Washing machine

Abstract

The utility model provides a washing machine, and relates to the related technical field of laundry equipment. The washing machine comprises a shell and a control panel arranged on a mounting opening in the top of the shell. The control panel comprises a panel base frame which is located at the top of the washing machine; the control area boss is arranged on the rear portion of the panel base frame in a protruding mode, and a storage box is arranged on the control area boss. The storage box comprises a storage groove which is concavely formed in the control area boss; the cover plate is rotatably arranged at the opening of the storage tank; wherein a lifting plate is arranged in the storage box, the lifting plate is arranged in the storage groove in a lifting mode, and the lifting plate is in sliding connection with the cover plate through a connecting piece; when the cover plate is opened or closed, the lifting plate can ascend and descend along with overturning of the cover plate so that a user can take and place the detergent. According to the washing machine, the space of the control area boss of the control panel can be fully utilized, laundry condensate beads and the like are stored, and a user can conveniently take and place the laundry condensate beads in combination with the linkage arrangement that the lifting plate can rise and fall along with overturning of the cover plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the technical field of laundry equipment, and in particular to a washing machine. Background Technology

[0002] Top-loading washing machines are a common type of household washing machine, favored by many users for their fast washing speed, simple operation, affordable price, powerful cleaning, and low maintenance costs. However, some existing top-loading washing machines are relatively large, and their top-mounted control panel makes less efficient use of the rear space.

[0003] In addition, laundry pods are increasingly favored by users due to their convenience and accurate measurement. However, the existing design of laundry pod storage boxes has failed to fully consider the user's ease of access. These storage boxes are often placed in hard-to-reach locations, making it inconvenient for users to take out the laundry pods. In some cases, improper operation may even cause the pods to scatter or be wasted. This inconvenient experience undoubtedly reduces the overall washing efficiency and user experience. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a washing machine that at least solves the technical problems of poor space utilization at the rear of the top-mounted control panel of the washing machine and inconvenience in retrieving and placing detergent in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve at least one of the above objectives, this disclosure provides the following technical solutions:

[0006] This disclosure provides a washing machine, including:

[0007] The outer casing has a mounting port on its top.

[0008] Control panel, wherein the control panel is located at the mounting port;

[0009] The control panel includes:

[0010] A panel base frame, located at the top of the washing machine;

[0011] A control area boss protrudes from the rear of the panel base frame, and a storage box is provided on the control area boss;

[0012] The storage box includes:

[0013] Storage groove, recessed and formed on the protrusion of the control area;

[0014] A cover plate is rotatably disposed at the opening of the storage tank;

[0015] The storage box is equipped with a lifting plate, which is vertically and slidably installed in the storage slot. The lifting plate is slidably connected to the cover plate through a connector. When the cover plate is opened or closed, the lifting plate can move up and down with the cover plate to allow the user to take out and put in detergent.

[0016] In the above technical solution, a storage box is set on the control area protrusion at the rear of the control panel. This can make full use of the space of the control area protrusion of the washing machine control panel to store laundry pods and the like. Combined with the linkage setting that the lifting plate can rise and fall with the flip of the cover, it can make it easier for users to put away laundry pods and improve the user experience.

[0017] In some embodiments, a slide is provided on the inner side of the cover plate;

[0018] One end of the connector is hinged to the lifting plate, and the other end of the connector is provided with a rotating disk, which is slidably connected to the slide rail.

[0019] In the above technical solution, a rotating disk provided at one end of the connector is slidably connected to the slide rail, so that the connector can be slidably connected to the cover plate. When the cover plate is flipped, it will not interfere with the storage tank. The rotating disk can also prevent jamming with the slide rail on the cover plate. This structure is simple, practical and low cost.

[0020] In some embodiments, the storage box further includes:

[0021] A switch assembly for locking the cover plate in the storage slot opening.

[0022] In the above technical solution, by setting a switch assembly, the stability of the storage tank and the cover plate when they are closed can be guaranteed, and the sealing effect of the storage box can also be improved to a certain extent.

[0023] In some embodiments, the switching assembly includes:

[0024] A switch plate is rotatably disposed in the switch hole of the cover plate;

[0025] A connecting arm, the first end of which is connected to the lower side of the switch plate, and the second end of which extends toward the front sidewall of the storage tank;

[0026] An elastic telescopic structure is provided at the second end of the connecting arm, and the elastic telescopic structure slides in conjunction with a groove on the front side wall of the storage tank, wherein a limiting groove is provided in the groove for limiting the telescopic block on the elastic telescopic structure.

[0027] In the above technical solution, the elastic telescopic structure is controlled to slide in the slide groove by the switch plate, and then the telescopic block structure is limited by the limiting groove in the slide groove at the corresponding position, thereby locking the cover and storage tank in the closed state; when the switch plate flips and drives the elastic telescopic structure to slide out of the limiting groove, the telescopic block on the elastic telescopic structure can be compressed by the edge of the limiting groove (the position where it intersects with the slide groove), thereby releasing the locking effect of the switch assembly on the cover and storage tank.

[0028] In some embodiments, the inner side of the switch hole corresponding to the holes on the left and right sides of the cover plate is provided with a pivot hole;

[0029] The switch plate is provided with a rotating shaft corresponding to the rotating shaft hole, and a stop block is provided on the lower side of the switch plate. The stop block extends to the rear and lower side of the switch hole to limit the rotation angle of the switch plate.

[0030] In the above technical solution, by setting a stop, the flip angle of the switch plate is limited to a suitable range, which can prevent the switch plate from flipping excessively due to gravity or other external forces (such as the user pressing the switch plate in the opposite direction) after the cover is opened, thus affecting the normal operation of the switch assembly when the cover is closed, and improving the user experience.

[0031] In some embodiments, the switching assembly includes:

[0032] A connecting arm, the first end of which is attached to the lower side of the cover plate, and the second end of which extends toward the front side wall of the storage tank;

[0033] An elastic telescopic structure is provided at the second end of the connecting arm, and the elastic telescopic structure slides in conjunction with a groove on the front side wall of the storage tank, wherein the groove is a concave arc-shaped groove, and a limiting groove is provided in the groove, the limiting groove being used to limit the telescopic block on the elastic telescopic structure.

[0034] In the above technical solution, by directly setting a connecting arm on the underside of the cover plate and setting an elastic telescopic structure on the connecting arm, the switch plate is not added to the cover plate, which simplifies the structure of the cover plate and the switch assembly. In addition, the slide groove adopts a concave arc groove design, which can also avoid the elastic telescopic structure from interfering with the bottom of the slide groove during the sliding process and thus preventing the cover plate from opening normally.

[0035] In some embodiments, the elastic telescopic structure includes:

[0036] A crossbar is provided at the second end of the connecting arm, and the two ends of the crossbar are respectively provided with inner grooves;

[0037] A connecting rod, the first end of which is connected to the telescopic block, and the second end of which is slidably disposed in the inner groove;

[0038] A sliding disc is disposed at the second end of the connecting rod and is used to cooperate with the limiting protrusion of the inner groove to limit the sliding stroke of the connecting rod.

[0039] A spring is disposed in the inner groove, wherein one end of the spring abuts against the sliding disk and the other end abuts against the bottom of the inner groove.

[0040] In the above technical solution, the inner grooves are formed at both ends of the crossbar, and a telescopic structure is formed through the cooperation between the connecting rod, the sliding plate and the spring, so that the telescopic block can move in the length direction of the crossbar. Then, by using the locking cooperation between the telescopic block and the limiting groove, the limiting lock of the cover plate is realized when the cover plate and the storage tank are in the closed state.

[0041] In some embodiments, a sealing plate is provided on one side of the cover plate corresponding to the slide groove, the sealing plate being used to cover the upper opening of the slide groove.

[0042] In the above technical solution, by setting a sealing plate, the upper groove opening of the chute can be covered, which not only prevents dust and foreign objects from entering, but also makes the appearance more beautiful.

[0043] In some embodiments, the cover plate is provided with a lifting portion for lifting the cover plate.

[0044] In the above technical solution, by providing a lifting part on the cover, the user can easily open or close the cover, thus improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0045] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a washing machine provided according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0047] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a control panel of a washing machine provided according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0048] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a switching assembly provided according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0049] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of the structure of section A in the middle;

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the open state of the lid of a washing machine according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0051] Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged view of the structure of section B in the middle;

[0052] Figure 7 for Figure 5 Enlarged view of the C-section structure;

[0053] Figure 8 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of the structure of section D in the middle;

[0054] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a cover plate with a handle groove provided according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0055] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a switch assembly with a stop block provided according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0056] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0057] 10. Outer casing;

[0058] 20. Control panel; 201. Panel base frame; 202. Control area boss; 2021. Storage slot; 20211. Lifting slot; 2022. Slide track; 20221. Limiting slot; 20222. Upper slot opening; 203. Cover plate; 2031. Sealing plate; 2032. Slide rail; 2033. Handle slot;

[0059] 30. Switch assembly; 301. Switch plate; 302. Rotating shaft; 303. Connecting arm; 304. Elastic telescopic structure; 3041. Crossbar; 3042. Sliding disc; 3043. Telescopic block; 3044. Spring; 3045. Connecting rod; 305. Stop block;

[0060] 40. Control panel; 401. Knob;

[0061] 501. Lifting plate; 502. Connecting component; 503. Rotating disc;

[0062] 60. Revolving door. Detailed Implementation

[0063] The present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Through these descriptions, the features and advantages of the present disclosure will become clearer and more apparent.

[0064] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this disclosure have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs; the terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure; the terms “comprising” and “having” and any variations thereof in the specification and the foregoing description of this disclosure are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0065] The term "embodiment" as used in this disclosure means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this disclosure can be combined with other embodiments.

[0066] The specific term "exemplary" used in this disclosure means "serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration." Any embodiment illustrated as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as superior or better than other embodiments. Although various aspects of embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0067] In the description of this disclosure, the technical terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number, specific order, or primary or secondary relationship of the indicated technical features.

[0068] In the description of this disclosure, the technical term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0069] In the description of this disclosure, the technical terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "front", "back", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship under the working state of this disclosure. They are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure.

[0070] In the description of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical terms "installation," "connection," "joining," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure based on the specific circumstances.

[0071] In the description of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0072] In the description of this disclosure, "multiple" means two or more (including two), unless otherwise expressly and specifically limited.

[0073] In the description of this disclosure, the same reference numerals denote the same components, and for brevity, detailed descriptions of the same components are omitted in different embodiments. It should be understood that the thickness, length, and other dimensions of various components in the embodiments of this disclosure shown in the drawings, as well as the overall thickness, length, and other dimensions of the integrated device, are merely illustrative and should not constitute any limitation on this disclosure.

[0074] As part of the inventive concept of this disclosure, before describing the embodiments of this disclosure, it is necessary to analyze the reasons for the problem of the light guide plate contacting and squeezing the light-emitting unit after expansion in the related art, and obtain the technical solution of the embodiments of this disclosure through reasonable analysis.

[0075] In related technologies, pulsator washing machines are a common type of household washing machine, favored by many users for their fast washing speed, simple operation, affordable price, powerful cleaning, and low maintenance costs. The control structure of a pulsator washing machine is typically located at the top, including a control panel integrating multiple functions such as smart sensors, a touchscreen interface, and advanced electronic components. These components allow users to easily select washing programs, adjust settings, and monitor the washing process. The advantage of this control structure lies in its high degree of integration and intelligence; because all key components are concentrated in a compact space, it saves space and reduces wiring complexity. Furthermore, smart sensors can monitor water level, temperature, and other key parameters in real time to ensure optimal washing performance; the touchscreen interface provides an intuitive and easy-to-use user interface, allowing users to quickly understand the current status and make necessary adjustments.

[0076] However, some existing top-loading washing machines are quite large, and the liquid dispenser is almost always located on the upper rear of the outer drum. As the capacity of laundry detergent products increases, many bottles become bulky and difficult to hold, further exacerbating the inconvenience of adding detergent. Therefore, laundry pods are increasingly favored by users due to their ease of use and accurate dispensing. However, existing laundry pod storage box designs fail to adequately consider user convenience. These boxes are often placed in hard-to-reach locations, making it inconvenient for users to retrieve the pods, and may even lead to pods scattering or being wasted due to improper handling. This inconvenient experience undoubtedly reduces overall washing efficiency and user experience.

[0077] Therefore, this disclosure provides a washing machine to at least solve the technical problems of poor space utilization and inconvenient access to detergent in existing washing machine top-mounted control panels. It should be noted that this washing machine includes, but is not limited to, top-loading washing machines.

[0078] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The technical features involved in the different embodiments of this disclosure described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0079] like Figure 1-Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of this disclosure provides a control panel 20 for a washing machine. The control panel 20 includes: a panel base frame 201, a control area boss 202, and a storage box disposed on the control area boss 202.

[0080] Taking a top-loading washing machine as an example, the panel base 201 is located at the top of the washing machine, which corresponds to a washing machine with a top-mounted control panel 20. Figure 4As shown, a control area boss 202 protrudes from the rear of the panel base 201. A storage box is provided on the control area boss 202, and the storage box includes a storage slot 2021 and a cover plate 203. The storage slot 2021 is recessed in the control area boss 202; the cover plate 203 is rotatably disposed at the opening of the storage slot 2021.

[0081] like Figure 4 As shown, the storage box is equipped with a lifting plate 501, which is vertically mounted in the storage tank 2021. The lifting plate 501 is slidably connected to the cover plate 203 through the connector 502. When the cover plate 203 is opened or closed, the lifting plate 501 can move up and down with the cover plate 203 to allow the user to take out and put in detergent.

[0082] In this embodiment, considering that pulsator washing machines typically employ a top-mounted control panel 20, and to facilitate the integration of corresponding electronic components and user observation and operation, a raised control area boss 202 is often formed in the rear area of ​​the control panel 20. By setting a storage box on the control area boss 202 at the rear of the control panel 20 to store individually packaged detergents such as laundry pods, the space of the control area boss 202 of the washing machine control panel 20 is fully utilized. In addition, since a lifting plate 501 is provided inside the storage box, combined with the linkage setting that allows the lifting plate 501 to rise and fall with the flipping of the cover 203, it is convenient for users to put in and take out laundry pods, and the problem of inconvenient storage and retrieval of detergents such as laundry pods is solved, resulting in a better user experience.

[0083] To facilitate the quantitative extraction of laundry detergent pods by the lifting plate 501, a lifting groove 20211 for the lifting plate 501 can be divided within the storage tank 2021, allowing the lifting plate 501 to move up and down within the lifting groove 20211. The remaining portion of the storage tank 2021 is used to store the laundry detergent pods. Furthermore, a dispensing mechanism is configured to dispense a corresponding number of laundry detergent pods onto the lifting plate. As the cover 203 flips, the lifting plate 501 lifts out the dispensed amount of laundry detergent pods for easy user access. It should be noted that the dispensing mechanism can be automatically controlled by the washing machine's control unit; its specific structure and control process will not be detailed here.

[0084] It is understandable that for washing machines with front-mounted control panels 20, such as drum washing machines, when there is a certain amount of space on the upper inner side of the control panel 20, the storage box design in this embodiment can be used to utilize the space to improve the utilization rate of the internal space of the washing machine, and a corresponding lifting plate 501 can be configured to facilitate users to take out laundry detergent pods and other individually packaged detergents.

[0085] In some alternative approaches, to achieve the linkage control between the lifting plate 501 and the cover plate 203, the structure of the connector 502 can be optimized to connect the lifting plate 501 and the cover plate 203. For example, as... Figures 5-6 As shown, the inner side of the cover plate 203 is provided with a slide 2032; one end of the connector 502 is hinged to the lifting plate 501, and the other end of the connector 502 is provided with a rotating disk 503, which is slidably connected to the slide 2032.

[0086] In this embodiment, the movable ball formed at one end of the connector 502 is hinged to the lifting plate 501, and the rotating disk 503 provided at the other end of the connector 502 is slidably connected to the slide rail 2032, so that the connector 502 can be slidably connected to the cover plate 203. When the cover plate 203 is flipped, it will not interfere with the storage groove 2021. The added rotating disk 503 can also prevent jamming with the slide rail 2032 on the cover plate 203. This structure is simple, practical and low cost.

[0087] Optionally, there are two slides 2032 on the inner side of the cover plate 203, and correspondingly two connectors 502, such as... Figure 6 As shown, two slides 2032 are set on the left and right sides, and are connected to the lifting plate 501 through two connecting parts 502 set on the left and right sides, which can ensure that the lifting plate 501 slides smoothly in the storage tank 2021 during the process of controlling the lifting plate 501 to rise and fall.

[0088] In some alternatives to the connector 502, both ends of the connector 502 can be hinged to the cover plate 203 and the lifting plate 501 respectively (not shown in the figure). This method can also achieve linkage lifting control of the lifting plate 501 when the cover plate 203 flips.

[0089] It should be noted that for any design method in which the lifting plate 501 and the cover plate 203 are connected by the connector 502 to achieve sliding connection or hinge, since the lifting plate 501 has a certain thickness, as long as the gap between the lifting plate 501 and the storage tank 2021 meets certain requirements, it can be ensured that the lifting plate 501 will not tip over when sliding in the storage tank 2021.

[0090] In some alternative configurations, considering that the washing machine generates vibrations during operation, if there is no locking device between the cover 203 and the storage tank 2021, repeated collisions between the cover 203 and the storage tank 2021 may occur, resulting in noise and affecting the user experience. Therefore, this embodiment also optimizes the storage box, for example, as follows: Figures 3-4As shown, the storage box also includes a switch assembly 30 for locking the cover 203 into the opening of the storage slot 2021. In this embodiment, by providing the switch assembly 30, the stability of the storage slot 2021 and the cover 203 in the closed state can be ensured, and the sealing effect of the storage box can also be improved to a certain extent.

[0091] In some alternative configurations, the switch assembly 30 includes a switch plate 301, a connecting arm 303, and a resilient telescopic structure 304, etc. Specifically, such as... Figures 3-4 As shown, the switch plate 301 is rotatably disposed in the switch hole of the cover plate 203; the first end of the connecting arm 303 is connected to the lower side of the switch plate 301, and its second end extends toward the front side wall of the storage tank 2021; the elastic telescopic structure 304 is disposed at the second end of the connecting arm 303, and the elastic telescopic structure 304 is slidably engaged with the sliding groove 2022 on the front side wall of the storage tank 2021. The sliding groove 2022 contains a limiting groove 20221, which is used to limit the telescopic block 3043 on the elastic telescopic structure 304.

[0092] During the flipping process of the switch plate 301, the position of the elastic telescopic structure 304 can be adjusted. That is, the switch plate 301 can control the elastic telescopic structure 304 to slide in the slide groove 2022. At the same time, the limiting groove 20221 in the slide groove 2022 can be used to limit the structure of the telescopic block 3043 when the switch plate 301 controls the elastic telescopic structure 304 to slide down to the limiting groove 20221, thereby locking the cover plate 203 and the storage tank 2021 in the closed state. When the switch plate 301 flips and drives the elastic telescopic structure 304 to slide out of the limiting groove 20221, the edge of the limiting groove 20221 (the position where it intersects with the slide groove 2022) can compress the telescopic block 3043 on the elastic telescopic structure 304, thereby releasing the locking effect of the switch assembly 30 on the cover plate 203 and the storage tank 2021.

[0093] Optionally, such as Figure 10 As shown, the inner sides of the holes on the left and right sides of the cover plate 203 corresponding to the switch hole are provided with pivot holes; the switch plate 301 is provided with a rotating shaft 302 corresponding to the pivot holes, and a stop 305 is provided on the lower side of the switch plate 301. The stop 305 extends to the lower rear side of the switch hole to limit the rotation angle of the switch plate 301. In this embodiment, by setting the stop 305, the flip angle of the switch plate 301 is limited to a suitable range, which can prevent the switch plate 301 from flipping excessively due to gravity or other external forces (such as the user pressing the switch plate 301 in the opposite direction) after the cover plate 203 is opened, thereby affecting the normal operation of the switch assembly 30 when the cover plate 203 is closed, thus improving the user experience.

[0094] In some alternatives to the switch assembly 30, the structure of the switch assembly 30 can be simplified, such as by removing the switch plate 301 and directly providing an elastic telescopic structure 304 on the underside of the cover plate 203, which is then connected via a connecting arm 303. Specifically, the switch assembly 30 includes a connecting arm 303 and an elastic telescopic structure 304. The first end of the connecting arm 303 is attached to the underside of the cover plate 203, and its second end extends toward the front wall of the storage tank 2021. The elastic telescopic structure 304 is disposed at the second end of the connecting arm 303, and the elastic telescopic structure 304 slides in cooperation with a groove 2022 on the front wall of the storage tank 2021. The groove 2022 is a concave arc-shaped groove, and a limiting groove 20221 is provided within the groove 2022. The limiting groove 20221 is used to limit the telescopic block 3043 on the elastic telescopic structure 304.

[0095] In this embodiment, by directly setting a connecting arm 303 on the lower side of the cover plate 203 and setting an elastic telescopic structure 304 on the connecting arm 303, the switch plate 301 is not added to the cover plate 203, which simplifies the structure of the cover plate 203 and the switch assembly 30. In addition, the slide groove 2022 adopts a concave arc groove design, which can also avoid the elastic telescopic structure 304 interfering with the bottom of the slide groove 2022 during the sliding process, thus preventing the cover plate 203 from opening normally.

[0096] It should be noted that although the control panel 20 is generally made of hard plastic, it still has a certain degree of elasticity. Based on this, the slide 2022 can also be designed as a flat-bottomed groove. By optimizing the dimensions and structure of the connecting arm 303, the slide 2022, and the elastic telescopic structure 304, the limiting and locking function of the switch assembly 30 between the cover plate 203 and the storage tank 2021 can also be achieved. In this case, the connecting arm 303 and the elastic telescopic structure 304 are equivalent to a buckle, while the slide 2022 and its limiting groove 20221 are equivalent to a slot, that is, the switch assembly 30 forms a locking and limiting connection between the cover plate 203 and the storage tank 2021.

[0097] To achieve the telescopic function of the telescopic block 3043, the elastic telescopic structure 304 may optionally include, in addition to the telescopic block 3043, components such as a crossbar 3041, a connecting rod 3045, a sliding disc 3042, and a spring 3044. Specifically, for example... Figure 3 As shown, a crossbar 3041 is disposed at the second end of the connecting arm 303, and both ends of the crossbar 3041 are respectively provided with inner grooves; the first end of the connecting rod 3045 is connected to the telescopic block 3043, and the second end of the connecting rod 3045 is slidably disposed in the inner groove; a sliding disk 3042 is disposed at the second end of the connecting rod 3045 and is used to cooperate with the limiting protrusion of the inner groove opening to limit the sliding stroke of the connecting rod 3045; a spring 3044 is disposed in the inner groove, wherein one end of the spring 3044 abuts against the sliding disk 3042, and the other end abuts against the bottom of the inner groove.

[0098] In this embodiment, based on the inner grooves formed at both ends of the crossbar 3041, and the cooperation between the connecting rod 3045, the sliding disk 3042 and the spring 3044 forms a telescopic structure, the telescopic block 3043 can move telescopically in the length direction of the crossbar 3041. Then, by utilizing the locking cooperation between the telescopic block 3043 and the limiting groove 20221, the limiting and locking of the cover plate 203 is realized when the cover plate 203 and the storage groove 2021 are in the closed state.

[0099] It is understood that a guide surface is formed on the telescopic block 3043. During the process of the switch plate 301 driving the elastic telescopic structure 304 to slide upward, the guide surface can cooperate with the edge of the limiting groove 20221 to generate a component force on the telescopic block 3043 in the axial direction of the crossbar 3041, thereby compressing the telescopic block 3043. After the elastic telescopic structure 304 slides to a certain height, the telescopic block 3043 completely disengages from the limiting groove 20221, thereby releasing the locking and limiting function of the switch assembly 30 on the cover plate 203 and the storage tank 2021. At this time, the cover plate 203 can be opened directly, and the cover plate 203 drives the lifting plate 501 to continue to rise. When the cover plate 203 flips to a certain height, the laundry detergent pods and other detergents on the lifting plate 501 are also lifted to a position that is convenient for the user to take out. The user can directly take out the laundry detergent pods and other detergents according to their needs.

[0100] In some alternative configurations, considering that the elastic telescopic structure 304 needs to slide out through the upper side of the slide groove 2022, an upper groove opening 20222 (i.e., a small notch) needs to be reserved on the upper side of the slide groove 2022 for the elastic telescopic structure 304 to slide out. This upper groove opening 20222 not only affects the aesthetics of the washing machine but also easily causes problems such as dust accumulation. Based on this, the structure of the cover plate 203 has also been optimized in this embodiment. For example, a sealing plate 2031 is provided on one side of the cover plate 203 corresponding to the slide groove 2022. The sealing plate 2031 is used to cover the upper groove opening 20222 of the slide groove 2022, such as... Figure 7-Figure 8 As shown. By setting a sealing plate 2031 on the cover plate 203, the upper groove opening 20222 of the slide groove 2022 is covered by the sealing plate 2031, which not only prevents the entry of dust and foreign objects, but also makes the appearance more beautiful.

[0101] In some alternative embodiments, to facilitate user opening of the cover 203, this embodiment also optimizes the cover 203 by providing a corresponding lifting structure for user operation. For example, the cover 203 is provided with a lifting part for lifting the cover 203. Figure 9 As shown, the lifting part can be any of the handle, protrusion, or hand groove 2033. By providing the lifting part on the cover plate 203, it is convenient for users to open or close the cover plate 203, thus improving the user experience.

[0102] In addition, when the size of the switch hole is large enough to allow the user's fingers to insert, the switch hole can also be used as a handle groove 2033; or, the sealing plate 2031 can be extended appropriately so that the sealing plate 2031 extends a certain distance toward the front of the control area boss 202, and the part of the sealing plate 2031 extending to the front of the control area boss 202 can be used as a handle.

[0103] It should be noted that the sealing plate 2031 can be integrally formed with the cover plate 203, or it can be designed to be detachably connected to the cover plate 203. In particular, when the sealing plate 2031 is extended to also serve as a handle, the design of integrally forming the sealing plate 2031 with the cover plate 203 is preferred.

[0104] In some alternative embodiments, a sealing strip is provided between the rotating plate and the storage tank 2021 to ensure the airtightness of the storage cavity. In this embodiment, by adding a sealing strip, it can be ensured that laundry pods and the like will not be damaged by external water stains, effectively ensuring the dryness of the storage cavity.

[0105] like Figures 1-10 As shown, an embodiment of this disclosure also provides a washing machine, including: a housing 10, an inner cavity formed inside the housing 10, a washing tub disposed inside the inner cavity, and an installation port formed on the top of the housing 10 communicating with the inner cavity; and any of the control panels 20 in the above embodiments, the control panel 20 being disposed on the installation port on the top of the housing 10.

[0106] Specifically, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, after the outer casing 10 and control panel 20 of the washing machine are assembled, they constitute the external structure of the washing machine, which is used to protect the internal components from damage. A panel frame is fixedly connected to the top of the outer casing 10. A control area boss 202 is provided at the rear of the panel frame 201. A cover plate 203 is rotatably connected to the top of the control area boss 202. The pivot hole inside the switch hole of the cover plate 203 cooperates with the rotation shaft 302 of the switch plate 301. The rotation shaft 302 is used to support and guide the rotation of the switch plate 301. The first end of the connecting arm 303 is fixedly connected to the lower side of the switch plate 301. An elastic telescopic structure 304 is fixedly connected to the second end of the connecting arm 303. The crossbar 3041 in the elastic telescopic structure 304 is used to support and guide the movement of the sliding disc 3042. One side of the sliding disc 3042 abuts against the bottom of the inner groove of the crossbar 3041 via a spring 3044, while the other side of the sliding disc 3042 is connected to the telescopic block 3043 via a connecting rod 3045.

[0107] A lifting plate 501 is slidably connected inside the control area boss 202. The lifting plate 501 slides inside the storage tank 2021 and lifts out laundry pods. The lifting plate 501 is hinged to the lower end of the connector 502 via a movable ball, while the upper end of the connector 502 slides with the slide rail 2032 of the cover plate 203 via a rotating disk 503. An operation panel 40 is provided on the front side of the control area boss 202. The operation panel 40 is used to operate various functions of the washing machine and typically includes various buttons, knobs 401, and a display screen. A rotating door 60 is rotatably connected to the front of the panel base 201. The rotating door 60 is used to open or close the top opening of the washing machine. By rotating the rotating door 60, users can easily load and unload clothes.

[0108] How to use the storage box: When you need to take out laundry detergent pods, press the switch plate 301 to rotate the switch plate 301 around the rotating shaft 302, which in turn causes the connecting arm 303 to move in a circular motion with the switch plate 301; as the elastic telescopic structure 304 slides in the slide groove 2022, with the help of the inclined design of the guide surface of the telescopic block 3043, the telescopic block 3043 is subjected to the squeezing force of the limiting groove 20221, which can compress the spring 3044, thereby allowing the telescopic block 304 to move. 3. Disengage from the limiting groove 20221 and continue to slide within the slide groove 2022; then lift upwards to open the cover 203. The elastic telescopic structure 304 disengages from the slide groove 2022 as a whole. At this time, as the cover 203 rotates and opens, the rotating disk 503 slides inside the slide 2032. As the cover 203 continues to rotate, the connecting piece 502 simultaneously lifts the lifting plate 501 from inside the storage tank 2021, pushing out the laundry detergent pods, making it convenient for users to take them out and use. When the cover 203 needs to be closed, it can be rotated downwards, allowing the elastic telescopic structure 304 to be embedded in the slide groove 2022. At this time, the telescopic block 3043 is displaced by force, causing the spring 3044 to be compressed. As the elastic telescopic structure 304 slides inside the slide groove 2022, the lifting plate 501 gradually descends, and finally the telescopic block 3043 will engage inside the limiting groove 20221, causing the spring 3044 to rebound and return to its original state, thereby closing the cover 203 and storing the laundry detergent pods.

[0109] In this embodiment, by setting a storage box on the control area protrusion 202 at the rear of the control panel 20 of the washing machine, the space of the control area protrusion 202 of the washing machine control panel 20 can be fully utilized to store laundry pods and the like. Combined with the linkage setting that the lifting plate 501 can be raised and lowered with the flip of the cover 203, it is convenient for users to take out and put away laundry pods, resulting in a better user experience.

[0110] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure, and not to limit them. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims and specification of this disclosure. This disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A washing machine, characterized in that, include: The outer casing has a mounting port on its top. Control panel, wherein the control panel is located at the mounting port; The control panel includes: A panel base frame, located at the top of the washing machine; A control area boss protrudes from the rear of the panel base frame, and a storage box is provided on the control area boss; The storage box includes: Storage groove, recessed and formed on the protrusion of the control area; A cover plate is rotatably disposed at the opening of the storage tank; The storage box is equipped with a lifting plate, which is vertically and slidably installed in the storage slot. The lifting plate is slidably connected to the cover plate through a connector. When the cover plate is opened or closed, the lifting plate can move up and down with the cover plate to allow the user to take out and put in detergent.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover plate is provided with a slide rail on its inner side; One end of the connector is hinged to the lifting plate, and the other end of the connector is provided with a rotating disk, which is slidably connected to the slide rail.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The storage box also includes: A switch assembly for locking the cover plate in the storage slot opening.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The switching assembly includes: A switch plate is rotatably disposed in the switch hole of the cover plate; A connecting arm, the first end of which is connected to the lower side of the switch plate, and the second end of which extends toward the front sidewall of the storage tank; An elastic telescopic structure is provided at the second end of the connecting arm, and the elastic telescopic structure slides in conjunction with a groove on the front side wall of the storage tank, wherein a limiting groove is provided in the groove for limiting the telescopic block on the elastic telescopic structure.

5. The washing machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, The switch hole is provided with a pivot hole on the inner side of the hole on the left and right sides of the cover plate. The switch plate is provided with a rotating shaft corresponding to the rotating shaft hole, and a stop block is provided on the lower side of the switch plate. The stop block extends to the rear and lower side of the switch hole to limit the rotation angle of the switch plate.

6. The washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The switching assembly includes: A connecting arm, the first end of which is attached to the lower side of the cover plate, and the second end of which extends toward the front side wall of the storage tank; An elastic telescopic structure is provided at the second end of the connecting arm, and the elastic telescopic structure slides in conjunction with a groove on the front side wall of the storage tank, wherein the groove is a concave arc-shaped groove, and a limiting groove is provided in the groove, the limiting groove being used to limit the telescopic block on the elastic telescopic structure.

7. The washing machine according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that, The elastic telescopic structure includes: A crossbar is provided at the second end of the connecting arm, and the two ends of the crossbar are respectively provided with inner grooves; A connecting rod, the first end of which is connected to the telescopic block, and the second end of which is slidably disposed in the inner groove; A sliding disc is disposed at the second end of the connecting rod and is used to cooperate with the limiting protrusion of the inner groove to limit the sliding stroke of the connecting rod. A spring is disposed in the inner groove, wherein one end of the spring abuts against the sliding disk and the other end abuts against the bottom of the inner groove.

8. The washing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that, A sealing plate is provided on one side of the cover plate corresponding to the slide groove, and the sealing plate is used to cover the upper opening of the slide groove.

9. The washing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that, The cover plate is provided with a lifting part for lifting the cover plate.

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