washing machine

Abstract

A washing machine is provided with a drain filter (62). The drain filter (62) comprises: a filter body (210), a filter screen (260) provided on a peripheral surface (210b); a slider (220) configured to slide along the axial direction of the peripheral surface (210b) to divide the interior of the filter body (210) into a first chamber (R1) and a second chamber (R2); and a coil spring (240) for applying elastic force to the slider (220) in a direction to expand the second chamber (R2). The outer peripheral end of the slider (220) contacts the surface of the filter screen (260). When drainage flows into the first chamber (R1), the slider (220) slides in a direction to expand the first chamber (R1) according to the magnitude of the water pressure in the first chamber (R1). When drainage stops flowing into the first chamber (R1), the slider (220) slides in a direction to expand the second chamber (R2) due to the elastic force of the coil spring (240).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a washing machine equipped with a drain filter provided in a drain passage for draining water used in washing to capture foreign matter such as lint contained in the drain water (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the aforementioned washing machines, reducing the mesh size of the drain filter can improve the efficiency of capturing fluff from laundry, particularly microplastics from synthetic laundry. However, a finer mesh size in the drain filter increases the likelihood of clogging, potentially increasing the frequency of drain filter cleaning and placing a greater burden on users.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-81712 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] The present application is made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a washing machine that can reduce the frequency of cleaning the drain filter.

[0009] Solutions for solving problems

[0010] A washing machine according to a main embodiment of the present invention comprises: an outer drum disposed within a housing; a washing drum disposed within the outer drum and accommodating laundry; a drain passage for draining water from the outer drum to the outside of the machine; a filter case disposed within the drain passage and having an inlet for drain water from the outer drum to flow in and an outlet for drain water to flow out; and a drain filter removably housed within the filter case. The drain filter comprises: a filter body having a cylindrical circumferential surface and a filter portion disposed on the circumferential surface for passing drain water through the filter body and capturing foreign matter contained therein; a slider disposed within the filter body axially slidable along the circumferential surface, the slider partitioning the interior of the filter body axially in a region where the filter portion is disposed, thereby dividing the interior of the filter body into a second chamber and a first chamber connected to the inlet; and an elastic member for applying an elastic force to the slider in a direction that expands the second chamber. The outer circumferential end of the slider contacts the surface of the filter portion. When the drainage flows into the first chamber, the sliding member slides in the direction of expanding the first chamber according to the magnitude of the water pressure in the first chamber. When the drainage stops flowing into the first chamber, the sliding member slides in the direction of expanding the second chamber due to the elastic force of the elastic component.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the filter portion is automatically cleaned by the sliding of the slider caused by the inflow and stoppage of the drainage water, thereby reducing the frequency of cleaning the drainage filter by the user.

[0012] In the washing machine of this aspect, the filter portion can be provided over the entire circumference of the peripheral surface in the circumferential direction.

[0013] According to the above structure, a large amount of foreign matter can be captured by the filter.

[0014] In the washing machine of this embodiment, the following structure can be adopted: in the filter body, the end face on the first chamber side is open, the sliding part can enter and exit the interior of the filter body from the opening of the end face, and the end face contacts the surface of the filter box forming the inlet to connect the opening with the inlet.

[0015] According to the above structure, the user can remove the slider to clean the filter portion from the inside of the filter body. In addition, the drainage flowing into the inlet can flow into the first chamber through the opening.

[0016] In the case of adopting the above structure, the sliding member may be provided with a handle on a surface facing the opening of the filter body.

[0017] With this structure, the user can grasp the handle and slide the slider to manually clean the filter portion.

[0018] In the washing machine of this embodiment, the outflow port may be provided on a surface of the filter case that is opposite to the circumferential surface of the filter body. In this case, when the drainage stops flowing into the first chamber, the position of the slider that partitions the interior of the filter body may be set so that the outflow port enters the region of the first chamber in the axial direction.

[0019] When drainage flows into the first chamber, if the outflow port enters the area of ​​the first chamber in the axial direction of the circumference, the drainage that passes through the filter portion near the outflow port will directly flow into the outflow port. Therefore, the flow resistance of the drainage in the first chamber will become smaller, which can increase the drainage flow rate.

[0020] According to the above-mentioned structure, when the drainage stops flowing in and water pressure is not applied to the first chamber, the outflow port enters the area of ​​the first chamber in the axial direction of the circumference. Therefore, even if the sliding part is not slid in the direction of expanding the first chamber by water pressure, a good drainage flow rate can be ensured.

[0021] Effects of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, a washing machine capable of reducing the frequency of cleaning the drain filter can be provided.

[0023] The effects and significance of the present invention will become more apparent through the description of the following embodiments. However, the following embodiments are merely examples of implementing the present invention, and the present invention is not limited in any way by the contents described in the following embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a side sectional view showing the structure of the drum washing machine according to the embodiment.

[0025] Figure 2 It is a side sectional view of the filtration device according to the embodiment.

[0026] Figure 3 It is a side sectional view of the filtration device according to the embodiment.

[0027] Figure 4 It is the implementation method along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the filter device taken along line AA′.

[0028] Figure 5 In the drawings, (a) is a side sectional view of the drain filter according to the embodiment, and (b) is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the drain filter according to the embodiment.

[0029] Figure 6 In the embodiment, (a) and (b) are respectively the embodiment along and Figure 4 Cross-sectional view of the filter body and the sliding element cut at the same position.

[0030] Figure 7 In the drawings, (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views schematically showing the main parts of the filtration device according to Modification Example 1.

[0031] Description of Reference Numerals

[0032] 10: Housing; 20: Outer drum; 23: Drum (washing drum); 40: Drainage channel; 61: Filter box; 62: Drainage filter; 103: Inlet; 104: Outlet; 210: Filter body; 210b: Peripheral surface; 210c: Opening; 220: Sliding part; 222b: Peripheral end; 223: Handle; 240: Coil spring (elastic component); 260: Filter net (filter part); R1: First chamber; R2: Second chamber. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Hereinafter, a drum washing machine as one embodiment of the washing machine of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0034] Figure 1 It is a side sectional view showing the structure of drum washing machine 1.

[0035] The drum washing machine 1 includes a square housing 10. A circular inlet 11 for loading laundry is formed on the front surface of the housing 10. The inlet 11 is covered by a door 12 that can be opened and closed.

[0036] Within the housing 10, an outer drum 20 is elastically supported by a plurality of vibration dampers 21 and springs 22. A drum 23 is rotatably disposed within the outer drum 20. Drum 23 rotates about a horizontal axis. Drum 23 has a circular opening 23a on its front surface. The outer drum 20 has a circular opening 20a in front of the opening 23a of the drum 23. Drum 23 corresponds to the washing drum of the present invention.

[0037] The periphery of the opening 20a of the outer tube 20 is connected to the periphery of the inlet 11 of the housing 10 via an annular gasket 24 made of elastic material. The periphery of the closed door 12 contacts the gasket 24, thereby sealing the inlet 11 and the door 12 with water.

[0038] Many dehydration holes 23b are formed on the inner circumference of the drum 23. In addition, an annular balancer 25 is provided at the front of the inner circumference of the drum 23, and three lifting ribs 26 having a substantially triangular prism shape are provided at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0039] A drive motor 30 is disposed behind the outer drum 20 to generate a torque for rotating the drum 23. The drive motor 30 is, for example, an outer rotor type DC brushless motor. During the cleaning and rinsing processes, the drive motor 30 rotates the drum 23 at a speed at which the centrifugal force applied to the laundry in the drum 23 is smaller than the force of gravity, causing the laundry to tumble. On the other hand, during the dehydration process, the drive motor 30 rotates the drum 23 at a speed at which the centrifugal force applied to the laundry in the drum 23 is much greater than the force of gravity, causing the laundry to stick to the inner circumferential surface of the drum 23.

[0040] A downwardly recessed recess 20b is provided at the bottom of the outer cylinder 20. A drain passage 40 for draining water in the outer cylinder 20 to the outside is connected to a drain port provided at the bottom of the recess 20b.

[0041] In the drainage channel 40 , two filter devices 50 and 60 are provided on the upstream and downstream sides thereof to capture foreign matter such as fluff contained in the drainage from the outer tube 20 .

[0042] The upstream filter device 50 is located in the lower front portion of the housing 10. The filter device 50 includes a filter box 51 located in the drain passage 40 and a drain filter 52 removably housed within the filter box 51. The filter box 51 is connected to an inlet and outlet located in the lower front portion of the housing 10, allowing the drain filter 52 to enter and exit the filter box 51. A door may be provided at the inlet and outlet. For example, the filter unit described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-103718 may be used for the filter device 50.

[0043] The filter device 60 on the downstream side is arranged in the upper front part of the housing 10. The filter device 60 includes: a filter box 61, which is arranged in the drainage path 40; and a drainage filter 62, which is housed in the filter box 61 in a manner that can be removed from the filter box 61. The filter box 61 is connected to an inlet and outlet provided on the upper front surface of the housing 10, and the drainage filter 62 can be brought in and out of the filter box 61 through the inlet and outlet. Doors can be provided at the inlet and outlet. The drainage filter 62 can capture foreign matter of a smaller size than that which can be captured by the drainage filter 52 on the upstream side, in particular, microplastics as fine fluff from chemical fiber laundry. The structure of the filter device 60 will be described in detail later.

[0044] A drain pump 70 is located in the drain passage 40, between the upstream filter device 50 and the downstream filter device 60. In the drain passage 40, a first drain hose 41 is connected to the recessed portion 20b of the outer tub 20 and the filter device 50. A second drain hose 42 is connected to the filter device 50 and the drain pump 70. A third drain hose 43 is connected to the drain pump 70. The third drain hose 43 is raised to the upper portion of the housing 10 and connected to the filter device 60. A fourth drain hose 44 is connected to the filter device 60, extending outside the machine.

[0045] Water is stored in the drain passage 40 to the same level as the water stored in the outer cylinder 20. When the drain pump 70 is operating, the water stored in the drain passage 40 and the water in the outer cylinder 20 are discharged outside the machine. At this time, the drainage from the outer cylinder 20 passes through the two filters 50 and 60, where foreign matter is captured by these filters 50 and 60. The upstream filter 50 captures large foreign matter, preventing the drain pump 70 from malfunctioning due to large foreign matter entering the drain pump 70. In the downstream filter 60, only foreign matter that has passed through the upstream filter 50 is captured by the drain filter 62, making it less likely to clog.

[0046] A water supply unit 80 is located at the rear of the housing 10. The water supply unit 80 includes a water supply valve 81 and a water supply hose 82. One end of the water supply hose 82 is connected to the water supply valve 81, and the other end is connected to a water inlet 20c provided on the rear surface of the outer tube 20. When the water supply valve 81 is opened, tap water flows through the water supply hose 82 and is supplied into the outer tube 20 through the water inlet 20c.

[0047] A detergent dispenser (not shown) is also provided within the housing 10. Prior to the washing operation, the detergent dispenser contains detergent and softener. During the wash cycle, detergent is dispensed from the detergent dispenser into the drum 23. During the rinse cycle, softener is dispensed from the detergent dispenser into the drum 23.

[0048] The drum washing machine 1 performs washing operations in various operation modes. In the washing operation, a washing process, an intermediate dehydration process, a rinsing process, and a final dehydration process are performed in sequence. Depending on the operation mode, the rinsing process and the intermediate dehydration process may be performed twice or more.

[0049] During the washing process, water containing detergent accumulates in outer drum 20 to a predetermined level corresponding to the load of laundry contained in drum 23. Repeated forward and reverse rotation of drum 23 causes the laundry immersed in this water to tumble. The detergent-containing water penetrates the interior of the laundry, and the detergent and the mechanical force generated by the tumbling remove dirt adhering to the surface and interior of the laundry.

[0050] During the rinsing process, with water stored in outer tub 20 to a predetermined level, drum 23 rotates forward and reverse to tumble the laundry. This allows detergent contained in the laundry to be drained along with the water, and the laundry is rinsed.

[0051] During the intermediate and final spin cycles, the drive motor 30 rotates unidirectionally at high speed, causing the drum 23 to rotate unidirectionally at a speed at which the centrifugal force acting on the laundry inside the drum 23 is much greater than the force of gravity. The centrifugal force presses the laundry against the inner circumference of the drum 23, dehydrating the laundry. During the final spin cycle, the drum 23 rotates at a higher speed than during the intermediate spin cycle.

[0052] Next, the structure of the filter device 60 will be described in detail.

[0053] Figure 2 and Figure 3 It is a side cross-sectional view of the filter device 60 . Figure 2 This indicates a state in which the drainage water has not flowed into the filter body 210 . Figure 3 This indicates a state in which the slider 220 is sliding to the maximum extent due to the water pressure when the drainage water flows into the filter body 210 . Figure 4 It is along Figure 2 FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the filter device 60 taken along line AA′. Figure 5 (a) is a side sectional view of the drain filter 62 . Figure 5 (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of the drain filter 62 . Figure 6 (a) and (b) are respectively along and Figure 4 The cross-sectional view of the filter body 210 and the sliding member 220 cut at the same position. Figure 4 The coil spring 240 is omitted in the figure.

[0054] The filter box 61 is formed of resin material and has a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open front end and a closed rear end. The filter box 61 includes a filter housing 101 and a handle housing 102 located in front of the filter housing 101 and having an outer diameter larger than that of the filter housing 101.

[0055] The filter housing 101 has a circular inlet 103 formed in the center of its rear end surface 101a, and a circular outlet 104 formed at the lowest position of its rear end surface 101b. The filter housing 101 has a cylindrical connection portion 105 protruding rearward from the inlet 103. The third drain hose 43 is connected to this connection portion 105. Furthermore, the filter housing 101 has a cylindrical connection portion 106 protruding downward from the outlet 104. The fourth drain hose 44 is connected to this connection portion 106.

[0056] The handle housing 102 has a tapered portion 107 at its rear end, with a gradually decreasing outer diameter. Furthermore, the handle housing 102 has an annular mounting flange 108 at its front end. Mounting flange 108 is attached to the front surface of the housing 10 using screws or the like. An opening 102a at the front end of the handle housing 102 is aligned with the entrance and exit of the front surface of the housing 10.

[0057] The drain filter 62 includes a filter body 210 , a slider 220 , a slide guide 230 , a coil spring 240 , and a handle 250 .

[0058] The filter body 210 is a bottomed cylindrical body with a closed front end and an open rear end. It is formed of a resin material, with the front end 210a having a circular shape and the peripheral surface 210b having a cylindrical shape. A filter screen 260 is provided on the peripheral surface 210b of the filter body 210 along the entire circumference. The filter screen 260 is formed of a metal material such as stainless steel and has a cylindrical shape. For example, the filter screen 260 can have a structure in which the mesh is formed by weaving wires into a grid shape, or a structure in which the mesh is formed by opening numerous holes in a sheet material. In the case of the latter structure, the size of the hole is the size of the mesh. The mesh size of the filter screen 260 is, for example, set to about 30 microns to 50 microns. The filter screen 260 is equivalent to the filter portion of the present invention.

[0059] The filter screen 260 is formed integrally with the filter body 210 by insert molding. In the front-to-back direction, i.e., in the axial direction of the peripheral surface 210b of the filter body 210, more than half of the portion from the rear end portion of the peripheral surface 210b of the filter body 210 to the front side is occupied by the filter screen 260. In the filter body 210, in the area of ​​the filter screen 260, a plurality (e.g., eight) of axially extending bars 211 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. A portion of the filter screen 260 is buried in each bar 211, dividing the area of ​​the filter screen 260 into a plurality of areas in the circumferential direction. It should be noted that the number of bars 211 can be determined by taking into account the strength of the filter body 210. In addition, the bars 211 may not be provided in the filter body 210.

[0060] A recessed portion 212 is formed in the center of the inner side of the front end surface 210a of the filter body 210, and a cylindrical mounting boss 213 is provided in the center of the recessed portion 212. The outer peripheral edge of the recessed portion 212 is formed deep.

[0061] The slider 220 is slidably disposed inside the filter body 210. The slider 220 is formed of a resin material and includes a slider body 221, a flange 222, and a handle 223. The slider body 221 has a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open front end and a closed rear end. The flange 222 has an annular shape and is provided at a predetermined position on the circumference of the slider body 221. Figure 6As shown in (b), at the outer peripheral end of the flange 222, at a position corresponding to the plurality of bars 211 of the filter body 210, a recessed portion 222a is formed which is recessed in the radial direction into a shape corresponding to the shape of the bars 211. Figure 5 As shown, the outer peripheral end 222b of the flange 222, which serves as the outer peripheral end of the slider 220, contacts the surface of the filter 260. A slight gap is formed between each bar 211 of the filter body 210 and the recess 222a of the flange 222. The handle 223 is plate-shaped and protrudes rearward from the rear end of the slider body 221. It should be noted that if the filter body 210 does not have the bars 211, the recess 222a is not provided in the flange 222.

[0062] The slider 220 divides the interior of the filter body 210 along the axial direction of the filter body 210 in the area where the filter mesh 260 is provided by the slider body 221 and the flange 222. Thus, the interior of the filter body 210 is divided into the second chamber R2 and the first chamber R1 connected to the inlet 103 of the filter box 61.

[0063] The sliding guide 230 is arranged inside the filter body 210. The sliding guide 230 is formed of a resin material and has a bottomed cylindrical shape with a closed front end face and an open rear end face. The sliding guide 230 is fixed to the center of the front end face 210a of the filter body 210. That is, the front end portion of the sliding guide 230 has a shape corresponding to the recess 212 of the front end face 210a and is embedded in the recess 212. The assembly boss 213 is embedded in the assembly recess 231 provided on the front end face of the sliding guide 230, and the assembly recess 231 is fixed to the assembly boss 213 by a screw 232. The outer peripheral surface of the front end portion of the sliding guide 230 and the inner peripheral surface of the recess 212 are water-sealed by an O-ring 233.

[0064] The sliding guide 230 is inserted into the interior of the slider body 221 to support the slider 220 so that it can slide. Figure 4 As shown, the sliding guide 230 has multiple (e.g., eight) ribs 234 extending in the axial direction, spaced at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction. These ribs 234 contact the inner circumferential surface of the slider body 221, thereby reducing frictional resistance during sliding of the slider 220. An annular gasket 235 is provided at the front end of the sliding guide 230. The gasket 235 contacts the inner circumferential surface of the slider body 221, thereby preventing water from entering the slider body 221 and the sliding guide 230.

[0065] The front end side of the coil spring 240 is accommodated in the interior of the slide guide 230, and the rear end side protrudes rearward from the slide guide 230. The coil spring 240 corresponds to the elastic member of the present invention.

[0066] like Figure 2As shown, the position where the rear end surface of the slider body 221 contacts the rear end of the natural-length coil spring 240 is the initial position of the slider 220. When no water is being drawn from the outer cylinder 20, that is, when the flow of water into the first chamber R1 is stopped, the slider 220 is in the initial position. At this point, the position where the slider 220 partitions the interior of the filter element 210, i.e., the position of the slider 220's flange 222, is where the outlet 104 enters the first chamber R1 in the axial direction of the filter element 210. The outlet 104 is located directly below the first chamber R1.

[0067] An attachment portion 214, to which the handle 250 is attached, is integrally formed at the front of the filter body 210. The attachment portion 214 is cylindrical and has an outer diameter larger than that of the filter body 210. A flange 214a is provided in the middle of the attachment portion 214, and an O-ring 215 is attached to the rear side of the flange 214a. Furthermore, a claw 214b is formed at the front end of the attachment portion 214.

[0068] The handle 250 is formed of a resin material and includes a disc-shaped base portion 251 and a plate-shaped handle 252 protruding from the center of the base portion 251. The handle 250 is attached to the attachment portion 214. At this point, the claws 251a provided on the base portion 251 engage with the claws 214b of the attachment portion 214. This allows the handle 250 to rotate without being exposed forward relative to the attachment portion 214.

[0069] Drain filter 62 is inserted into filter case 61, with filter element 210 housed in filter housing 101 and handle 250 housed in handle housing 102. Handle 250 has an external threaded portion (not shown) on the outer circumference of base 251, and an internal threaded portion (not shown) in handle housing 102. When handle 250 is rotated, the external threaded portion engages with the internal threaded portion, causing filter element 210 and handle 250 to move rearward together. O-ring 215 is pressed against tapered portion 107 of handle housing 102, creating a watertight seal between attachment portion 214 and tapered portion 107. This prevents water leakage from filter case 61.

[0070] The rear end surface of the filter body 210 contacts the rear end surface 101a of the filter housing 101, connecting the opening 210c of the rear end surface of the filter body 210 to the inlet 103. An annular protrusion 216 is formed at the rear end of the filter body 210. This protrusion 216 fits into the annular groove 109 formed in the rear end surface 101a of the filter housing 101. As a result, drainage flowing into the first chamber R1 is less likely to leak out of the filter body 210 from between the rear end surface of the filter body 210 and the rear end surface 101a of the filter housing 101.

[0071] Next, the operation of the filter device 60 will be described.

[0072] When the drain pump 70 is operating, drainage from the outer cylinder 20 flows through the inlet 103 into the first chamber R1 of the filter body 210. The slider 220 slides forward, expanding the first chamber R1, until the water pressure within the first chamber R1 is balanced by the sliding resistance generated by the coil spring 240 and the gasket 235. For example, the spring constant of the coil spring 240 can be set so that the slider 220 remains stationary or moves slightly until the area of ​​the filter mesh 260 contained in the first chamber R1 contains little foreign matter such as microplastics.

[0073] Drainage flowing into the first chamber R1 passes through the filter 260, flows out of the filter body 210, and flows into the outflow port 104. Foreign matter contained in the drainage is captured by the filter 260 and accumulates on the surface of the filter 260. Drainage tends to flow through a path with low flow resistance, so foreign matter is particularly likely to accumulate in the portion of the filter 260 near the outflow port 104.

[0074] As foreign matter accumulates in the area of ​​the filter 260 contained in the first chamber R1, the water pressure in the first chamber R1 increases, and the slider 220 slides forward. As the area of ​​the filter 260 contained in the first chamber R1 expands, the flow resistance of the drainage is suppressed, and the reduction in the drainage flow rate is suppressed. Figure 3 As shown, the sliding member 220 can slide to the front end position of the filter screen 260 to the maximum extent. When the sliding member 220 moves to this position, the drainage can pass through the entire area of ​​the filter screen 260.

[0075] When the drain pump 70 stops, the water pressure in the first chamber R1 decreases. Consequently, the slider 220 is pressed by the elastic force of the coil spring 240 and slides rearward, thereby expanding the second chamber R2. As the slider 220 slides, the outer peripheral end 222b of the flange 222 of the slider 220 slides across the surface of the filter 260, pushing out foreign matter accumulated on the surface of the filter 260 rearward. The pushed-out foreign matter accumulates in the first chamber R1 behind the stopped slider 220, i.e., after the slider 220 has completed its sliding.

[0076] In this manner, the slider 220 slides in response to changes in the water pressure within the first chamber R1, thereby cleaning the surface of the filter 260 within its sliding range. As a result, a large amount of foreign matter can be captured by the filter 260 before the entire filter 260 becomes clogged to the point where the minimum drainage flow rate cannot be ensured. This reduces the frequency with which the user must clean the drain filter 62.

[0077] like Figure 2As shown, when drainage flows into the first chamber R1, if the flange 222 of the slider 220 is positioned forward of the outflow port 104 and the outflow port 104 enters the area of ​​the first chamber R1 in the axial direction of the filter body 210, the portion of drainage that has passed through the filter screen 260 near the outflow port 104 will flow directly into the outflow port 104. This reduces flow resistance within the first chamber R1 and increases drainage flow. In this embodiment, the outflow port 104 has already entered the area of ​​the first chamber R1 when the slider 220 is in its initial position. Therefore, even without using water pressure to cause the slider 220 to slide forward, thus expanding the first chamber R1, from the initial stage when the filter screen 260 is unobstructed, a good drainage flow rate can be maintained. Therefore, the slider 220 does not need to be configured to slide under low water pressure, and the elastic force of the coil spring 240 can be increased accordingly. Therefore, when the slider 220 slides rearwardly due to the elastic force, that is, in the direction of expanding the second chamber R2, foreign matter accumulated on the surface of the filter 260 can be strongly pushed out, making it easier to remove the foreign matter.

[0078] It should be noted that when the slider 220 reciprocates, air enters and exits the slider body 221 and the slider guide 230 through the vent holes 217 that penetrate the front end surface 210a of the filter body 210 and the front end surface of the slider guide 230. This allows the slider 220 to slide smoothly.

[0079] In addition, since a structure is adopted in which drainage is delivered to the filter device 60, i.e., the drainage filter 62, through a drainage pump 70, the water supply pressure can be increased, and even if the mesh of the filter 260 is reduced in order to capture microplastics, sufficient drainage flow can be easily obtained.

[0080] The user can remove the drain filter 62 from the filter box 61 to clean the filter 260 .

[0081] like Figure 5 As shown in (a), the user can grasp the handle 223 and pull the slider 220 back from the initial position. The outer peripheral end 222b of the flange 222 slides on the surface of the filter 260 behind the initial position, i.e., on the surface of the filter 260 in the area where the slider 220 does not slide due to changes in water pressure, and pushes out foreign matter accumulated in the filter 260 from the opening 210c of the filter body 210.

[0082] like Figure 5 As shown in (b), the inner peripheral wall surface of the rear end portion of the filter body 210 is slightly bulged inwardly relative to the filter screen 260. When the flange 222 of the slider 220 moves to the rear end portion, the outer peripheral end portion of the flange 222 abuts against the bulged portion 218. This prevents the slider 220 from accidentally falling out of the filter body 210 through the opening 210c.

[0083] On the other hand, when the slider 220 is pulled forcefully from the position where the outer peripheral end of the flange 222 abuts the bulge 218, the rear end of the filter body 210 and the flange 222 elastically deform, the flange 222 passes over the bulge 218, and the slider 220 falls off from the inside of the filter body 210. This allows the user to clean the surface of the filter mesh 260 from inside the filter body 210 with a cleaning tool such as a brush to remove foreign matter.

[0084] like Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 2( b ), the bulge portion 218 has an inclined surface 218 a for expanding the opening 210 c at the front end of the filter 210 . This allows the removed slider 220 to be easily returned to the interior of the filter 210 through the opening 210 c .

[0085] <Effects of implementation>

[0086] According to this embodiment, in the drain filter 62, the interior of the filter body 210, which has a filter screen 260 on its circumferential surface 210b, is divided by a slider 220 into a first chamber R1 and a second chamber R2. When drainage flows into the first chamber R1, the slider 220 slides in a direction that expands the first chamber R1 according to the water pressure within the first chamber R1. When drainage stops flowing into the first chamber R1, the slider 220, pressed by the coil spring 240, slides in a direction that expands the second chamber R2. As the slider 220 slides in the direction that expands the second chamber R2, the outer circumferential end 222b of the slider 220 slides on the surface of the filter screen 260, removing foreign matter accumulated on the surface of the filter screen 260. In this way, the sliding of the slider 220, triggered by the inflow and cessation of drainage flow, automatically cleans the filter screen 260, thereby reducing the frequency of cleaning the drain filter 62 by the user.

[0087] Furthermore, since a driving device such as a motor is not used to slide the slider 220 , the filter device 60 can be realized at low cost.

[0088] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the filter 260 is provided along the entire circumference of the peripheral surface 210 b of the filter body 210 , a large amount of foreign matter can be captured by the filter 260 .

[0089] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear end surface of the filter body 210, which serves as the end surface facing the first chamber R1, is open, and the slider 220 can enter and exit the interior of the filter body 210 through the opening 210c in the rear end surface. Furthermore, the rear end surface of the filter body 210 contacts the rear end surface 101a of the filter case 61, connecting the opening 210c to the inlet 103. This allows the user to remove the slider 220 and clean the filter screen 260 from within the filter body 210. Furthermore, drainage flowing into the inlet 103 can flow into the first chamber R1 through the opening 210c.

[0090] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the slider 220 is provided with a handle 223 on the rear end surface facing the opening 210 c of the filter body 210 , so that the user can grasp the handle 223 and slide the slider 220 to manually clean the filter 260 .

[0091] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when drainage stops flowing and water pressure is not applied to the first chamber R1, the outlet 104 enters the area of ​​the first chamber R1 in the axial direction of the filter body 210. Therefore, even without using water pressure to slide the slider 220 in the direction that expands the first chamber R1 from the time the filter 260 is not clogged, a good drainage flow rate can be maintained. Therefore, it is not necessary to configure the slider 220 to be able to slide under low water pressure. Instead, the elastic force of the coil spring 240 can be increased accordingly, forcing the slider 220 to slide strongly, thereby facilitating the removal of foreign matter accumulated on the surface of the filter 260.

[0092] As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was demonstrated, this invention is not limited at all by the said embodiment etc. Moreover, embodiment of this invention can be variously modified other than what was described above.

[0093] <Change Example 1>

[0094] Figure 7 (a) to (c) are cross-sectional views schematically showing the main parts of the filter device 60 according to Modification 1.

[0095] In the above embodiment, if Figure 2 As shown, the drainage filter 62 is configured as follows: when the flow of drainage into the first chamber R1 is stopped and the sliding member 220 is in the initial position, the position where the sliding member 220 separates the interior of the filter body 210, that is, the position of the flange 222 of the sliding member 220 is closer to the front than the outflow port 104, and the outflow port 104 enters the area of ​​the first chamber R1 in the axial direction of the filter body 210.

[0096] In this modification example 1, if Figure 7 As shown in (a), the drainage filter 62 is configured as follows: when the flow of drainage into the first chamber R1 is stopped and the sliding member 220 is in the initial position, the position where the sliding member 220 separates the interior of the filter body 210, that is, the position of the flange 222 of the sliding member 220 is farther rearward than the outflow port 104, and the outflow port 104 deviates from the area range of the first chamber R1 in the axial direction of the filter body 210.

[0097] Furthermore, in this modification example 1, by appropriately setting the spring constant of the coil spring 240, as shown in FIG. Figure 7As shown in (b), from the stage where almost no foreign matter is captured in the area of ​​the filter 260 contained in the first chamber R1, the slider 220 slides forward to a position where the outlet 104 enters the area of ​​the first chamber R1 when the drainage flows into the first chamber R1.

[0098] like Figure 7 As shown in (c), when the water pressure in the first chamber R1 increases as foreign matter accumulates in the area of ​​the filter 260 contained in the first chamber R1, the slider 220 slides forward to the maximum extent to the front end position of the filter 260.

[0099] In the configuration of the present modification example 1, the portion of the filter 260 near the outflow port 104 where foreign matter is likely to accumulate is included in the sliding range of the slider 220 , and therefore this portion can be automatically cleaned.

[0100] It should be noted that the drainage filter 62 can also be configured as follows: when the flow of drainage into the first chamber R1 is stopped and the sliding member 220 is in the initial position, the position where the sliding member 220 separates the interior of the filter body 210, that is, the position of the flange 222 of the sliding member 220 is within the range of the outflow port 104, and a part of the outflow port 104 enters the area range of the first chamber R1 in the axial direction of the filter body 210.

[0101] <Other Changes>

[0102] In the above embodiment, the filter mesh 260 is provided along the entire circumference of the peripheral surface 210b of the filter body 210. However, the filter mesh 260 does not necessarily need to be provided along the entire circumference of the peripheral surface 210b of the filter body 210. Drainage flowing into the filter body 210 tends to flow downward. Therefore, for example, the filter mesh 260 may be provided on the lower half of the circumference of the peripheral surface 210b.

[0103] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the filter 260 is formed of a metal material, but may be formed of a resin material.

[0104] Furthermore, the shape of the handle 223 provided on the slider 220 is not limited to that in the above-described embodiment, and any shape may be used as long as it can be grasped by fingers.

[0105] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the downstream filter device 60 is positioned in the upper front portion of the housing 10. However, it may also be positioned in the lower front portion of the housing 10, i.e., at a position lower than the recessed portion 20b of the outer cylinder 20. When the upstream filter device 50 is positioned in the lower front portion of the housing 10 as in the above embodiment, the two filter devices 50 and 60 may be positioned separately on the left and right sides. When the filter device 60 is positioned in the lower portion of the housing 10, the drain pump 70 may not be provided as long as the water pressure for the drain to flow to the drain filter 62 is adequately maintained.

[0106] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the coil spring 240 is used to apply elastic force to the slider 220 , but a spring other than the coil spring 240 or an elastic member other than the spring may be used.

[0107] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a drum washing machine 1 having a horizontal drum 23. However, the present invention can also be applied to a so-called vertical fully automatic washing machine having a vertical washing / dehydrating drum with a pulsator inside. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to drum-type washer-dryers with a drying function and fully automatic washer-dryers.

[0108] In addition, various modifications can be made to the embodiments of the present invention as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept shown in the claims.

Claims

1. A washing machine, characterized in that: have: The outer cylinder is arranged in the box body; A washing tub, disposed in the outer tub, for accommodating laundry; a drainage channel, used for discharging the water in the outer cylinder to the outside of the machine; a filter box disposed in the drainage passage and having an inlet for the drainage from the outer cylinder to flow in and an outlet for the drainage to flow out; as well as a drain filter housed in the filter box in a manner removable from the filter box, The drainage filter comprises: a filter body having a cylindrical peripheral surface and provided on the peripheral surface with a filter portion for passing the drainage water to capture foreign matter contained in the drainage water; a sliding member disposed inside the filter body so as to be slidable along the axial direction of the peripheral surface, and partitioning the interior of the filter body along the axial direction in a region where the filter portion is provided, thereby dividing the interior of the filter body into a second chamber and a first chamber connected to the inlet; and an elastic member for applying elastic force to the slider in a direction to expand the second chamber, The outer peripheral end of the sliding member contacts the surface of the filter portion, When the drainage flows into the first chamber, the slider slides in a direction to expand the first chamber according to the water pressure in the first chamber. When the drainage stops flowing into the first chamber, the slider slides in a direction to expand the second chamber due to the elastic force of the elastic member.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein The filter portion is provided along the entire circumference of the peripheral surface.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein In the filter body, the end surface on the first chamber side is open, The sliding member can enter and exit the interior of the filter body through the opening of the end surface. The end surface contacts a surface of the filter case where the inlet is formed, thereby connecting the opening and the inlet.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that The sliding member is provided with a handle on a surface facing the opening of the filter body.

5. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The outflow port is provided on a surface of the filter box facing the peripheral surface of the filter body. When the drainage stops flowing into the first chamber, the position where the slider partitions the interior of the filter body is set to a position where the outflow port enters the region of the first chamber in the axial direction.

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