washing machine

Abstract

To achieve a high sterilization effect by irradiation of ultraviolet rays.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: an outer tub; a rotary tub that is rotatably provided in the outer tub and is capable of accommodating clothing; a water supply mechanism that is connected to an external water source and is capable of supplying water from the external water source into the outer tub; an ultraviolet ray irradiation device that is capable of applying ultraviolet rays into the rotary tub; and an operation processing part that is capable of executing a washing operation including a weight detection step of detecting the weight of laundry in the rotary tub, storing water in the outer tub, and washing the clothing in the rotary tub, and an ultraviolet ray irradiation operation that operates the ultraviolet ray irradiation device before execution of the washing operation and irradiates the clothing accommodated in the rotary tub with ultraviolet rays before the weight detection step in the washing operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to washing machines.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, washing machines and the like that can irradiate ultraviolet rays on clothes have been proposed in order to suppress the growth of various bacteria such as clothes.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003] [[ID=2%]]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in such conventional washing machines, there is still room for improvement in order to obtain a high sterilization effect by ultraviolet irradiation. Therefore, a washing machine capable of obtaining a high sterilization effect by ultraviolet irradiation is provided.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The washing machine according to the embodiment includes an outer tub, a rotatable tub provided in the outer tub and capable of accommodating clothes, a water supply mechanism connected to an external water source and capable of injecting water from the external water source into the outer tub, an ultraviolet irradiation device capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays into the rotatable tub, a weight detection step for detecting the weight of the laundry in the rotatable tub, a washing operation for storing water in the outer tub and washing the clothes in the rotatable tub, and an ultraviolet irradiation operation for operating the ultraviolet irradiation device before the execution of the washing operation to irradiate the clothes accommodated in the rotatable tub with ultraviolet rays, and an operation processing unit capable of executing the ultraviolet irradiation operation before the weight detection step in the washing operation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [Figure 1] A longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing the schematic configuration of an example of a washing machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] A longitudinal cross-sectional rear view showing the schematic configuration of an example of a washing machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] A block diagram schematically showing the electrical configuration of the ultraviolet irradiation device for a washing machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] Block diagram schematically showing the electrical configuration of a washing machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of the courses included in a washing machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the operation of the ultraviolet irradiation operation performed in a washing machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the operation of a washing cycle performed by a washing machine according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the operation of the drying cycle performed by a washing machine according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The following describes a washing machine according to one embodiment with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a horizontal-axis or diagonal-axis type drum-type washer-dryer equipped with a drying function. Note that the washing machine of this embodiment can also be applied to a vertical-axis type so-called fully automatic washer-dryer. Furthermore, the washing machine 10 of this embodiment can also be applied to a configuration without a drying function.

[0008] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 comprises an outer casing 11, a door 12, an outer tub 13, bellows 14, a rotating tub 15, a motor 16, a water supply mechanism 17, a drainage mechanism 18, and an operation panel 19. In this embodiment, the door 12 side of the outer casing 11, i.e., the left side of the paper in Figure 1, is considered the front of the washing machine 10. The outer casing 11 is formed in the shape of a rectangular hollow box using, for example, a stainless steel plate, and constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 10. The outer casing 11 has a clothing opening 111 in the front portion that connects the inside and outside of the outer casing 11.

[0009] Door 12 is located at the front of the outer box 11 and is configured to open and close the clothing entrance 111. With door 12 open, the user can put clothing 90 into or take it out of the rotating tub 15 through the clothing entrance 111.

[0010] The outer tank 13 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening 131 on the front side. In this embodiment, the outer tank 13 can store water inside and in this case functions as a water tank. The outer tank 13 has an exhaust port 132 and an air intake port 133. The exhaust port 132 is located, for example, in the upper front part of the peripheral wall that constitutes the cylindrical portion of the outer tank 13, and is positioned away from the left-right center of the outer tank 13, that is, the highest point of the cylindrical outer surface of the outer tank 13. The air intake port 133 is located, for example, at the bottom of the outer tank 13, slightly above the vertical center of the bottom. The exhaust port 132 and the air intake port 133 communicate the inside and outside of the outer tank 13.

[0011] The bellows 14 are provided around the clothing entrance 111 of the outer box 11 and the opening 131 of the outer tank 13. The bellows 14 are formed, for example, in a cylindrical bellows shape, and elastically connect the outer box 11 and the outer tank 13 while maintaining communication between the clothing entrance 111 and the opening 131.

[0012] The rotating tub 15 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape capable of accommodating clothes 90 and is rotatably housed inside the outer tub 13. The rotation axis of the rotating tub 15 is aligned with the central axis of the outer tub 13. The rotating tub 15 has a plurality of communication ports 151. The communication ports 151 connect the inside and outside of the rotating tub 15. The communication ports 151 are formed throughout the peripheral wall constituting the cylindrical portion of the rotating tub 15 and the entire bottom of the rotating tub 15. During washing and spin-drying operations, the communication ports 151 mainly function as water passages for water entering and exiting, and during drying operations, they function as ventilation ports for air entering and exiting. In addition, although not shown in detail, the rotating tub 15 is provided with a plurality of baffles inside the cylindrical portion. The baffles agitate the clothes 90 housed inside the rotating tub 15.

[0013] The motor 16 is, for example, mounted on the outside of the bottom of the outer tank 13. The tip of the shaft 161 of the motor 16 protrudes into the interior of the outer tank 13 and is connected to the rotating tank 15. For example, an outer rotor type direct drive motor can be used for the motor 16. The shaft 161 of the motor 16 penetrates the bottom of the outer tank 13 and protrudes into the interior of the outer tank 13, and is fixed to the bottom of the rotating tank 15. The motor 16 rotates the rotating tank 15 relative to the outer tank 13. In this case, the shaft 161 of the motor 16, the central axis of the outer tank 13, and the rotation axis of the rotating tank 15 all coincide.

[0014] The water supply mechanism 17 is a device for supplying water from an external water source, such as a water supply system, into the outer tank 13. The water supply mechanism 17 is installed, for example, inside the outer casing 11, above the outer tank 13, on one side to the left or right. The water supply mechanism 17 comprises a water supply valve 171, a water supply case 172, and a water supply hose 173. The water supply valve 171 is an electromagnetically driven on / off valve for liquids and is connected to an external water source, such as a water supply system (not shown).

[0015] The water supply case 172 is configured to accommodate laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener. The water supply hose 173 connects the water supply case 172 to the inside of the outer tub 13. The water supply valve 171 opens and closes the water supply path from an external water source to the outside tub 13 via the water supply mechanism 17. When the water supply valve 171 is opened, water from the external water source is poured into the outer tub 13 via the water supply case 172. If laundry treatment agents are stored in the water supply case 172 at the time of pouring, the laundry treatment agents in the water supply case 172 are carried by the water flowing through the water supply case 172 and washed into the outer tub 13. Note that the washing machine 10 does not necessarily have to be equipped with a water supply case 172. In other words, the washing machine 10 may be configured so that the user directly puts the laundry treatment agents into the outer tub 13. Furthermore, the washing machine 10 may be equipped with an automatic dispensing device that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of laundry detergent into the outer tub 13, either together with or in place of the water filling case 172.

[0016] The drainage mechanism 18 has a function of discharging the water stored inside the outer tub 13 to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drainage mechanism 18 includes a drain valve 181 and a drain pipe 182. The drain valve 181 is an electromagnetic-driven on-off valve for liquids. The drain valve 181 opens and closes a drainage path that extends from inside the outer tub 13 to the outside of the machine via the drainage mechanism 18.

[0017] The operation panel 19 has a function of receiving operation inputs related to the settings and operation of the washing machine 10 from the user and presenting information related to the settings and operation of the washing machine 10 to the user by means such as display and voice. The operation panel 19 can be constituted by, for example, a touch panel display, or can be constituted by touch switches, mechanical switches, etc. Also, the operation panel 19 can be constituted by combining a touch panel display with touch switches, mechanical switches, etc. The operation panel 19 is provided, for example, at the front side portion of the upper surface of the outer case 11.

[0018] Also, the washing machine 10 has a drying function. In the case of this embodiment, the washing machine 10 includes a circulation air duct 20 and a warm air supply device 30. The circulation air duct 20 connects an exhaust port 132 and an air supply port 133 outside the outer tub 13. The circulation air duct 20 has a function of taking in the air inside the outer tub 13 into the circulation air duct 20 from the exhaust port 132, turning it into warm air through the warm air supply device 30, and then supplying the warm air into the outer tub 13 from the air supply port 133.

[0019] The circulation air duct 20 can be constituted, for example, by having an exhaust duct 21, a filter device 22, a connection duct 23, a heat exchange section 24, and an air supply duct 25. The exhaust duct 21, the filter device 22, the connection duct 23, the heat exchange section 24, and the air supply duct 2 are arranged in order along the flow of the air flowing through the circulation air duct 20.

[0020] The exhaust duct 21 is a duct that connects the exhaust port 132 of the outer tank 13 and the filter device 22. The filter device 22 is provided with a filter (not shown) inside, and collects lint and foreign matters contained in the air flowing in the circulation air passage 20. The connection duct 23 is a duct that connects the filter device 22 and the heat exchange section 24. The heat exchange section 24 is provided inside the lower part of the outer box 11 and below the outer tank 13 and the rotary tank 15. The air taken into the circulation air passage 20 from the outer tank 13 is dehumidified and heated when passing through the heat exchange section 24 and becomes warm dry air. The air supply duct 25 is a duct that connects the heat exchange section 24 and the air supply port 133 of the outer tank 13.

[0021] The warm air supply device 30 has a function of generating warm air for drying clothes in the rotary tank 15 and supplying the warm air into the outer tank 13 from the air supply port 133. The warm air supply device 30 can be configured to include, for example, a heat pump type or a heater type heating device. In the case of this embodiment, the warm air supply device 30 is configured to include a heat pump type heating device and has an evaporator 31, a condenser 32, and a compressor 33.

[0022] The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 are provided inside the heat exchange section 24. The evaporator 31 is provided on the upstream side of the condenser 32 with respect to the air flow in the heat exchange section 24 during the drying operation. The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 together with the compressor 33 provided outside the heat exchange section 24 constitute a heat pump mechanism, that is, a refrigeration cycle. The air passing through the heat exchange section 24 is cooled by the evaporator 31, and thereby dehumidified. The air dehumidified by the evaporator 31 is then heated by the condenser 32 and becomes warm air. [[ID=⑨]] [[ID=⑩]]

[0023] [[ID=⑪]] The downstream side of the heat exchange unit 24 is connected to the air intake port 133 of the outer tank 13 by an air intake duct 25. The hot air supply device 30 also includes a blower 34. The blower 34 is provided, for example, at the connection point between the heat exchange unit 24 and the air intake duct 25, and can be configured as, for example, a sirocco fan. The blower 34 draws in air from inside the heat exchange unit 24 and discharges it towards the air intake duct 25. As a result, the hot air dehumidified and heated in the heat exchange unit 24 is supplied from the air intake port 133 to the outer tank 13 and further into the rotating tank 15 by the blowing action of the blower 34.

[0024] Furthermore, when the compressor 33 is stopped and the blower 34 is operated, unheated air is supplied into the rotating tank 15, which lowers the temperature inside the rotating tank 15. Therefore, by operating the blower 34 with the compressor 33 stopped, the blower 34 performs the function of cooling the temperature inside the rotating tank 15.

[0025] Furthermore, the washing machine 10 is equipped with an ultraviolet irradiation device 40. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be installed, for example, in a location other than the rotating tub 15 and facing the inside of the rotating tub 15. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be installed, for example, on the inner surface of the opening 131 of the outer tub 13, on the inner surface of the bellows 14, or inside the door 12. In this embodiment, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is installed, for example, on the uppermost part of the inner surface of the opening 131 of the outer tub 13 or the inner surface of the bellows 14.

[0026] The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 has the function of irradiating the rotating tank 15 with light rays including ultraviolet rays, and can emit ultraviolet light with a wavelength of, for example, 200 nm to 380 nm. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can irradiate ultraviolet rays toward the lower part of the rotating tank 15, that is, toward the lower part of the peripheral wall of the rotating tank 15, in other words toward the water surface side when water is stored in the outer tank 13. The ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 have sterilization or germicidal ability on their own, that is, without the use of catalysts or the like. In this case, considering the sterilization or germicidal power, the wavelength of the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is preferably in the range of 200 nm to 280 nm.

[0027] The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light it irradiates, that is, the amount of ultraviolet light energy irradiated per unit time, in two or more stages. In this embodiment, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is configured to adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light it irradiates in two stages, for example, "strong" and "weak". In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 adjusts the intensity of the ultraviolet light it irradiates by adjusting the ultraviolet light irradiation time per unit time, that is, the duty cycle ratio between the period when ultraviolet light is irradiated and the period when it is not irradiated. In this case, in the "strong" setting, for example, the duty cycle ratio is set to 100%, meaning that ultraviolet light is irradiated at all times. In the "weak" setting, the duty cycle ratio is set to a value smaller than 100% in the "strong" setting, for example, 50% or less. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 may also be configured to adjust the intensity of ultraviolet light by adjusting the illuminance of the ultraviolet light.

[0028] The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 may be configured to irradiate visible light simultaneously with or separately from ultraviolet irradiation, for example. In this embodiment, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is configured to irradiate visible light together with ultraviolet irradiation. In this case, it is possible to set the device so that at least a part of the ultraviolet irradiation area irradiated by the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 and the visible light irradiation area irradiated by the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 overlap. Furthermore, it is possible to set the device so that the entire visible light irradiation area is contained within the ultraviolet irradiation area, or so that the entire ultraviolet irradiation area is contained within the visible light irradiation area.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be configured to include, for example, a light source circuit 41, an ultraviolet light source 42, a blue light source 43, and a white light source 44. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be configured by mounting the light source circuit 41, the ultraviolet light source 42, the blue light source 43, and the white light source 44 on, for example, a single substrate 401.

[0030] The light source circuit 41 is an electrical circuit for controlling the operation of the ultraviolet light source 42, the blue light source 43, and the white light source 44. The ultraviolet light source 42 is a light source capable of emitting ultraviolet light, and can be composed of, for example, an ultraviolet lamp or an ultraviolet LED. The blue light source 43 is capable of emitting blue visible light, for example, visible light close to violet, and can be composed of, for example, a blue lamp or a blue LED. The white light source 44 is capable of emitting white visible light, and can be composed of, for example, a white lamp or a white LED.

[0031] The ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source 42 is invisible to the human eye. Therefore, when the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 emits ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet light source 42, it emits a violet-blue visible light from the blue light source 43, allowing the user to recognize that ultraviolet light is being emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. In this case, the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43 can be connected to the light source circuit 41 by common electrical wiring, so that the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43 always emit light simultaneously. Alternatively, the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43 can be connected to the light source circuit 41 by separate electrical wiring, so that they emit light independently of each other.

[0032] Furthermore, the white light source 44 can be used, for example, to illuminate the inside of the rotating tank 15. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 also functions as an illumination device for illuminating the inside of the rotating tank 15. The white light source 44 can be connected to the light source circuit 41 by separate electrical wiring from the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43, and configured to emit light independently of the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the washing machine 10 is equipped with a control device 50, a weight detection unit 51, and an operation processing unit 52. The control device 50 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU 501 and a storage area 502 such as ROM, RAM, and non-volatile memory. The control device 50 has the function of managing the operation of the entire washing machine 10. The motor 16, water supply valve 171, drain valve 181, operation panel 19, compressor 33, blower 34, and ultraviolet irradiation device 40 are electrically connected to the control device 50 and operate under the control of the control device 50.

[0034] The weight detection unit 51 has the function of detecting the weight of laundry such as clothes 90 contained in the rotating tub 15. The weight detection unit 51 can be implemented, for example, by an ammeter (not shown) that measures the current flowing through the motor 16. The weight detection unit 51 can measure the load acting on the motor 16 by measuring the current flowing through the motor 16 when the rotating tub 15 is rotated, and can detect the weight of the laundry contained in the rotating tub 15 based on that load. Alternatively, the weight detection unit 51 can be implemented, for example, by using an encoder that detects the rotational speed of the motor 16. In this case, the weight detection unit 51 measures the load on the motor 16 from the difference between the target rotational speed and the actual rotational speed, and detects the weight of the laundry based on that load.

[0035] Furthermore, the memory area 502 of the control device 50 stores, for example, a program for realizing the operation processing unit 52. The control device 50 virtually realizes the operation processing unit 52 in software by executing the program stored in the memory area 502 on the CPU 501. Alternatively, the operation processing unit 52 may be realized in hardware as an integrated circuit integrated with the control device 50.

[0036] The operation processing unit 52 can selectively execute a course consisting of one or more combinations of ultraviolet irradiation operation, washing operation, and drying operation by operating the motor 16, water supply valve 171, drain valve 181, compressor 33, blower 34, ultraviolet irradiation device 40, and weight detection unit 51 as needed. In this embodiment, "operation" in ultraviolet irradiation operation, washing operation, and drying operation is a concept that includes one or more steps. Also, a course is a concept that includes one or more operations and is a unit that can be selected by the user. That is, the user can select and execute a course that includes the desired operation from ultraviolet irradiation operation, washing operation, and drying operation by operating the operation panel 19, for example.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, the washing machine 10 of this embodiment has settings for, for example, a washing course, a wash-and-dry course, a drying course, a sterilization washing course, and a sterilization wash-and-dry course. In Figure 5, "○" means that the corresponding operation will be performed, and "none" means that the corresponding operation will not be performed. The washing course is a course that performs only the washing operation. The wash-and-dry course is a course that performs the washing operation and the drying operation in sequence. The drying course is a course that performs only the drying operation. The sterilization washing course is a course that performs the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the washing operation in sequence. The sterilization washing course is suitable for washing small amounts of heat-sensitive clothing, for example, but is not limited to this. The sterilization wash-and-dry course is a course that performs the ultraviolet irradiation operation, the washing operation, and the drying operation in sequence.

[0038] The washing operation is for the purpose of washing clothes and involves filling the outer tub 13 with water and washing the clothes in the rotating tub 15. The drying operation is for the purpose of drying clothes and involves supplying warm air to the outer tub 13 to dry the clothes in the rotating tub 15. The ultraviolet irradiation operation is for the purpose of disinfecting clothes and involves operating the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 to irradiate the clothes contained in the rotating tub 15 with ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet irradiation operation is performed before the washing operation. The specific details of each operation can be changed as appropriate, either automatically or based on user input on the control panel 19, depending on the amount of clothes and the degree of soiling.

[0039] The details of each operation will be explained with reference to Figures 6 to 8, using the case where the sterilization wash course or the sterilization wash and dry course is selected as an example. When the sterilization wash course is executed, the operation processing unit 52 sequentially performs the ultraviolet irradiation operation shown in Figure 6 and the washing operation shown in Figure 7. When the sterilization wash and dry course is executed, the operation processing unit 52 sequentially performs the ultraviolet irradiation operation shown in Figure 6 and the washing operation shown in Figure 7, as well as the drying operation shown in Figure 8.

[0040] In Figures 6 to 8, ON means the device is operating, and OFF means the device is not operating. When the sterilization washing course or sterilization wash-dry course is started, the operation processing unit 52 first performs the ultraviolet irradiation operation shown in Figure 6. While the ultraviolet irradiation operation is being performed, the operation processing unit 52 keeps the water supply valve 171 and the drain valve 181 closed. However, the drain valve 181 may be kept open while the ultraviolet irradiation operation is being performed.

[0041] Then, while the UV irradiation operation is in progress, the operation processing unit 52 operates the UV irradiation device 40 to irradiate the rotating tank 15 with ultraviolet light. In this case, the intensity of the irradiated ultraviolet light is set to "high". As a result, the clothes inside the rotating tank 15 are disinfected by the ultraviolet light.

[0042] If the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated at "high" for a long period of time, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 may overheat and become hot, potentially accelerating its deterioration. Therefore, in this embodiment, the operation processing unit 52 keeps the compressor 33 stopped and operates the blower 34 while the ultraviolet irradiation operation is being performed. As a result, unheated air is supplied into the outer tank 13. The unheated air supplied into the outer tank 13 cools the ultraviolet irradiation device 40, thereby suppressing thermal deterioration of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40.

[0043] Furthermore, the ultraviolet irradiation operation in this embodiment includes a static irradiation step and an agitation irradiation step. The static irradiation step is a step in which ultraviolet light is irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 with the motor 16 stopped, that is, with the rotation of the rotating tank 15 stopped. The agitation step is a step in which the motor 16 is operated to rotate the rotating tank 15, thereby agitating the clothes in the rotating tank 15 while irradiating them with ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. In this case, the rotation speed of the motor 16 is set to a low speed. The agitation irradiation step is performed after the static irradiation step.

[0044] In this embodiment, low speed refers to a rotational speed such that the clothes in the rotating tub 15 do not stick to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 15; that is, a speed at which the clothes are lifted up once as the rotating tub 15 rotates and then fall. Medium speed refers to a speed faster than low speed, such as a rotational speed at which the clothes in the rotating tub 15 begin to stick to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 15. High speed refers to an even faster speed than medium speed, such as a rotational speed at which the clothes in the rotating tub 15 are maintained in a state of sticking to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 15. The rotational speed of the motor 16, that is, the rotational speed of the rotating tub 15, in each process can be appropriately changed according to the content of the process, etc.

[0045] Furthermore, the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is shorter than the execution period A1 of the static irradiation process. In other words, the static irradiation process continuously irradiates ultraviolet light for an execution period A1 that is longer than the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process. The ratio of the execution period A1 of the static irradiation process to the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is set to, for example, about 4 to 9:1. In this embodiment, the ratio of the execution period A1 of the static irradiation process to the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is set to 7:1. That is, if the execution period of the ultraviolet irradiation operation is, for example, 40 minutes, the execution period A1 of the static irradiation process will be 35 minutes, and the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process will be 5 minutes.

[0046] Once the ultraviolet irradiation operation is complete, the operation processing unit 52 executes the washing operation shown in Figure 7. The washing operation includes, for example, a weight detection step, a washing step, a rinsing step, and a dehydration step. The rinsing step and dehydration step can be set to one or more times. In this embodiment, the washing operation includes two rinsing steps and two dehydration steps, excluding the dehydration operation during the washing step.

[0047] In this specification, when the washing machine 10 performs multiple different processes in a single process, the processes constituting that process are referred to as "operations." The first rinse and spin-dry processes are referred to as the intermediate rinse and intermediate spin-dry processes, respectively, and the second, i.e., final rinse and spin-dry processes are referred to as the final rinse and final spin-dry processes, respectively. If the washing operation includes only one rinse and one spin-dry process, the first rinse and spin-dry processes become the final rinse and final spin-dry processes.

[0048] The rinsing and dewatering processes may be set to run three or more times, based on user settings. In the following description, the term "rinsing process" refers collectively to the intermediate rinsing process and the final rinsing process, and the term "dewatering process" refers collectively to the intermediate dewatering process and the final dewatering process.

[0049] When the operation processing unit 52 executes a washing operation, it sequentially performs the weight detection process, the washing process, the intermediate rinsing process, the intermediate dewatering process, the final rinsing process, and the final dewatering process. The weight detection process is a process in which the weight detection unit 51 detects the weight of the laundry in the rotating tub 15. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the weight detection process, it operates the motor 16 to rotate the rotating tub 15, for example, in the range of low to medium speed, thereby detecting the load on the motor 16, i.e., the weight of the clothes.

[0050] The washing process includes, for example, a water filling operation, a washing operation, a draining operation, and a dewatering operation. The operation processing unit 52 executes the water filling operation, washing operation, draining operation, and dewatering operation in order during the washing process. The water filling operation in the washing process is the operation of filling the outer tub 13 with water supplied from an external water source, and is performed before the washing operation. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the water filling operation in the washing process, for example, it opens the water supply valve 171 with the drain valve 181 closed and fills the outer tub 13 with water. At this time, laundry treatment agents such as detergent that have been put into the water filling case 172 are put into the outer tub 13 along with the water.

[0051] The washing operation involves operating the motor 16 to rotate the rotating tub 15 while water is stored in the outer tub 13, thereby agitating the clothes in the rotating tub 15 and washing them. When the washing operation is performed, the operation processing unit 52 operates the motor 16 to rotate the rotating tub 15, for example, with the water supply valve 171 and the drain valve 181 closed, thereby beating and washing the clothes in the rotating tub 15. During the washing operation, the operation processing unit 52 may also supply water by intermittently opening and closing the water supply valve 171, for example.

[0052] The drainage operation in the washing process is the operation to drain the water stored in the outer tub 13 to the outside of the washing machine 10, and is performed after the washing process. When the operation processing unit 52 performs the drainage operation in the washing process, for example, it opens the drain valve 181 with the water supply valve 171 closed, thereby draining the water stored in the outer tub 13.

[0053] The dewatering operation in the washing process involves rotating the rotating tub 15 at high speed to centrifugal dewater the clothes that have undergone the washing process, and is performed after the draining operation in the washing process. The control device 50, for example, maintains the drain valve 181 in an open state and operates the motor 16 to rotate the rotating tub 15 at high speed, thereby centrifugal dewatering the clothes inside the rotating tub 15.

[0054] The rinsing process includes, for example, a water injection operation, a rinsing operation, and a draining operation. The operation processing unit 52 executes the water injection operation, the rinsing operation, and the draining operation in order during the rinsing process. The water injection operation in the rinsing process is the operation of injecting water supplied from an external water source into the outer tank 13, similar to the water injection operation in the washing process, and is performed before the rinsing operation. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the water injection operation in the rinsing process, it opens the water supply valve 171 with the drain valve 181 closed, for example, and injects water into the outer tank 13, similar to the water injection operation in the washing process.

[0055] The rinsing operation involves rinsing the clothes in the rotating tub 15 by operating the motor 16 to rotate the rotating tub 15 while water is stored in the outer tub 13. When the rinsing operation is performed, the operation processing unit 52 operates the motor 16 to rotate the rotating tub 15, similar to the washing operation, for example by closing the water supply valve 171 and the drain valve 181, thereby rinsing the clothes in the rotating tub 15. In addition, during the rinsing operation, the control device 50 may supply water by intermittently opening and closing the water supply valve 171, for example.

[0056] The drainage operation in the rinsing process is the operation to drain the water stored in the outer tub 13 to the outside of the washing machine 10, and is performed after the rinsing process. When the operation processing unit 52 performs the drainage operation in the rinsing process, it opens the drain valve 181 with the water supply valve 171 closed, similar to the drainage operation in the washing process, thereby draining the water stored in the outer tub 13.

[0057] The dewatering process involves rotating the rotary tub 15 at high speed to centrifugal dewater the clothes that have gone through the washing and rinsing processes. In the washing operation, the dewatering process involves rotating the rotary tub 15 at high speed without operating the hot air supply device 30 to centrifugal dewater the clothes. When the dewatering process is executed, the operation processing unit 52 closes the water supply valve 171 and opens the drain valve 181, then drives the motor 16 to rotate the rotary tub 15 at high speed. The washing operation is completed when the final dewatering process is finished. If the selected course is the sterilization washing course, the operation processing unit 52 completes the sterilization washing course when the washing operation is completed. On the other hand, if the selected course is the sterilization wash and dry course, the operation processing unit 52 performs the drying operation shown in Figure 8 after the washing operation.

[0058] The operation processing unit 52 is capable of performing ultraviolet irradiation. The ultraviolet irradiation is a process in which the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated at a time different from the ultraviolet irradiation operation to irradiate the clothes contained in the rotating tub 15 with ultraviolet light. In this embodiment, the operation processing unit 52 is capable of performing ultraviolet irradiation during the execution of the washing operation. The operation processing unit 52 is capable of performing ultraviolet irradiation during the execution of the washing process, the execution of the final rinsing process, and the execution of the final spin-drying process, respectively.

[0059] In this case, the duration of the UV irradiation treatment B1 performed during the washing process, the duration of the UV irradiation treatment B2 performed during the final rinse process, and the duration of the UV irradiation treatment B3 performed during the final spin-drying process are each shorter than the duration of the UV irradiation operation A0 and the duration of the static irradiation process A1. Furthermore, the duration of the entire washing operation B0 is longer than the duration of the entire UV irradiation operation A0.

[0060] Furthermore, the operation processing unit 52 stops the compressor 33 and the blower 34 while the washing cycle is in progress. In this case, if the operation processing unit 52 performs ultraviolet irradiation during the washing cycle, it sets the intensity of the ultraviolet light to "low". In other words, the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the ultraviolet irradiation during the washing cycle is set to be weaker than the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the ultraviolet irradiation operation.

[0061] When the operation processing unit 52 performs a drying operation, it sequentially executes the weight detection process and the drying process, as shown in Figure 8. Alternatively, based on the user's selection, a preheating and dewatering process may be performed between the weight detection process and the drying process. The weight detection process in the drying operation is the same as the weight detection process in the washing operation, in which the weight detection unit 51 detects the weight of the laundry in the rotating tub 15. When the operation processing unit 52 performs the weight detection process in the drying operation, it operates the motor 16 to rotate the rotating tub 15, for example, in the range of low to medium speed, thereby detecting the load on the motor 16, i.e., the weight of the clothes.

[0062] The preheating and dewatering process involves rotating the rotary drum 15 at high speed while operating the compressor 33 and blower 34, thereby exposing the clothes to warm air and centrifuging them to dewater them. In the example shown in Figure 8, the preheating and dewatering process is performed with the drain valve 181 open, but it may also be performed with the drain valve 181 closed. In this case, the operation processing unit 52 can perform ultraviolet irradiation treatment during the execution of the preheating and dewatering process during the drying operation.

[0063] The execution period C1 of this preheating and dewatering process is shorter than the execution period C2 of the drying process. In this embodiment, the total execution period C0 of the drying operation is longer than the execution period A0 of the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the execution period B0 of the washing operation. During the preheating and dewatering process, the compressor 33 and the blower 34 are in operation, but most of the heat from the hot air generated by the compressor 33 and the blower 34 is absorbed by the moisture-laden clothes, so the temperature inside the outer tub 13 does not rise easily. Therefore, the temperature does not rise easily due to the operation of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. Accordingly, the operation processing unit 52 sets the intensity of the ultraviolet light to be irradiated to "high" during the ultraviolet irradiation process in the preheating and dewatering process.

[0064] The drying process involves rotating the rotating drum 15 at a medium speed to agitate the clothes while operating the hot air supply device 30 to blow hot air onto the clothes, thereby drying them. When the operation unit 52 executes the drying process, it closes the water supply valve 171 and the drain valve 181, and operates the motor 16, compressor 33, and blower 34. In addition, the operation unit 52 does not perform ultraviolet irradiation treatment during the drying process. Once the drying process is complete, the operation unit 52 completes the sterilization wash and dry course.

[0065] According to the embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 comprises an outer tub 13, a rotating tub 15, a water supply mechanism 17, an ultraviolet irradiation device 40, and an operation processing unit 52. The rotating tub 15 is rotatably installed inside the outer tub 13 and is configured to accommodate clothes. The water supply mechanism 17 is connected to an external water source and is configured to supply water from the external water source into the outer tub 13. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is configured to irradiate ultraviolet light into the rotating tub 15.

[0066] The operation processing unit 52 is configured to perform washing operations and ultraviolet irradiation operations. The washing operation involves storing water in the outer tub 13 and washing the clothes in the rotating tub 15. The ultraviolet irradiation operation is performed before the washing operation and involves operating the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 to irradiate the clothes contained in the rotating tub 15 with ultraviolet light.

[0067] According to this method, by performing an ultraviolet irradiation cycle before a water-based wash cycle, bacteria killed by the ultraviolet irradiation can be washed away by the subsequent wash cycle. This reduces the amount of dead bacteria remaining on clothing, resulting in cleaner clothing, and consequently, a high sterilization effect can be obtained through ultraviolet irradiation.

[0068] The ultraviolet irradiation operation includes a static irradiation step and an agitation irradiation step. The static irradiation step is a step in which ultraviolet light is irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 while the rotating tank 15 is stopped. The agitation irradiation step is performed after the static irradiation step, and is a step in which ultraviolet light is irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 while the rotating tank 15 is rotated and the clothes inside the rotating tank 15 are agitated. In this case, the execution period A2 of the agitation irradiation step is shorter than the execution period A1 of the static irradiation step.

[0069] According to this, when the user places clothes in the rotating tank 15, they can position them so that ultraviolet light shines on the areas they want to disinfect intensively. This allows the static irradiation process to continuously irradiate the areas they want to disinfect intensively. As a result, the user can efficiently disinfect the areas they want to disinfect intensively. Furthermore, by performing a stirring process after the static irradiation process, other areas can also be irradiated with ultraviolet light, thereby disinfecting the entire garment.

[0070] Furthermore, the operation processing unit 52 can operate the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the washing cycle to irradiate the clothes contained in the rotating tub 15 with ultraviolet light. This allows for even higher sterilization effects by irradiating with ultraviolet light during the washing cycle, in addition to the sterilization by the ultraviolet irradiation operation described above.

[0071] Here, the washing process includes a washing cycle and a rinsing cycle performed after the washing cycle. The operation unit 52 is capable of performing ultraviolet irradiation treatment during the washing cycle. This allows for the sterilization of bacteria that have transferred from the clothes to the water during the washing cycle using ultraviolet light, thereby suppressing the return of bacteria to the clothes and resulting in cleaner clothes.

[0072] Furthermore, the washing cycle includes a washing process and one or more rinsing processes performed after the washing process. The operation unit 52 can perform ultraviolet irradiation treatment during the final rinse process. This allows for the sterilization of bacteria that have transferred from the clothes to the water during the final rinse process using ultraviolet light, thereby suppressing the return of bacteria to the clothes and resulting in even cleaner clothes. In this case, the operation unit 52 does not perform ultraviolet irradiation treatment during the intermediate rinse or intermediate spin-drying processes.

[0073] Furthermore, the washing cycle includes a washing process, one or more rinsing processes performed after the washing process, and one or more spin-drying processes performed after each rinsing process. The operation processing unit 52 can perform ultraviolet irradiation during the execution of the final spin-drying process. This allows any remaining bacteria after the final rinse to be disinfected with ultraviolet light, making the clothes even cleaner.

[0074] Furthermore, the intensity of ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the ultraviolet irradiation treatment is set to be weaker than the intensity of ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the ultraviolet irradiation operation. In other words, during the ultraviolet irradiation operation before the washing operation, since there are many bacteria present on the clothes, a high intensity of ultraviolet light irradiation can be used to efficiently disinfect them. Then, during the ultraviolet irradiation treatment while the washing operation is in progress, since the number of bacteria present on the clothes has decreased due to the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the washing operation, the intensity of ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is kept low. As a result, the ultraviolet irradiation treatment during the washing operation disinfects any bacteria that could not be disinfected by the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the washing operation, and by keeping the intensity of ultraviolet light during the ultraviolet irradiation treatment low, the lifespan of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be extended.

[0075] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10...Washing machine, 13...Outer tub, 15...Rotating tub, 17...Water supply mechanism, 40...Ultraviolet irradiation device, 52...Operation processing unit, 90...Clothes

Claims

[Claim 1] Outer tank and A rotating tub is rotatably provided inside the outer tub and capable of accommodating clothing, A water supply mechanism connected to an external water source and capable of supplying water from the external water source into the outer tank, An ultraviolet irradiation device capable of irradiating ultraviolet light into the rotating tank, A washing operation includes a weight detection step of rotating the rotating tub to detect the weight of the laundry inside the rotating tub, storing water in the outer tub to wash the clothes inside the rotating tub, and an ultraviolet irradiation operation which is performed before the weight detection step of the washing operation, by operating the ultraviolet irradiation device to irradiate the clothes contained in the rotating tub with ultraviolet light. A washing machine equipped with [a specific feature].

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