vibration generated in the washing tub 3 due to the rotation of the dehydration tub 26 during the washing operation, particularly in the dehydration step, is suppressed from being transmitted to the housing 2 via the connecting portion 18.

Further, in each support member 9, the damper member 54 moves together with the lower end portion of the rod 52 when the support member 9 expands and contracts, and at that time, rubs against the inner peripheral surface 53C (see FIG. 4) of the case 53. , A frictional force is generated between the damper member 54 and the inner peripheral surface 53C. The frictional force damps the vibration generated in the washing tub 3. In each support member 9, as described above, the upper engaging portion 52A is in spherical contact with the connecting portion 18, and the lower engaging portion 53A is in a spherical contact with the engaging portion 8E of the receiving portion 8. The member 9 can freely change its inclination with respect to the vertical direction Z so that an unreasonable force due to the vibration of the washing tub 3 does not act on the support member 9 itself or the housing 2.

The four receiving portions 8 in the support frame 5 are all arranged at the same height position, and in particular, the through holes 8G of the four receiving portions 8 are in the same position in the vertical direction Z (see FIG. 2). Therefore, in the four support members 9, the case 53 fitted from the lower side Z2 with respect to the accommodation space 8F of the receiving portion 8 is arranged at the same position in the vertical direction Z. Specifically, the upper end 53B (see FIG. 4) exposed from the through hole 8G in the lower engaging portion 53A of the case 53 of the four support members 9 is arranged at the same position in the vertical direction Z.

On the other hand, due to the configuration in which the left and right second upper horizontal columns 14 in the frame 10 of the housing 2 are inclined forward, the pair of front connecting portions 18A among the four connecting portions 18 in the left and right second upper horizontal columns 14 are , Lower than the pair of rear connecting portions 18B (see FIGS. 2 and 3). In this case, in the four support members 9, the pair of front support members 9A having the upper engaging portion 52A that engages with the front connecting portion 18A have the same length, and the upper side that engages with the rear connecting portion 18B. The other pair of rear support members 9B having the engaging portion 52A have the same length. However, the front support member 9A is shorter than the rear support member 9B (see FIG. 2). The length of the support member 9 here is, for example, a portion 9C that coincides with the lower surface of the connecting portion 18 in the upper engaging portion 52A and a lower engaging portion in the state where the operation of the washing machine 1 is stopped. It is the length of the line segment L extending along the rod 52 connecting the upper end 53B of the 53A (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The length of the line segment L is also the length of the portion of each support member 9 in the range from the receiving portion 8 to the connecting portion 18, that is, the portion of the support member 9 that positively contributes to the damping of vibration. Of course, as another example, the total length of the rod 52 and the total length of the support member 9 may be defined as the length of the support member 9.

The upper end of each support member 9 is the upper end of the portion of the support member 9 that constitutes the line segment L, and in this embodiment, it is the upper engaging portion 52A of the rod 52. With reference to FIG. 6, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 3, the distance D1 between the upper ends of the pair of front support members 9A in the left-right direction X is the left-right direction between the upper ends of the pair of rear support members 9B. Wider than the interval D2 at X. The interval D1 is the attachment width of the pair of front support members 9A to the frame 10 of the housing 2, and the interval D2 is the attachment width of the pair of rear support members 9B to the frame 10 of the housing 2. The distance D1 may be regarded as the distance between the through holes 18C of the pair of left and right front connecting portions 18A, or may be regarded as the distance between the centers of these through holes 18C. Similarly, the distance D2 may be regarded as the distance between the through holes 18C of the pair of left and right rear connecting portions 18B, or may be regarded as the distance between the centers of these through holes 18C.

Further, based on the state in which the operation of the washing machine 1 is stopped, the pair of front support members 9A are inclined with respect to the vertical direction Z so that the distance between the left and right sides is narrowed toward the lower side Z2, and the pair of rear support members 9A is tilted with respect to the vertical direction Z. The side support member 9B is inclined with respect to the vertical direction Z so that the distance between the left and right sides of the side support member 9B increases toward the lower side Z2. Therefore, when viewed from the front-rear direction Y, the pair of front support members 9A are arranged in a V shape, whereas the pair of rear support members 9B are arranged in a V shape upside down. .. When viewed from the left-right direction X, each of the front support member 9A and the rear support member 9B may be arranged along the vertical direction Z, or may be arranged at an angle with respect to the vertical direction Z. ..

By elastically supporting the washing tub 3 with four support members 9 having different configurations of the pair of front side support members 9A and the pair of rear side support members 9B in this way, the rotation of the dehydration tub 26 is referred to with reference to FIG. The vibration of the washing tub 3 due to the vibration is reduced, and the swing width of the washing tub 3 due to the vibration is reduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent the washing tub 3 during vibration from coming into contact with the housing 2. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the noise caused by the contact of the washing tub 3 with the housing 2. Further, since the swing width of the washing tub 3 is small, the gap between the washing tub 3 and the housing 2 can be reduced by making the housing 2 smaller without changing the size of the washing tub 3. As a result, the size of the washing machine 1 can be reduced without reducing the capacity of the laundry in the washing tub 3. Further, by reducing the vibration, the burden on the drive mechanism 6 for rotating the washing tub 3 can be reduced.

Further, the receiving portion 8 to which the lower end portions of the support members 9 are connected is fixed to the upper end portions of the front end portion and the rear end portion of each side plate 30 in the support frame 5, so that all four support members are supported. 9 is set to be as short as possible. As a result, the swing width of the washing tub 3 due to vibration is further reduced, so that the gap between the washing tub 3 and the housing 2 can be further reduced, and the washing machine 1 can be further miniaturized.

Further, in the support frame 5, since the rigidity is improved by the connecting plate 31, the twist of the support frame 5 due to the vibration of the washing tub 3 is reduced. As a result, the support frame 5 is prevented from coming into contact with the housing 2, and the washing machine 1 can be miniaturized by reducing the gap between the support frame 5 and the housing 2.

Further, in the frame 10 of the housing 2, the first upper horizontal column 13 of the front side Y1 is erected between the front ends of the two second upper horizontal columns 14. As a result, the first upper horizontal strut 13 is arranged close to the front connecting portion 18A connected to the upper end portion of the front supporting member 9A at the front end portion of each second upper horizontal strut 14. Further, the first upper horizontal column 13 is not retrofitted to the frame 10 by bolts or the like as a separate part, but is integrated with the frame 10 by welding or the like. Therefore, the rigidity around the front connecting portion 18A where the vibration of the washing tub 3 is easily transmitted in the frame 10 is improved. As a result, the swing width of the frame 10 due to the vibration of the washing tub 3 is reduced, so that the gap between the frame 10 and the decorative cover 11 in the housing 2 can be reduced, and the washing machine 1 can be further miniaturized.

Further, the pair of front support members 9A are arranged on the front side Y1 of the pair of rear support members 9B. As a result, chamfering or the like is performed at the peripheral edge of the rear portion 1A of the washing machine 1 where the pair of rear support members 9B having a relatively narrow distance between the upper ends, that is, the corner portion C of the rear side Y2 in the housing 2. Therefore, the rear portion 1A can be narrowed in the left-right direction X. Therefore, the size of the washing machine 1 can be further reduced, and the installation space of the washing machine 1 can be reduced.

Further, the front vertical column 12A, which is located on the front surface 2A of the housing 2 in the frame 10 and bends toward the front Y1 toward the upper side Z1, has elasticity. Therefore, the vibration of the washing tub 3 transmitted to the frame 10 via the support member 9 can be absorbed by the elastic deformation of the front vertical column 12A. As a result, the vibration of the washing tub 3 due to the rotation of the dehydration tub 26 can be suppressed from being transmitted to the installation surface, and the vibration and noise can be further reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

For example, in the washing machine 1 described above, the posture can be changed by rotating the washing tub 3 around the rotation shaft 33. Instead of this, by omitting the configuration of rotating the washing tub 3 and providing the receiving portion 8 in the outer tub 25 and directly elastically supporting the washing tub 3 by each support member 9, the rotation angle θ is 0 degree or The washing tub 3 may always be arranged vertically in a constant state at several degrees. As described above, any of the washing machines 1 can be miniaturized and vibration and noise can be reduced without reducing the capacity of the laundry.

Further, there is also a configuration in which the front side Y1 and the rear side Y2 in the washing machine 1 described above are reversed, that is, the front and rear positions of the pair of front side support members 9A and the pair of rear side support members 9B are reversed. obtain.

1 Washing machine 2 Housing 2A Front part 3 Washing tub 9 Support member 9A Front support member 9B Rear support member 10 Frame 12A Front vertical support 26 Dehydration tank 33 Rotation axis D1 Interval D2 Interval X Left and right direction Y Front and rear direction Y1 Front side Z Vertical direction Z1 Upper side Z2 Lower side

Claims (4)

A housing with a frame and
A washing tub having a dehydration tub that accommodates laundry and is driven and rotated, and an outer tub that accommodates the dehydration tub, and is arranged in the housing.
A motor fixed to the bottom wall of the outer tank and driving and rotating the dehydration tank,
A support frame that rotatably supports the washing tub and the rotating unit, which is a group of the motors, around a rotating shaft extending in the horizontal direction.
It includes a rod-shaped rotating unit that hangs from the frame and is connected to the support frame , and four support members that elastically support the support frame.
In the four support members, the adjacent first pair of support members are arranged in the alignment direction at a position separated from the first pair of support members in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the first pair of support members. Shorter than the second pair of support members adjacent to
The distance between the upper ends of the first pair of support members is wider than the distance between the upper ends of the second pair of support members.
The first pair of support members are inclined in the vertical direction so that the distance between the first pair of support members is narrowed toward the lower side.
A washing machine in which the second pair of support members are inclined in the vertical direction so that the distance between them increases toward the lower side. The orthogonal direction is the front-rear direction of the washing machine.
The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the first pair of support members are arranged in front of the second pair of support members. The housing has a decorative cover that covers the frame.
The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the frame includes a front vertical column located on the front surface of the housing and bent forward as it goes upward. The support frame includes a pair of side plates that sandwich the washing tub in the horizontal direction and a connecting plate erected between the side plates.
The first pair of support members are respectively connected to the upper end portion of one end portion in the orthogonal direction in the pair of side plates.
The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second pair of support members are respectively connected to the upper end portion of the other end portion in the orthogonal direction in the pair of side plates.

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