Filter structure, and washing machine having said filter structure

Abstract

To provide a filter structure capable of reducing outflow of foreign materials such as lint (including microplastics) to the outside.SOLUTION: A filter structure 101 comprises a foreign material collecting part 41c to collect foreign materials contained in washing water, and a casing (filter case 42) having a housing part 42a to detachably house the foreign material collecting part inside. The inside of the housing part has an inflow part 43 through which washing water flows in. The inside of the inflow part has a water receiver 46 above the foreign material collecting part, in which water flowing along an internal wall face 45 of the inflow part gathers and drops into the foreign material collecting part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a filter structure and a washing machine having the filter structure.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a drum washing machine equipped with a circulation pump, in order to suppress clogging of foreign matter in the runner part (impeller) of the circulation pump, it has been common to provide a foreign matter trap on the upstream side of the circulation path. And this foreign matter trap is often composed of a lattice or a comb so that lint and dirt can be entangled at the same time (see Patent Document 1). Further, this foreign matter trap is disposed at the bottom of the drum washing machine and is a part that the user can remove and maintain, so there are also certain restrictions on the angle (mountability) during installation (for example, about 30°).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The foreign matter trap of the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires maintenance of the foreign matter collection part, so the foreign matter collection part is configured to be detachable, and two or more parts form a water channel and a water seal part. However, since the foreign matter trap of the prior art has a structure in which the foreign matter collection part that collects lint from the casing forming the water channel can be removed (extracted), a gap is formed between the casing and the foreign matter collection part (especially near the tip of the foreign matter collection part).

[0005] Furthermore, in washing machines, if the flow rate of cooling water for dehumidification during the drying cycle is too high, the temperature inside the washing tub will not rise, and the drying efficiency will deteriorate. Therefore, it is common practice to flow cooling water at a small flow rate. However, with a small flow rate, the cooling water may flow along the inner wall of the casing due to the surface tension that occurs between the inner wall of the casing and the cooling water. In this case, the cooling water may not flow through the foreign matter collection section but instead flow into the gap formed between the casing and the foreign matter collection section, and may leak out of the foreign matter trap through that gap.

[0006] The cooling water that flows out at this time does not pass through the foreign matter collection section and therefore contains foreign matter such as lint. If this cooling water passes through the drain trap located outside the foreign matter trap, the foreign matter contained in the cooling water may easily clog the drain trap.

[0007] The present invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems, and its main objective is to provide a filter structure that reduces the outflow of foreign matter to the outside, and a washing machine having said filter structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a filter structure comprising: a foreign matter collection section for collecting foreign matter contained in the washing water; and a casing having a housing section inside which the foreign matter collection section is detachably housed; wherein an inlet section into which the washing water flows is provided inside the housing section; and a water receiving section is provided inside the inlet section at a position above the foreign matter collection section, which collects the water flowing down the inner wall surface of the inlet section and drips it onto the foreign matter collection section. Furthermore, the water receiving section is formed to spread laterally, and the central part is lower than the ends in the later direction, so that it has a collection section in the center for collecting water. This will be the structure. Other methods will be described later. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the outflow of foreign matter to the outside can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the washing machine according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the flow of laundry water when the circulation pump is running. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the appearance of the foreign object trap. [Figure 4] This is a top view of the filter section. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of the foreign object trap, taken from the front side after cutting it in the middle of the filter section in the front-to-back direction. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of the foreign object trap, cut in the center of the filter section in the left-right direction and viewed from the side. [Figure 7] This is a side cross-sectional view of the area near the water receiving portion of a foreign object trap having a filter structure according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of the foreign object trap, cut along the line A1-A1 shown in Figure 6, as seen from the front. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the area near the water receiving section. [Figure 10] This is a bottom view of the area near the water receiving section. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view of the foreign object trap, cut along the line B1-B1 shown in Figure 6, as seen from the front. [Figure 12] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the foreign object trap, cut along the line C1-C1, as seen from the front. [Figure 13] This is an explanatory diagram of the cooling water flow during the drying operation of the foreign matter trap of this embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a diagram (1) illustrating the configuration of a foreign object trap having a filter structure as an example. [Figure 15] This is a diagram (2) illustrating the configuration of a foreign object trap having a filter structure as a comparative example. [Figure 16] This is an explanatory diagram of the cooling water flow during the drying operation of the foreign matter trap in the comparative example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each figure only schematically shows the invention to such an extent that the invention can be sufficiently understood. Therefore, the present invention is not limited only to the illustrated examples. Also, in each figure, common components and similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0012] The prior art disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 uses a coarse collection structure such as a lattice or a comb, but it is difficult to collect (accumulate) fine thread waste with such a collection structure. Also, the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 flows cooling water for dehumidification in a state containing fine thread waste during the drying operation, but it is difficult to separate and collect the fine thread waste from the cooling water. Therefore, the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1 performs a washing operation after allowing the reattachment of the thread waste to the clothing and the outflow to the outside. The present embodiment also intends to provide a filter structure and a washing machine that can reduce the reattachment of the thread waste to the clothing and the outflow to the outside.

[0013] <Configuration of the washing machine> Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a case where the washing machine is a drum-type washing and drying machine will be assumed for explanation. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications and application examples within the technical concept of the present invention are also included in its scope. Hereinafter, the explanation will be based on the directions shown in FIG. 1. Also, the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1 is the left-right direction.

[0014] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a drum-type washer-dryer according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the drum-type washer-dryer (hereinafter abbreviated as washing machine) 100 comprises a housing 1, an outer tub 2 housed in the housing 1 for storing water, a drum 3 (inner tub) enclosed within the outer tub 2 for storing clothes, a circulation pump 20 that returns the wash water (rinse water) from the outer tub 2 to the drum 3, and a foreign matter trap 40 (lint filter device) provided upstream of the circulation pump 20 for collecting foreign matter (lint including microplastics, etc.). In this embodiment, the drum-type washer-dryer 100 (washing machine) employs a mesh-type foreign matter trap to efficiently collect fine lint and reduce the reattachment of lint to clothes and its outflow to the outside.

[0015] The enclosure 1 is constructed by combining side plates (not shown) and reinforcing members (not shown), mainly made of steel plates and resin molded products, to form a frame on top of the base 1h, and then attaching a front cover 1a, a lower front cover 1b, and a top cover 1c, all made of resin molded products, on top of that. The front cover 1a is also provided with a door 9 that is opened and closed when putting in or taking out laundry (clothes).

[0016] The door 9 consists of a door glass 9a fixed to a resin door frame 9b, and is attached to the housing 1 so as to be able to open and close by a hinge (not shown). The door 9 is also configured such that the door frame 9b abuts against the periphery of a circular opening 1s formed in the housing 1. The door glass 9a is configured to have a convex shape so as to extend further back (towards the rear) than the opening 1s in the housing 1.

[0017] The outer tank 2 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape and is elastically supported by a plurality of dampers (not shown) provided at its lower part. The outer tank cover 4 is attached to the front opening (door 9 side) formed on the front side of the outer tank 2.

[0018] The outer tub cover 4 is connected at the rear to the front opening of the outer tub 2, and has a circular opening 4a at the front for loading and unloading laundry. The outer tub cover 4 is also fitted with a rubber door packing (also called a bellows) 10 made of an elastic material. This door packing 10 is formed in a roughly annular shape, with the rear opening edge attached to the opening 4a of the outer tub cover 4, and the front opening edge attached to the edge of the opening 1s of the housing 1. When the door 9 is closed, the door glass 9a is tightly sealed against the door packing 10, maintaining watertightness between the outer tub 2 and the door 9. This prevents water leakage during washing, rinsing, and spinning. In this specification, the washing water is the rinsing water during the rinsing process.

[0019] The drum 3 is a bottomed cylindrical shape capable of accommodating laundry (clothing), with an opening 3a located at the front. A fluid balancer (not shown) is provided on the outer circumference of the opening 3a of the drum 3 to reduce vibrations caused by the unbalanced laundry during dewatering. Multiple lifters (not shown) are provided inside the drum 3 to lift the laundry. The drum 3 is directly connected to a motor (not shown) for drum driving. The drum 3 has numerous small holes (not shown) in the cylindrical side walls for centrifugal dewatering and ventilation. The rotation axis O of the drum 3 is inclined such that the front side is higher than the rear side. The rotation axis of the drum 3 may be configured to be approximately horizontal.

[0020] An air duct 25 (circulating air passage) is provided at the rear of the outer tub 2, connecting the outer tub 2 to the blower fan 26 (blowing means). The air duct 25 guides airflow to the laundry inside the drum 3, and one end is connected to the lower rear of the outer tub 2. The blower fan 26 is connected to the other end of the air duct 25 via a drying filter 27. The blower fan 26 and the drying filter 27 are fixed to the housing 1. The air generated by the blower fan 26 is heated by a heater 28 to become warm air, which is then discharged into the drum 3 from the blowing nozzle 29. The warm air blown onto the laundry becomes hot and humid air, is drawn into the air duct 25, and is cooled and dehumidified by a water-cooled dehumidification mechanism (not shown) provided in the air duct 25 to become cold air. Note that a heat pump may be used instead of the heater and water-cooled dehumidification mechanism.

[0021] The circulation pump 20 is located below the outer tub 2 and is fixed to the base 1h side of the housing 1. Washing water is sent from the drain port 2b of the water receiving section 2a (see Figure 2) located at the bottom of the outer tub 2 through the pipe 21 to the foreign object trap 40. The drain port 2b is also connected to the drain hose 24 (drainage path) via the foreign object trap 40 and the drain valve 23, allowing the water in the outer tub 2 to be drained outside the machine.

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of wash water when the circulation pump is in operation. Note that the drainage path is not shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the circulation pump 20 is composed of an electric motor 20a and an impeller 20b. During washing and rinsing, the impeller 20b rotates due to the driving force of the electric motor 20a, drawing wash water in from the drain port 2b at the bottom of the outer tub 2, as indicated by the arrows, sending it through the piping 21 and circulation path 31 to the top of the outer tub cover 4 (see Figure 1), and supplying it into the drum 3 in a shower-like manner from the supply unit 31a.

[0023] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the foreign matter trap 40. As shown in Figure 3, the foreign matter trap 40 comprises a filter section 41 for collecting lint and a filter case 42 (casing) that detachably houses the filter section 41. The filter section 41 has a knob 41a, and by turning the knob 41a in one direction, the filter section 41 can be attached to the filter case 42, and by turning the knob 41a in the other direction, the filter section 41 can be removed from the filter case 42. Figure 3 shows the filter section 41 attached to the filter case 42.

[0024] The filter case 42 includes a substantially cylindrical housing 42a in which the filter section 41 is installed, a connecting section 42b that connects to the piping 21 (see Figure 1) extending from the outer tank 2 (see Figure 1), and a connecting section 42c (see Figure 5) that connects to the drain hose 24 (see Figure 1). A circulation pump 20 is also mounted on the side of the filter case 42.

[0025] The circulation pump 20 has an impeller case 20c in which an impeller 20b (see Figure 2) is housed. A connection portion 20d is formed in this impeller case 20c that connects to the circulation path 31 (see Figure 2). The impeller case 20c is also configured to communicate with the side surface of the housing portion 42a of the filter case 42.

[0026] Figure 4 is a top view of the filter section. As shown in Figure 4, the filter section 41 comprises a substantially cylindrical base 41b that is inserted into the housing section 42a (see Figure 3) of the filter case 42, and a foreign matter collection section 41c that extends inward (rearward) from the base 41b. The base 41b is also provided with an annular packing 41d (sealing member) that prevents washing water from leaking out from the gap between the filter case 42 and the filter section 41 when the filter section 41 is attached to the filter case 42.

[0027] The foreign matter collection section 41c is for collecting foreign matter such as lint containing microplastics, and has a lower side collection section 41c1, a pair of side side collection sections 41c2, 41c2 that rise from the left and right edges of the lower side collection section 41c1, and a tip section 41c3 that rises from the rear end edge of the lower side collection section 41c1 and is connected to the side side collection sections 41c2, and has a concave shape with a rectangular opening on the top surface.

[0028] The lower side collection section 41c1 and the left and right side collection sections 41c2 are integrally formed by insert molding, for example, a metal mesh member (see Figure 5 for the mesh shape of the side collection section 41c2). The mesh is an opening that can mainly capture lint. Furthermore, the mesh member is not limited to metal, but may be made of synthetic fibers in a mesh-like structure.

[0029] The tip portion 41c3 does not have a mesh member and is a wall without holes. Similarly, the wall surface 41b1 of the base portion 41b, which is opposite the tip portion 41c3, is also a wall without holes.

[0030] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the foreign object trap 40 when it is cut in the middle of the filter section 41 in the front-to-back direction and viewed from the front. Note that Figure 5 shows the filter section 41 in a horizontal position. Also, Figure 5 omits the illustration of the electric motor 20a and impeller 20b.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5, the filter case 42 has an inlet 43 with a fan-shaped cross-section formed above the filter section 41, through which the wash water from the connection section 42b flows in. The filter case 42 also has an outlet 44 formed below the filter section 41, through which the wash water that has passed through the filter section 41 flows out. The outlet 44 is in communication with the connection section 42c. The outlet 44 is also in communication with the impeller case 20c via the suction port 42d.

[0032] The filter section 41 has a small gap 42f between the side collection section 41c2 and the side surface 42e of the filter case 42. Furthermore, the side collection section 41c2 is inclined such that the gap 42f widens from the top end to the bottom end.

[0033] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the foreign object trap 40 when it is cut in the middle of the filter section 41 in the left-right direction and viewed from the side. As shown in Figure 6, the foreign object trap 40 is arranged inside the housing 1 (see Figure 1) such that the connection parts 42b and 42c of the filter case 42 extend in the front-rear direction and are horizontal. The connection part 42b is located above the connection part 42c. The internal space of the connection part 42b functions as an introduction part 48 that introduces washing water from the outside (outer tub 2 (see Figure 1)) to the inlet part 43. Also, the connection parts 42b and 42c are formed to extend in the same direction (rearward). The foreign object trap 40 is inclined such that the housing part 42a of the filter case 42 is higher on the front side than on the back side. Furthermore, since the foreign object trap 40 is installed in the lower part of the housing 1 (see Figure 1), the filter section 41 is positioned upward at a predetermined angle (for example, 30°), so that the user's ability to attach and detach the filter section 41 is not impaired. In other words, the foreign object trap 40 is set at an angle that is easy for the user to operate, so that the attachment and detachment direction (insertion angle) of the filter section 41 does not become an angle such as 80°, 90°, 0°, or 10°.

[0034] Furthermore, in the foreign matter trap 40, the filter section 41 is inserted into the housing section 42a of the filter case 42, so that the filter section 41 is inclined so that the front side is higher than the back side. Therefore, the lower side collection section 41c1 of the filter section 41 is positioned to be smaller than the insertion angle of the filter section 41. That is, the lower side collection section 41c1 is the lowest surface of the filter section 41 (foreign matter collection section 41c), and is positioned to be at an angle α (angle of the lowest surface of the foreign matter collection section) with respect to the horizontal plane S. For example, angle α is 20°. Also, the filter section 41 is positioned so that its insertion angle with respect to the filter case 42 is at an insertion angle β (insertion angle of the foreign matter collection section 41c) with respect to the horizontal plane S. For example, insertion angle β is 30°. Thus, the angle α of the lower surface collection section 41c1 of the filter section 41 (the angle of the lowest surface of the foreign matter collection section) is configured to be smaller than the insertion angle β of the foreign matter collection section 41c relative to the filter case 42. The angle α is set appropriately within a range that does not impair the amount of foreign matter collected by the foreign matter collection section 41c.

[0035] Furthermore, a suction port 42d leading to the circulation pump 20 is formed on the side surface of the housing portion 42a of the filter case 42. This suction port 42d is, for example, a circular hole, and in the side view of Figure 6 (side view from the axial direction of the suction port 42d), it is positioned so as not to overlap with the foreign matter collection portion 41c. In other words, a part of the foreign matter collection portion 41c is located above the suction port 42d. In this embodiment, a part of the foreign matter collection portion 41c is located above the suction port 42d, but the entire foreign matter collection portion 41c may be located above the suction port 42d.

[0036] Furthermore, the connecting portion 42b is formed in a tubular shape with its axial direction horizontal and communicates with the upper part of the housing portion 42a. In addition, the wall surface 41b1 of the base portion 41b is located on the forward extension line of the opening 42b1 of the connecting portion 42b to the housing portion 42a. Furthermore, the connecting portion 42c is formed in a tubular shape with its axial direction horizontal and communicates with the lower part of the housing portion 42a. In addition, the upper part of the opening 42c1 of the connecting portion 42c to the housing portion 42a is facing the tip portion 41c3.

[0037] In the foreign matter trap 40 configured in this way, when the circulation pump 20 is turned on during the washing or rinsing process, the water stored in the outer tub 2 (see Figure 1) (wash water (rinsing water)) is introduced from the introduction section 48 of the connection section 42b to the foreign matter collection section 41c of the filter section 41. Foreign matter such as lint containing microplastics that is carried along with (contained in) the wash water is collected and accumulated in the foreign matter collection section 41c, and the wash water flows out from the mesh portion of the foreign matter collection section 41c to the outlet section 44. The wash water is then sucked in from the suction port 42d and discharged by the circulation pump 20 through the circulation path 31 (see Figure 2) towards the drum 3 (see Figure 1). Then, when the washing and rinsing cycles are complete, the circulation pump 20 stops, the drain valve 23 (see Figure 1) opens, and the washing water is discharged through the connection part 42c and the drain hose 24 (see Figure 1) to the drain outlet outside the drum-type washer-dryer 100.

[0038] <Filter structure configuration and operation> As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the foreign matter trap 40 (lint filter device) has a filter structure 101. The filter structure 101 is mainly characterized by having a water receiving section 46 (see Figures 7 to 13). The configuration and operation of the filter structure 101 will be described below with reference to Figures 7 to 13. Figure 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the water receiving section 46 in the foreign matter trap 40 having the filter structure 101 of this embodiment, and shows an enlarged view of the configuration near the water receiving section 46. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken from the front side when the foreign matter trap 40 is cut along the line A1-A1 shown in Figure 6. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the water receiving section 46. Figure 10 is a bottom view of the vicinity of the water receiving section 46. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken from the front side when the foreign matter trap 40 is cut along the line B1-B1 shown in Figure 6. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken from the front side when the foreign matter trap 40 is cut along the line C1-C1 shown in Figure 6. Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram of the cooling water flow during the drying operation of the foreign matter trap 40.

[0039] As shown in Figure 7, the filter structure 101 has a water receiving section 46 located inside the inlet section 43, near the tip 41c3 of the foreign matter collection section 41c, and above the foreign matter collection section 41c. The water receiving section 46 is a component that collects water (including cooling water during drying operation) that flows down the inner wall surface 45 of the inlet section 43 due to surface tension and drips it onto the foreign matter collection section 41c.

[0040] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the water receiving section 46 extends laterally and has a collection section 47 in the center for collecting water. The collection section 47 has a shape in which the central part is lower than the lateral parts on either side. Also, as shown in Figure 10, the collection section 47 has a shape in which the lateral parts extend forward from the central part. As shown by the inclination angle γ in Figure 7, the upper surface of the central part of the collection section 47 is inclined downward with respect to the horizontal direction to facilitate the dripping of water collected by the collection section 47 onto the foreign matter collection section 41c.

[0041] As shown in Figures 8 to 11, the filter structure 101 has abutment guides 49 on both sides of the water receiving section 46. The abutment guides 49 are the parts that abut against the filter section 41 when the filter section 41, which is provided with the foreign matter collection section 41c, is attached to the housing section 42a. The abutment guides 49 are arranged to extend in the front-rear direction. In particular, as shown in Figure 9, in this embodiment, the abutment guides 49 have a triangular shape overall when viewed from the front, and the vertices of the protruding parts have an arc shape, and are configured to make surface or line contact with the upper surface of the filter section 41 (see Figure 7).

[0042] As shown in Figure 12, the width W1 of the water receiving section 46 is wider than the width W2 of the inlet section 48. This configuration is so that the water that flows from the inlet section 48 into the inlet section 43 (see Figure 7) and flows along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) due to surface tension is received by the water receiving section 46.

[0043] In this embodiment, the drum-type washer-dryer 100, during drying operation, flows a small amount of cooling water because a large flow rate of cooling water for dehumidification would prevent the temperature inside the drum 3 (inner tub) from rising, thus worsening drying efficiency. At this time, because the amount of water is small, it may flow along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) due to surface tension. Arrows D11 and D12 in Figure 13 indicate the flow of water at this time. That is, as shown in Figure 13, in the filter structure 101 of this embodiment, when a small amount of water (cooling water) flows during drying operation, the water enters the inlet 43 from the introduction section 48 (see arrow D11), and may flow along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) due to surface tension (see arrow D12). In this embodiment, the filter structure 101 receives the water flowing along the inner wall surface 45 (flowing along the inner wall surface 45) in the water receiving section 46. As a result, the filter structure 101 according to this embodiment separates the water flowing along the inner wall surface 45 from the inner wall surface 45 (see arrow D13), collects it in one place, and allows it to drip down by gravity into the foreign matter collection section 41c (see arrow D14). At this time, the filter structure 101 of this embodiment removes foreign matter such as lint containing microplastics contained in the water at the foreign matter collection section 41c. The water from which the foreign matter has been removed is then discharged through the connection section 42c and the drain hose 24 (see Figure 1) to the drain outlet outside the drum-type washing machine 100.

[0044] Here, in order to clearly explain the effects of the filter structure 101 of this embodiment, the configuration and effects of the comparative example filter structure 1101 will be described with reference to Figures 14 to 16. Figures 14 and 15 are explanatory diagrams of the configuration of a foreign matter trap 140 having the comparative example filter structure 1101. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken from the front when the foreign matter trap 140 (lint filter device) is cut at the same position as in Figure 11. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view taken from the front when the foreign matter trap 140 (lint filter device) of the comparative example is cut at the same position as in Figure 12. Figure 16 is an explanatory diagram of the flow of cooling water during the drying operation of the comparative example filter structure 1101.

[0045] The comparative example filter structure 1101 has a configuration equivalent to the prior art. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the comparative example filter structure 1101 differs from the filter structure 101 of this embodiment (see Figures 11 and 12) in that it does not have a water receiving section 46. As shown in Figure 16, in the comparative example filter structure 1101, when a small amount of water (cooling water) flows during drying operation, the water enters the inlet section 43 from the introduction section 48 (see arrow E11) and may flow along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) due to surface tension (see arrow E12). The water flowing along the inner wall surface 45 may not pass through the foreign matter collection section 41c but instead flow through the gap between the filter case 42 and the filter section 41 (especially near the tip of the foreign matter collection section 41c) to the connection section 42c (see arrow E13). The water that flows through the connection part 42c may then be discharged through the drain hose 24 (see Figure 1) to the drain outlet outside the drum-type washing machine 100 (see arrow E14). At this time, the water that flows out to the outside does not pass through the foreign matter collection part 41c and therefore contains foreign matter such as lint containing microplastics. If this water passes through the drain trap (not shown) located outside the foreign matter trap 140, the foreign matter contained in the water may easily clog the drain trap.

[0046] In contrast, as shown in Figure 13, in this embodiment, even if a small amount of water (cooling water) flows during drying operation, the water that flows along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) due to surface tension is received by the water receiving section 46. Then, in this embodiment, the water is collected in one place at the water receiving section 46 and allowed to drip by gravity into the foreign matter collection section 41c. In this embodiment, the water that flows out to the outside passes through the foreign matter collection section 41c, so foreign matter such as lint containing microplastics can be efficiently collected in the foreign matter collection section 41c. Therefore, the filter structure 101 of this embodiment can reduce the outflow of foreign matter to the outside. This prevents the drain trap (not shown) provided outside the foreign matter trap 40 from becoming clogged with foreign matter.

[0047] <Main features of the filter structure> (1) As shown in Figure 6, the filter structure 101 according to this embodiment comprises a foreign matter collection section 41c (lint filter) that collects foreign matter contained in the wash water, and a filter case 42 (casing) having a housing section 42a inside which the foreign matter collection section 41c is detachably housed. Inside the housing section 42a, there is an inlet section 43 into which the wash water flows. Inside the inlet section 43, there is a water receiving section 46 located above the foreign matter collection section 41c that collects water (including cooling water during drying) that flows down the inner wall surface 45 of the inlet section 43 due to surface tension and drips it onto the foreign matter collection section 41c.

[0048] In this embodiment of the filter structure 101, during drying operation, water (cooling water) flowing along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) due to surface tension is received by the water receiving section 46. As a result, the filter structure 101 in this embodiment separates the water flowing along the inner wall surface 45 from the inner wall surface 45, collects it in one place, and allows it to drip down by gravity into the foreign matter collection section 41c. The water flowing along the inner wall surface 45 contains foreign matter such as lint. The filter structure 101 in this embodiment removes foreign matter such as lint contained in the water at the foreign matter collection section 41c. In this embodiment of the filter structure 101, during drying operation, foreign matter such as lint containing microplastics contained in the cooling water flowing along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) due to surface tension can be efficiently collected at the foreign matter collection section 41c. As a result, the outflow of foreign matter to the outside can be reduced.

[0049] (2) As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the water receiving section 46 may extend laterally and have a collection section 47 in the center for collecting water.

[0050] In this embodiment of the filter structure 101, water flowing along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) due to surface tension is collected in one place (the central part) at the collection section 47 of the water receiving section 46 and efficiently flowed into the foreign matter collection section 41c.

[0051] (3) The upper central part of the collection unit 47 should be inclined downward by 5° or more with respect to the horizontal, as shown by the inclination angle γ in Figure 7.

[0052] In this embodiment of the filter structure 101, water concentrated in the central part of the collection section 47 can be efficiently poured into the foreign matter collection section 41c by gravity.

[0053] (4) As shown in Figure 12, the width W1 of the water receiving section 46 should be wider than the width W2 of the inlet section 48 that introduces water from the outside into the inlet section 43.

[0054] In this embodiment of the filter structure 101, during drying operation, water flowing from the introduction section 48 along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) is collected in one place (the central part) by the water receiving section 46 due to surface tension and efficiently flows into the foreign matter collection section 41c. Therefore, foreign matter such as lint containing microplastics contained in the cooling water can be efficiently collected in the foreign matter collection section 41c during drying operation, and the outflow of foreign matter to the outside can be reduced.

[0055] (5) As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the filter structure 101 according to this embodiment may have abutment guides 49 on both sides of the water receiving section 46.

[0056] In this embodiment of the filter structure 101, when the foreign matter collection section 41c (lint filter) is attached to the housing section 42a, the foreign matter collection section 41c and the water receiving section 46 do not collide forcefully. This prevents damage to the foreign matter collection section 41c and the water receiving section 46.

[0057] As described above, according to the filter structure 101 of this embodiment, during drying operation, water flowing along the inner wall surface 45 of the filter case 42 (casing) due to surface tension is separated from the inner wall surface 45 by the water receiving section 46, collected in one place, and allowed to drip by gravity into the foreign matter collection section 41c. This reduces the outflow of foreign matter to the outside.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace some of the configurations of the embodiments with other configurations, and it is also possible to add other configurations to the configurations of the embodiments. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace some of the configurations of each configuration with other configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1 cabinet 1a Front cover 1b Lower front cover 1c Top cover 1h Bass 1s aperture 2 Outer tank 2a Water receiving section 2b Drain port 3 drums (inner tubs) 3a,4a opening 4. Outer tank cover 20 Circulation pump 9 doors 9a Door glass 9b Door frame 10 Door gasket 20 Circulation pump 20a electric motor 20b Impeller 20cm Impeller Case 20d Connection part 21 Piping 23 Drain valve 24. Drain hose (drainage route) 25. Air supply duct (circulating air passage) 26. Blower fan (means of blowing air) 27 Drying filter 28 Heater 29. Discharge nozzle 31 Circulation route 31a Supply section 40,140 Foreign object trap (lint filter device) 41 Filter section 41a Knob 41b base 41b1 Wall 41c Foreign object collection section (lint filter) 41c1 Bottom side collection part 41c2 Side collection part 41c3 Tip 41d Packing (sealing material) 42 Filter case (casing) 42a Storage area 42b, 42c connection section 42b1,42c1 opening 42d Inlet 42e side 42f Gap 43 Inlet 44 Outlet 45 Interior wall surface 46 Water receiving section 47 Collection Department 48 Introduction 49. Guide to the Encounter 100 Drum-type washing machine / dryer 140 Foreign object trap (lint filter device) 101,1101 Filter structure

Claims

1. A foreign matter collection unit that collects foreign matter contained in the wash water, The casing comprises a casing having a housing section inside which the foreign matter collection section is detachably housed, The interior of the aforementioned storage section is provided with an inlet into which laundry water flows in. Inside the inlet, a water receiving section is provided at a position above the foreign matter collection section, which collects the water flowing along the inner wall surface of the inlet and drips it onto the foreign matter collection section. The water receiving section is formed to spread laterally, with the central part being lower than the ends in the lateral direction, and has a water collection section in the central part. A filter structure characterized by the following features.

2. In the filter structure described in claim 1, The upper surface of the collection unit is inclined downward at an angle of 5° or more with respect to the horizontal. A filter structure characterized by the following features.

3. In the filter structure described in claim 1, The width of the water receiving section is wider than the width of the inlet section through which water is introduced from the outside into the inlet section. A filter structure characterized by the following features.

4. In the filter structure described in claim 1, The water receiving section has abutment guides on both sides. A filter structure characterized by the following features.

5. The system comprises a housing, an outer tank housed within the housing for storing water, an inner tank enclosed within the outer tank for storing clothes, a drainage path for discharging the washing water from the outer tank, a circulation pump for returning the washing water from the outer tank to the inside of the inner tank, and a foreign object trap provided upstream of the circulation pump for collecting foreign objects. The foreign matter trap has the filter structure described in any one of claims 1 to 4. A washing machine characterized by the following features.

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