Washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine which can achieve improvement in operability by making a processing agent tank easy to take out, in the washing machine in which the processing agent tank and a processing agent case are arranged adjacent to each other.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: an outer case formed in a box shape; a water tub provided in the outer case; a storage part provided in the outer case, and having an opening part which is formed by opening a top surface part side of the outer case; a processing agent case which receives input of a washing processing agent used for one operation, and which supplies the inputted washing processing agent to the water tub; and a processing agent tank capable of storing the washing processing agent used for a plurality of times of operations. The storage part can store the processing agent case and the processing agent tank being arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. The processing agent tank can be mounted on the storage part or be removed from the storage part in a state where the processing agent case is stored in the storage part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a washing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, in order to improve user convenience, washing machines equipped with an automatic dosing device have been developed that stores a laundry treatment agent in a treatment agent tank for automatic dosing in advance for multiple washes, and automatically doses the required amount from the treatment agent tank during each wash run. On the other hand, there is still a need for users to manually dosing the treatment agent for each run. For this reason, even washing machines equipped with an automatic dosing device are equipped with a conventional treatment agent case, that is, a treatment agent case for manual dosing, for manually dosing the laundry treatment agent to be used in one run, for each run.

[0003] Considering the ease of use for the user, it is preferable to place the processing agent tank and the processing agent case in close proximity to each other. For example, in the same storage space, it is possible to place the processing agent case that is used frequently by the user close to the user, and the processing agent tank that is used less frequently in a position away from the user. In this case, in order to make the product compact, it is preferable to place the processing agent tank and the processing agent case as close together as possible.

[0004] Users may periodically remove the processing agent tank from the machine to clean it. However, in such a case, since there is no gap between the processing agent tank and the processing agent case, it is not easy to remove the processing agent tank, which is larger in size and weight than the processing agent case. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-011618 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In view of this, the present invention provides a washing machine in which a treatment agent tank and a treatment agent case are arranged adjacent to each other, which makes it easy to remove the treatment agent tank, thereby improving user convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The washing machine of the embodiment includes a box-shaped outer case, a water tank provided in the outer case, a storage section provided in the outer case and having an opening formed by opening the top side of the outer case, a treatment agent case that receives a laundry treatment agent to be used in one operation and supplies the laundry treatment agent to the water tank, and a treatment agent tank that can store laundry treatment agent to be used in multiple operations. The storage section can store the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank horizontally arranged inside. The treatment agent tank can be attached to or detached from the storage section with the treatment agent case stored in the storage section. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a storage section and its surroundings in a state where a cover member is removed in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration around a storage section with a cover member opened in the washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the storage unit along the line AA in FIG. 3 with the cover member removed in the washing machine according to the first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 8]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a storage section of a washing machine according to a first embodiment with a treatment agent case stored therein and a treatment agent tank removed; [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the treatment agent tank and its surroundings in a state where the regulating portion and the regulated portion are engaged with each other in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the treatment agent tank and its surroundings in a state where a regulating portion and a regulated portion are disengaged from each other in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is an enlarged front view showing a schematic configuration of the regulating mechanism and its surroundings in a state where a regulating portion and a regulated portion are fitted together in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is an enlarged front view showing a schematic configuration of the regulating mechanism and its surroundings in a state where a regulating portion and a regulated portion are disengaged from each other in the washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 14] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the periphery of the hand part of the washing machine according to the first embodiment by enlarging an ellipse D in FIG. 4; [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration around a storage unit when one treatment agent tank is not completely installed in the washing machine according to a first embodiment with a cover member open; [Figure 16] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a second embodiment; [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the periphery of a storage unit in a state where a cover member is removed in a washing machine according to a second embodiment; [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, a number of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components in each embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0010] (First embodiment) First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 15. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 includes an outer box 11, a water tub 12, a rotating tub 13, a rotating tub motor 14, a drainage mechanism 15, an operation panel 16, a water supply mechanism 17, and a treatment agent injection mechanism 20. In Fig. 1, the installation surface side of the washing machine 10, that is, the vertically lower side, is the lower side of the washing machine 10, and the opposite side of the installation surface, that is, the vertically upper side, is the upper side of the washing machine 10. The left-right direction when the washing machine 10 is viewed from the front is the left-right direction of the washing machine 10. The washing machine 10 is, for example, a horizontal axis type in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub 13 is horizontal, or an oblique axis type inclined downward toward the rear.

[0011] The washing machine 10 may or may not have a drying function, such as a heat pump type or a heater type. The outer box 11 is generally made of a member such as a steel material or a resin material, and is configured as a rectangular box shape, constituting the outer shell of the washing machine 10. In the present embodiment, the top surface 111 of the outer box 11 is formed as a flat surface. The water tub 12 is disposed in the outer box 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The spin tub 13 is disposed rotatably in the water tub 12. In this case, the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 function as a washing tub that contains laundry. The spin tub motor 14 is provided outside the water tub 12. The spin tub motor 14 is connected to the spin tub 13, and rotates the spin tub 13 by driving it.

[0012] Drain mechanism 15 shown in FIG. 2 has a function of draining water stored in water tub 12 to the outside of washing machine 10. Drain mechanism 15 has drain path 151 and drain valve 152. Drain path 151 is, for example, a flexible drain hose, one end of which is connected to drain valve 152 and the other end of which is drawn out to the outside of washing machine 10. Drain valve 152 is, for example, an on-off valve for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed. Drain valve 152 is provided between drain outlet 121 provided at the bottom of water tub 12 and drain path 151, and opens and closes drain path 151.

[0013] The operation panel 16 is provided on the front portion of the top surface 111 of the outer box 11 as shown in FIG. 1. Although not shown in detail, the operation panel 16 is provided with a power switch, a start key, various operation keys for the user to set the washing operation course, etc. The power switch may be provided separately from the operation panel 16. When executing the washing operation, the user can select using the operation panel 16 whether to automatically dispense the laundry treatment agent or to manually dispense one load of the laundry treatment agent. In this embodiment, the laundry treatment agent is a concept that includes liquid or powder detergent, fabric softener, and fragrance, but is not limited to these as long as it is an agent used in the washing operation.

[0014] The water supply mechanism 17 is provided, for example, at the left rear part above the water tub 12 inside the outer casing 11. The water supply mechanism 17 receives water from a water supply source such as a tap and supplies the water to the water tub 12. As shown in Fig. 2, for example, the water supply mechanism 17 has a connection port 171, a water supply path 172, and a water supply valve 173. The connection port 171 is provided so as to be exposed at the left rear part on the top surface 111 of the outer casing 11. The connection port 171 is connected to an external water source such as a water faucet via a hose, for example.

[0015] The water supply path 172 is a path that connects the connection port 171 to the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13. The treatment agent dosing mechanism 20 is provided, for example, midway through the water supply path 172, and has the function of impregnating the water flowing through the water supply path 172 with a laundry treatment agent and supplying the water to the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the treatment agent dosing mechanism 20 includes a storage section 21, a pump 22, a cover member 23, a treatment agent case 30, and a treatment agent tank 40.

[0016] The storage unit 21 is made of resin or metal and has a box or container shape, and has an opening 211 that opens toward the top. The storage unit 21 is provided inside the outer box 11. The upper end of the storage unit 21, i.e., the opening 211, is located below the top surface 111. In this embodiment, the storage unit 21 forms a part of the water supply path 172. In this case, the outlet of the water supply valve 173 is directly or indirectly connected to the storage unit 21. The storage unit 21 is then directly or indirectly connected to the water tank 12.

[0017] Pump 22, together with treatment agent tank 40, constitutes an automatic dispenser for automatically supplying laundry treatment agent into water tub 12 and spin tub 13 during operation. Pump 22 has the function of sucking out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from treatment agent tank 40 during operation and dispensing the sucked laundry treatment agent into a midway portion of water supply path 172. As a result, the laundry treatment agent supplied midway through water supply path 172 is supplied into water tub 12 and spin tub 13 by the flow of water flowing through water supply path 172. In this way, washing machine 10 can automatically supply a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into water tub 12 and spin tub 13 during operation.

[0018] The cover member 23 is rotatably provided on the outer box 11 and opens and closes the opening 211 of the storage section 21 by rotation, and is also configured to be foldable and rotatable in a folded-out state. That is, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, etc., the cover member 23 is rotatably attached to the top surface 111 of the outer box 11 and is configured to be able to open and close the opening 211 of the storage section 21. In this embodiment, the cover member 23 is configured to be foldable at least in two. The cover member 23 is configured to be able to open and close the opening 211 by rotating in a folded-out state at least in two.

[0019] The treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are removably housed in the storage section 21. The treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged adjacent to each other in the storage section 21, and the treatment agent case 30 can be arranged on the side closer to a user who stands at the front side of the washing machine 10 to operate it, and the treatment agent tank 40 can be arranged on the side farther from the user. For example, the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged in a straight line in the front-to-back or left-to-right direction.

[0020] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1, 3 to 5, etc., the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated side by side in the front-to-rear direction within the accommodation section 21. The treatment agent case 30 is located in front of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., closer to a user standing on the front side of the washing machine 10 to operate it. In other embodiments, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, the treatment agent case 30 can be arranged closer to the center of the washing machine 10 in the left-to-right direction, i.e., closer to a user standing on the front side of the washing machine 10 to operate it.

[0021] The treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in close contact within the storage section 21. That is, the surface of the treatment agent case 30 facing the treatment agent tank 40 and the surface of the treatment agent case 30 facing the treatment agent tank 40 are close to each other. Therefore, there is no space between the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 for the user to insert their fingers, but the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 can each be removed separately from the storage section 21. That is, the user can remove the treatment agent case 30 alone from the storage section 21 without moving the treatment agent tank 40, and can also remove the treatment agent tank 40 alone from the storage section 21 without moving the treatment agent case 30.

[0022] The treatment agent case 30 has the function of receiving the treatment agent to be used in one operation and supplying the treatment agent, which was charged, for example, before operation or at the start of operation, to the water tank 12 during operation. The treatment agent case 30 is made, for example, of resin and configured in the shape of a rectangular container that is long in the front-to-back or left-to-right direction and is open at the top.

[0023] As shown in Figs. 2 to 5 etc., the treatment agent case 30 has a wall portion 31, a bottom portion 32, a partition portion 33, and one or more (in this case two) input portions 34, 35. The wall portion 31 forms the outer periphery of the container shape of the treatment agent case 30. The wall portion 31 has a front wall portion 311, left and right side wall portions 312, and a rear wall portion 313. The front wall portion 311 forms the front surface of the treatment agent case 30. The left and right side wall portions 312 form the left and right surfaces of the treatment agent case 30. The rear wall portion 313 forms the rear surface of the treatment agent case 30.

[0024] The bottom 32 forms the bottom surface of the container-shaped treatment agent case 30. The partition 33 divides the space within the container-shaped treatment agent case 30 in the front-to-rear or left-to-right direction, dividing it into an input section 34 and an input section 35. In this embodiment, the partition 33 extends in the left-to-right direction, and divides the space within the treatment agent case 30 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0025] The input sections 34, 35 are each formed in a container shape with a downward recess, and can receive laundry treatment agent inside. The input sections 34, 35 are sections that receive laundry treatment agent input from the user, and have an opening at the top. The user inputs the laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent case 30 from the opening at the top of the input sections 34, 35.

[0026] The input units 34 and 35 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the input units 34 and 35 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. For example, the input unit 34 receives detergent therein, and the input unit 35 receives fabric softener therein. In this embodiment, the input unit 34 is arranged behind the input unit 35. The input unit 34 receives detergent in an amount to be used in one operation from the user, and supplies the detergent into the water tub 12. The detergent may be in liquid or powder form. The input unit 35 receives fabric softener in an amount to be used in one operation from the user, and supplies the fabric softener into the water tub 12. The fabric softener is usually in liquid form, but is not limited to this.

[0027] 2, the treatment agent case 30 has a communication hole 36 formed in the bottom 32. The treatment agent case 30 receives water supplied into the storage section 21 through the water supply valve 173. At that time, if a laundry treatment agent is placed in the treatment agent case 30, the laundry treatment agent is flushed down from the communication hole 36 in the bottom 32 together with the water supplied to the treatment agent case 30 and supplied into the water tub 12.

[0028] The upper end of the wall portion 31 forming the outer periphery of the treatment agent case 30 is located on a plane extending in the horizontal direction. That is, the upper end of the wall portion 31 forms a plane S1 extending in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 5. In other words, the upper end of the wall portion 31 is located on the plane S1 extending in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall portion 31 is parallel to the surface formed by the top surface portion 111. In this embodiment, the upper end of the wall portion 31 forms the upper end of the treatment agent tank 40.

[0029] The treatment agent tank 40 is configured to be able to store an amount of treatment agent to be used for multiple operations. The treatment agent tank 40 is, for example, made of resin, and is configured as a rectangular hollow container that is long in the front-rear or left-right direction, and can store liquid laundry treatment agent. The treatment agent tank 40 has a capacity sufficient to store an amount of laundry treatment agent to be used for multiple operations. In this case, the capacity of the treatment agent tank 40 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to set it to at least several hundred mL to about 2 L in consideration of user convenience.

[0030] As shown in Figs. 2 to 8, the treatment agent tank 40 includes a tank body 41, an upper member 42, a tank outlet 43, and a leakage prevention valve 44. The tank body 41 constitutes the outer shell of the treatment agent tank 40, and is made of synthetic resin such as plastic. The upper member 42 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape, covers the tank body 41 from above, and opens and closes an opening at the top of the tank body 41. That is, the upper member 42 constitutes the top of the treatment agent tank 40. The tank outlet 43 is an opening through which the laundry treatment agent sucked out of the treatment agent tank 40 by the pump 22 passes. The leakage prevention valve 44 has a function of preventing the treatment agent stored in the tank body 41 from leaking out of the tank body 41 from the tank outlet 43 when the treatment agent tank 40 is removed from the storage section 21 and the tank outlet 43 and the connection section 24 of the pump 22 are not connected.

[0031] In this embodiment, the tank body 41 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped container shape that opens upward, and has a front surface 411, a side surface 412, a rear surface 413, and a bottom surface 414. The front surface 411 constitutes the front surface of the tank body 41. The side surface 412 constitutes the left and right side surfaces of the tank body 41. The rear surface 413 constitutes the rear surface of the tank body 41. The bottom surface 414 constitutes the bottom surface of the tank body 41.

[0032] The upper member 42 has a frame member 421, an inlet 422, and a lid member 423. The frame member 421 and the lid member 423 are made of synthetic resin such as plastic, similar to the tank body 41. The frame member 421 forms the outer shell of the upper member 42. The frame member 421 is formed in a rectangular frame shape with an opening on the inside. The inlet 422 forms an opening of the frame member 421, and communicates between the inside and the outside of the treatment agent tank 40 when the upper member 42 is attached to the tank body 41.

[0033] The lid member 423 is plate-shaped and opens and closes the input port 422. The lid member 423 is attached to the upper member 42 by a hinge (not shown) and is configured to be able to open and close the input port 422. When the treatment agent tank 40 is stored in the storage section 21, the user can open the cover member 23 and the lid member 423 to expose the input port 422 and input the laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 40 from the input port 422. In addition, the user can remove the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 and, when the lid member 423 is opened to expose the input port 422, input the laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 40 from the input port 422.

[0034] The frame member 421 and the cover member 423 are provided so that their upper surfaces are flush with each other. The upper surface of the upper member 42 forms a plane S2 that extends horizontally as a whole, as shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8. In other words, the upper surface of the upper member 42 is located on the plane S2 that extends horizontally. As shown in Figure 5, when the processing agent case 30 and the processing agent tank 40 are housed in the housing section 21, the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 is parallel to the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall section 31 of the processing agent case 30.

[0035] The tank outlet 43 is formed in an opening shape penetrating the lower rear part of the tank body 41, in this case, a part of the back surface part 413 in the thickness direction. The pump 22 is provided on the outside of the storage part 21, in this case, at the rear of the storage part 21. As shown in FIG. 9, the storage part 21 has a connection part 24. The connection part 24 is formed in a tubular shape penetrating the storage part 21, and connects the inside of the storage part 21 and the pump 22. The connection part 24 is provided on a surface of the processing agent tank 40 opposite to the surface facing the processing agent case 30. In other words, the tank outlet 43 is provided on the surface opposite to the handle part 50. In this embodiment, the connection part 24 is provided on the surface of the wall of the storage part 21 that faces the back surface part 413 when the processing agent tank 40 is stored in the storage part 21.

[0036] The leak prevention valve 44 is provided between the tank outlet 43 and the inside of the tank body 41. When the tank outlet 43 and the connection part 24 are connected, the leak prevention valve 44 opens between the tank outlet 43 and the inside of the tank body 41. This allows the pump 22 to suck out the laundry treatment agent stored in the tank body 41. On the other hand, when the tank outlet 43 and the connection part 24 are not connected, the leak prevention valve 44 closes between the tank outlet 43 and the inside of the tank body 41, thereby preventing the laundry treatment agent in the tank body 41 from leaking out from the tank outlet 43 to the outside.

[0037] When the treatment agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodation section 21, the connection part 24 is inserted into the tank outlet 43. The connection part 24 is connected to the leak prevention valve 44, thereby connecting the inside of the tank main body 41 and the pump 22. In other words, in a state in which the connection part 24 is inserted into the tank outlet 43, the connection part 24 connects the inside of the tank main body 41 and the pump 22.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 3 etc., the washing machine 10 is provided with one or more (in this case, two) treatment agent tanks 40. In this embodiment, the washing machine 10 is provided with a detergent tank 401 and a finishing agent tank 402 as the treatment agent tanks 40. The detergent tank 401 is for storing an amount of detergent used for multiple operations, in this case, liquid detergent. The finishing agent tank 402 is for storing an amount of fabric softener used for multiple operations, in this case, liquid fabric softener.

[0039] The processing agent tank 40 has a handle 50. When removing the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21, the user can grasp the handle 50 and pull out the processing agent tank 40 diagonally upward. The handle 50 is provided on the upper part of the tank body 41, in this case, on the upper part of the front part 411.

[0040] Hand grip portion 50 protrudes forward from front surface portion 411 and is generally U-shaped when viewed from above. As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, hand grip portion 50 has front portion 51, left and right side portions 52, and a recess 53. Front portion 51 forms a surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction, that is, the front surface of hand grip portion 50 extending in the up-down and left-right directions. In this case, being perpendicular to the front-rear direction does not necessarily have to be strictly perpendicular to the front-rear direction, but means including a component perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

[0041] In this embodiment, the front portion 51 includes a first surface 511 extending in the vertical direction, and a second surface 512 located below the first surface 511 and inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The vertical length of the first surface 511 is set to about 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the vertical length of the entire front surface 411. In this embodiment, the vertical length of the first surface 511 is set to about 1 / 2 of the vertical length of the entire front surface 411.

[0042] The second surface 512 is inclined downward toward the rear from the lower end of the first surface 511. The upper end of the second surface 512 is connected to the lower end of the first surface 511, and the lower end of the second surface 512 is connected to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41.

[0043] The left and right side portions 52 form the left and right side surfaces of the handle portion 50. In this embodiment, the left and right side portions 52 form a surface perpendicular to the left-right direction. In this case, perpendicular to the left-right direction does not necessarily have to be strictly perpendicular to the left-right direction, but means including a component perpendicular to the left-right direction. The side portions 52 extend from the left and right ends of the front portion 51 to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41. In other words, the front ends of the side portions 52 are connected to the left and right ends of the front portion 51, and the rear ends of the side portions 52 are connected to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41.

[0044] The recess 53 is formed in a concave shape by recessing a part of the front part 51 toward the rear. The recess 53 receives the user's fingers when gripping the handgrip 50, making it easier for the user to grip. In this case, the recess 53 is located in the lower part of the front part 51. In other words, the recess 53 is provided leaving the upper part of the front part 51, and is provided from the lower end of the second surface 512 to the center of the first surface 511 in the vertical direction. When gripping the handgrip 50, the user can, for example, insert the thumb from the front into the recess 53 and insert the other fingers from the rear of the front part 51 between the handgrip 50 and the tank body 41.

[0045] The vertical length of the recess 53 can be set to a length that allows an adult user's thumb to be hooked or inserted therein. Specifically, the vertical length of the recess 53 may be set to, for example, 1 cm to 4 cm. The vertical length of the recess 53 may be set to, for example, 2 cm to 3 cm.

[0046] Furthermore, the recess 53 is provided at the center in the left-right direction of the handle 50. Since the center lines of the handle 50 and the tank body 41 in the left-right direction coincide with each other, it can be said that the recess 53 is provided at the center in the left-right direction of the tank body 41. Therefore, when a user puts his / her fingers into the recess 53 and grips the handle 50, the user will grip the center in the left-right direction of the treatment agent tank 40. Therefore, even if a large amount of laundry treatment agent is stored in the treatment agent tank 40 and the overall weight is heavy, the user can hold the treatment agent tank 40 stably.

[0047] The recess 53 forms a curved surface or a flat surface extending from the front part 51 toward the rear. That is, the recess 53 is formed in a tunnel shape extending in the front-rear direction, having a three-dimensional curved surface or a plurality of flat surfaces, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 and the like. That is, the recess 53 has a three-dimensional configuration. When the user inserts his / her fingers into the recess 53, the recess 53 contacts the user's fingers at least at a plurality of points. Therefore, even if the weight of the treatment agent tank 40 is heavy, the user's fingers can support the handgrip 50 with a surface. Therefore, compared with the case where the user's fingers and the handgrip 50 are in point contact or line contact, the user's fingers receive a reaction force from the handgrip 50 in a distributed manner over a wide area. Therefore, the treatment agent tank 40 can be stably supported, and the handgrip 50 is less likely to bite into the user's fingers, improving the operability.

[0048] The recess 53 extends from the front portion 51 to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41. The length of the recess 53 in the front-rear direction may be any length that can support the user's fingers, and for example, in another embodiment, the recess 53 may not be connected to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41. Furthermore, the recess 53 does not have to form a continuous surface, and may have a notch, a slit, or the like.

[0049] As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the recess 53 has a curved upper portion and a semicircular upper portion, so to speak, a dome shape, when viewed from the front. In this case, when the user inserts his / her finger, the recess 53 fits the curved finger more easily, and the user can hold it more stably. The shape of the recess 53 is not limited to a dome shape. For example, in other embodiments, the upper portion may be flat. In this case, the surface perpendicular to the upward force in the direction in which the user's finger pushes the handle portion 50 when the user takes out the treatment agent tank 40 upward becomes wider, so that the reaction force that the user's finger receives from the handle portion 50 is distributed over a wider area, improving the user's operability.

[0050] Upper end 531 of recess 53 extends horizontally from the front to the rear as shown in the vertical cross-sectional view of Fig. 8. In other words, when comparing the height from bottom surface 414 of processing agent tank 40, the height position of the front end of upper end 531 of recess 53 is set to be the same as the height position of the rear end of upper end 531, in this case the connection portion with front surface 411 of processing agent tank 40.

[0051] In other embodiments, the upper end of recess 53 may be configured to be inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. For example, upper end 531 may be inclined downward from the front to the rear. In this case, since the user inserts his / her fingers into recess 53 from above, the user's insertion direction and the inclination direction of recess 53 coincide with each other, making it easier for the user to insert his / her fingers.

[0052] On the other hand, upper end 531 may be inclined so as to rise from the front to the rear. In this case, after processing agent tank 40 is removed from storage section 21, it is assumed that the user's fingers will be inserted from below into recess 53, for example, when gripping processing agent tank 40 placed on top surface section 111 of outer box 11. In this case, if upper end 531 is inclined so as to rise from the front to the rear, the user's insertion direction and the inclination direction of recess 53 will match, making it easier for the user to grip handle section 50.

[0053] 10 to 13, the washing machine 10 further includes a regulating mechanism 60. The regulating mechanism 60 regulates the movement of the processing agent tank 40 when the processing agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodation section 21. The regulating mechanism 60 also ensures that the processing agent tank 40 is accommodated in a predetermined position in the accommodation section 21, and ensures a reliable connection between the tank outlet 43 of the processing agent tank 40 and the connection section 24 of the pump 22.

[0054] The regulating mechanism 60 includes a pair of regulating parts 61 and a regulated part 62. When the processing agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodation part 21, the pair of regulating parts 61 and the regulated part 62 fit together to regulate the movement of the processing agent tank 40 in the upward, left-right, and front-rear directions.

[0055] In this embodiment, the pair of regulating portions 61 are provided so as to protrude upward from the bottom portion 212 of the storage portion 21. The regulated portion 62 is provided so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41. In this case, the regulating portions 61 are integrally molded with the storage portion 21 using, for example, a resin or metal member. The regulated portions 62 are also integrally molded with the tank body 41 using, for example, a resin.

[0056] The position of the tip 621 of the regulated portion 62 is set to be approximately the same as the position of the lower end of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41 or higher than the position of the lower end of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41. That is, the regulated portion 62 is provided in the recessed portion 45 provided in the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41. The recessed portion 45 is formed by recessing a part of the front end of the bottom surface portion 414 upward. The regulated portion 62 protrudes downward from the upper surface of the recessed portion 45. Therefore, even if the processing agent tank 40 is removed from the storage portion 21 and placed on, for example, the top surface portion 111 of the outer box 11, the regulated portion 62 does not protrude from the lowest part of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41, and the processing agent tank 40 can stand independently.

[0057] The pair of regulating portions 61 are formed in a generally rectangular plate shape that is long in the up-down direction as shown in Figures 12 and 13, and are disposed facing each other. A recess 611 that receives a tip end 621 of the regulated portion 62 is provided on the opposing surface of the regulating portion 61, i.e., the surface facing the regulated portion 62. The recess 611 is formed by recessing the surface of the regulating portion 61 that faces the regulated portion 62 in the thickness direction of the regulating portion 61.

[0058] The regulated portion 62 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape extending in the up-down and left-right directions, with the tip portion 621 bulging out in the left-right direction, that is, toward the recessed portion 611 of the regulating portion 61. The left-right width dimension L1 of the tip portion 621 is set to be larger than the distance L2 between the opposing regulating portions 61. The left-right width dimension L1 of the tip portion 621 is set to be approximately the same as the maximum value of the width between the recessed portions 611 of the regulating portion 61.

[0059] Since the upper end of the regulating portion 61 is a free end, the regulating portion 61 is bent in the left-right direction by an external force. When the user stores the processing agent tank 40 in the storage section 21, the regulated portion 62 is inserted between the pair of regulating portions 61. When the regulated portion 62 is inserted between the pair of regulating portions 61 from above, the regulating portion 61 is bent outward, that is, in a direction away from the regulated portion 62, to receive the regulated portion 62. FIG. 12 shows a state in which the pair of regulating portions 61 and the regulated portion 62 are fitted together. When the processing agent tank 40 is completely stored in the storage section 21, that is, when the bottom surface portion 414 of the processing agent tank 40 reaches the bottom portion 212 of the storage section 21, the tip portion 621 of the regulated portion 62 reaches the recessed portion 611. The tip portion 621 is stored between the pair of recessed portions 611, and the regulating portion 61 is released from the bent state.

[0060] On the other hand, when the user removes the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21, the tip portion 621 of the regulated portion 62 comes out of the recessed portion 611, causing the pair of regulating portions 61 to bend outward, i.e., in a direction away from the regulated portions 62. When the tip portion 621 of the regulated portion 62 climbs over the regulating portion 61, the regulating portion 61 is released from the bent state. Figure 13 shows a state in which the pair of regulating portions 61 and regulated portions 62 are no longer fitted together.

[0061] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the regulated portion 62 is provided on the bottom portion 414 near the front portion 411. When a user positioned at the front side of the washing machine 10 removes the treatment agent tank 40, the user first lifts the handle portion 50 so as to rotate it upward about the bottom portion 414 near the rear portion 413 as a fulcrum. In this case, compared to the case where the regulating mechanism 60 is provided near the rear portion 413 of the tank body 41, the engagement between the regulating portion 61 and the regulated portion 62 can be released by slightly lifting the handle portion 50 upward.

[0062] In this case, the upward movement distance required for disengagement between the restricting portion 61 and the restricted portion 62, i.e., the movement distance H required for the tip portion 621 of the restricted portion 62 to get over the restricted portion 62 as shown in Fig. 12, can be set to, for example, 1 cm to 3 cm. In this embodiment, the upward movement distance H required for disengagement between the restricting portion 61 and the restricted portion 62 can be set to, for example, 2 cm.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 9, FIG. 10, FIG. 13, etc., the treatment agent case 30 has a notch 37. The notch 37 is formed by cutting out a part of the upper end of the wall 31 of the treatment agent case 30 so as to recess it downward. The notch 37 is provided in the part of the wall 31 that faces the treatment agent tank 40, in this case the back wall 313. More specifically, the notch 37 is provided at a position that faces the handles 50 of each treatment agent tank 401, 402. Therefore, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are stored in the storage section 21, a part of the front 51 of the handle 50 is exposed to the user side, in this case the front, through the notch 37. That is, the user can access the handle 50 through the notch 37.

[0064] In this embodiment, the height position of the upper end of the rear wall portion 313 is set to be approximately the same as the height position of the upper end of the front portion 51 of the handle portion 50 when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the housing portion 21. Therefore, if the cutout portion 37 is not provided, the front portion 51 of the handle portion 50 will be covered by the rear wall portion 313, making it difficult for the user to see and for the user to grip.

[0065] In this embodiment, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21, it is only a part of the first surface 511 that is exposed by the cutout portion 37 in the front portion 51. In this embodiment, the upper end portion of the recess 53 is slightly visible from the user side, but in other embodiments, it does not matter if the recess 53 is not visible from the user side when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21.

[0066] When the treatment agent tank 40 is pulled upward by a distance H, that is, when the regulated portion 62 climbs over the regulating portion 61, the recess 53 is exposed from the cutout portion 37 toward the user side (in this case, toward the front) as shown in Fig. 11. Therefore, when the regulated portion 62 climbs over the regulating portion 61, the recess 53 is visible from the user side and the user can insert his or her finger into it.

[0067] When removing the processing agent tank 40 from the storage unit 21, the user first grasps the front portion 51 of the handle portion 50 exposed from the cutout portion 37 and pulls it upward as shown by the arrow in FIG. 10. When the user pulls the processing agent tank 40 upward by a distance H and the regulated portion 62 overcomes the regulating portion 61 as shown in FIG. 11, the recess 53 is exposed from the cutout portion 37. The user can securely grip the handle portion 50 by, for example, inserting the thumb into the recess 53 and placing the other fingers against the first surface 511 from behind. Thereafter, the user can further pull the processing agent tank 40 upward or diagonally upward to remove the processing agent tank 40 from the storage unit 21.

[0068] 3 and 4 show a state in which the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21 with the cover member 23 removed or opened. In this case, the upper end of the wall portion 31 forming the outer periphery of the treatment agent case 30 and the upper member 42 forming the upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40 are exposed upward from the opening 211 of the storage section 21. In other words, with the cover member 23 open, there is no configuration that covers the treatment agent case 30 and the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 from above. Therefore, a user looking into the storage section 21 from above can see the entire treatment agent case 30 and the upper portion of the treatment agent tank 40 at once.

[0069] In addition, when the cover member 23 is open, the treatment agent case 30 and the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 are not covered from above, so that the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 can be independently pulled upward and removed. In addition, the treatment agent case 30 can be attached to the storage section 21 with the treatment agent tank 40 housed in the storage section 21, and the treatment agent tank 40 can be attached to the storage section 21 with the treatment agent case 30 housed in the storage section 21. In this case, the treatment agent tank 40 can be attached to the storage section 21 by inserting it downward. In this case, upward and downward do not necessarily mean only movement in a direction perpendicular to the floor surface, but mainly include movement in a vertical direction component. In addition, upward and downward can also mean movement in a direction that the operating user can perceive as being taken out upward or inserted downward.

[0070] In this embodiment, the processing agent tank 40 is shaped to protrude slightly rearward at the lower part where the tank outlet 43 is provided, but the depth dimension of the processing agent tank 40 is set to be approximately the same at the upper and lower parts of the processing agent tank 40. In other words, the depth dimension from the front part 51 of the handle part 50 of the processing agent tank 40 to the back part 413 of the tank body 41 is set to be approximately the same as the depth dimension from the front part 411 to the back part 413 at the lower part of the processing agent tank 40. In this case, the front part of the processing agent tank 40, i.e., the handle part 50, is in close contact with the processing agent case 30, and the rear part of the processing agent tank 40, i.e., the rear end part or back part 413 of the upper member 42, is in close contact with the back wall of the storage part 21. Therefore, when the processing agent tank 40 is moved strictly in the vertical direction, the processing agent tank 40 may collide with the processing agent case 30 or the storage part 21 on the way, and the movement of the processing agent tank 40 may be restricted.

[0071] Therefore, when removing the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21, the user first pulls up the processing agent tank 40 so that the upper part of the processing agent tank 40 is positioned above the opening 211. After that, the user may pull the processing agent tank 40 slightly forward while pulling it up until the lower part of the processing agent tank 40 is above the opening 211. Alternatively, the user may pull up the processing agent tank 40 until the lower part of the processing agent tank 40 is above the opening 211 while slightly rotating the handle section 50 diagonally upward and backward, using the vicinity of the center of the processing agent tank 40 as the center of rotation.

[0072] Furthermore, when attaching the processing agent tank 40 to the storage section 21, the user first holds the processing agent tank 40 and moves it downward to insert the lower part of the processing agent tank 40 below the opening 211. The user may then insert the processing agent tank 40 further downward while pushing it slightly backward, until the upper part of the processing agent tank 40 is inserted below the opening 211. Alternatively, the user may move the handle section 50 downward while slightly rotating it diagonally downward and forward around the vicinity of the center of the processing agent tank 40 as the center of rotation, until the upper part of the processing agent tank 40 is inserted below the opening 211.

[0073] As described above, when the processing agent case 30 and the processing agent tank 40 are accommodated in the storage section 21, the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 40 is parallel to the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall section 31 of the processing agent case 30. Furthermore, the planes S1 and S2 are parallel to the top surface section 111. Therefore, when accommodating the processing agent tank 40 in the storage section 21, the user may compare the planes S1 and S2, or the top surface section 111 and S2. In this case, if it is visually confirmed that the planes S1 and S2, or the top surface section 111 and S2, are parallel to each other, it can be concluded that the processing agent tank 40 is securely attached to the storage section 21.

[0074] 15, when the processing agent tank 40 is not completely attached to the storage section 21, that is, when the processing agent tank 40 is in a partially inserted state, the planes S1 and S2 are not parallel to each other. Therefore, if the planes S1 and S2 are not parallel to each other, the user can visually confirm that the processing agent tank 40 is in a partially inserted state.

[0075] Here, for the convenience of the user, it is preferable that the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40, both of which are the destinations for the laundry treatment agent, are arranged in the same part. Furthermore, in order to make the entire product compact, it is preferable that the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed as closely as possible. On the other hand, it is assumed that the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed closely, and therefore it becomes difficult to remove the treatment agent tank 40, which is larger than the treatment agent case 30, by itself. In this case, if the treatment agent case 30 is configured to need to be removed once in order to remove the treatment agent tank 40, the user must remove the treatment agent case 30 even when only the treatment agent tank 40 is to be removed, which increases the number of steps and is troublesome. In addition, the treatment agent case 30 may be surrounded by water or laundry treatment agent, and the user may have trouble finding a place to place the wet treatment agent case 30.

[0076] In contrast, according to the present embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 includes the outer box 11, the water tub 12, the storage section 21, the treatment agent case 30, and the treatment agent tank 40. The outer box 11 is formed in a box shape. The water tub 12 is provided inside the outer box 11. The storage section 21 is provided inside the outer box 11 and has an opening 211 formed by opening the top surface section 111 side of the outer box 11. The treatment agent case 30 is configured to receive the laundry treatment agent used in one operation and supply the laundry treatment agent to the water tub 12. The treatment agent tank 40 is configured to be able to store the laundry treatment agent used for multiple operations. The storage section 21 is configured to be able to store the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 horizontally arranged inside. The treatment agent tank 40 can be attached to or detached from the storage section 21 with the treatment agent case 30 stored in the storage section 21.

[0077] This allows the user to attach and detach the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 independently of the attachment and detachment of the treatment agent case 30. Therefore, it is possible to provide a washing machine in which the treatment agent tank 40 is easy to remove and which is more convenient for the user.

[0078] The processing agent tank 40 is configured so that it can be inserted downward to be attached to the storage section 21, or pulled upward to be removed from the storage section 21, with the processing agent case 30 accommodated in the storage section 21.

[0079] According to this, the storage section 21 is open on the top surface section 111 side, and the user is in a state of looking into the storage section 21 from above. In this state, the user can remove the treatment agent tank 40 facing upward or attach it facing downward, so that the movement of the user's arm when attaching or detaching the treatment agent tank 40 is pulling it toward the body or sticking it out from the body. Therefore, compared to movements in other directions, the user can apply more force, making it easier to attach and detach the treatment agent tank 40. Therefore, it is possible to provide a washing machine with improved user convenience.

[0080] The washing machine 10 is provided with a cover member 23 that opens and closes an opening 211 of the storage section 21. With the cover member 23 open and the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 stored in the storage section 21, the outer periphery of the treatment agent case 30, i.e., the wall section 31, and the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., the outer periphery of the upper member 42, are exposed upward from the opening 211.

[0081] Although the dimensions of the treatment agent tank 40 are larger than those of the treatment agent case 30, the entire upper member 42 is exposed from the opening 211, so that the treatment agent tank 40 can be easily removed from the storage section 21. Furthermore, the user can visually check the upper end of the wall section 31 of the treatment agent case 30 and the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 at once. Therefore, when the treatment agent tank 40 is not completely attached to the storage section 21, it is easy to notice that the treatment agent tank 40 is only partially inserted by comparing the positions of the two. Therefore, it is possible to provide a washing machine with improved user convenience.

[0082] With the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 housed in the housing 21, the upper end of the treatment agent case 30 extends parallel to the plane S2 formed by the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., the upper member 42. In other words, the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall portion 31 of the treatment agent case 30 and the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the treatment agent tank 40 extend parallel to each other.

[0083] According to this, if the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 40 is not parallel to the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall portion 31 of the processing agent case 30, the processing agent tank 40 is suspected to be in a half-inserted state, that is, the connection between the tank outlet 43 and the connection portion 24 is incomplete. Therefore, by comparing the plane S1 formed by the upper end of the wall portion 31 of the processing agent case 30 with the plane S2 formed by the upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 40, the user can visually confirm that the processing agent tank 40 is completely attached to the storage portion 21. Therefore, it is possible to provide a washing machine with improved user convenience.

[0084] Incidentally, a plurality of processing agent tanks (in this case two) 401, 402 are accommodated in the accommodation section 21. The upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 401 and the upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 402 form a plane S2 extending parallel to each other. Therefore, by visually comparing the upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 401 with the upper member 42 of the processing agent tank 402, the user can visually confirm whether the two are completely attached to each other.

[0085] The washing machine 10 includes a pump 22, a tank outlet 43, and a connection part 24. The pump 22 has a function of sucking out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 40 and supplying the sucked out laundry treatment agent to the water tub 12. The tank outlet 43 is an opening formed in the treatment agent tank 40 and serves as an outlet for supplying the laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 40 to the water tub 12. The connection part 24 has a function of connecting the pump 22 and the tank outlet 43. The treatment agent case 30 is provided with respect to the treatment agent tank 40 so as to face the surface on which the tank outlet 43 is provided, that is, the surface opposite to the back surface 413 in this case, that is, the front surface 411.

[0086] Ensuring a reliable connection between the pump 22 and the processing agent tank 40 is necessary to prevent problems such as leakage from the processing agent tank 40 and failure to perform automatic dispensing. According to this embodiment, if the processing agent case 30 is raised after the processing agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodation section 21, the user can place the processing agent case 30 and the processing agent tank 40 in a predetermined position by pushing the processing agent case 30 toward the processing agent tank 40, that is, pushing it toward the back in this case. In addition, by pushing the processing agent case 30 toward the processing agent tank 40, that is, pushing it toward the back in this case, the connection between the pump 22 and the processing agent tank 40 can be ensured. Furthermore, the user can position the processing agent tank 40 when attaching it by utilizing the positional relationship between the processing agent case 30 and the part of the processing agent tank 40 that faces the processing agent case 30, that is, the front part 411 and the handle part 50. Therefore, it is possible to provide a washing machine in which the processing agent tank 40 can be easily attached and the user's convenience is improved.

[0087] The treatment agent tank 40 has a handle 50 on which a user can place his or her fingers, on the side facing the treatment agent case 30. The wall 31 constituting the outer periphery of the treatment agent case 30 has a notch 37 in the upper part on the side facing the treatment agent tank 40.

[0088] According to this, at least a part of the handle 50 is exposed to the user side with the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 housed in the storage section 21. Therefore, even when the treatment agent case 30 is housed in the storage section 21, the user can grasp the handle 50 from the cutout 37 and easily pull up the treatment agent tank 40. This makes it easy to remove the treatment agent tank 40, and provides a washing machine with improved user convenience.

[0089] Second embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 16 and 17. The washing machine 10 of the second embodiment has one or more recesses 70 in the treatment agent tank 40. The recesses 70 are formed by recessing at least a part of the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40 toward the inside of the treatment agent tank 40. The recesses 70 are formed so that a user's fingers can be inserted, and when removing the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 or attaching it, the user can hook or insert their fingers into the recesses 70 to grip the treatment agent tank 40. Note that Fig. 16 shows the treatment agent tank 40 without the cover member 423.

[0090] The recess 70 may be formed on any of the front, back, or side of the processing agent tank 40. In this embodiment, the recess 70 is provided on the side of the processing agent tank 40 as shown in FIG. 16. The recess 70 may be formed on the side of the outer circumferential surface of the processing agent tank 40 where the adjacent processing agent tanks 401, 402 face each other. FIG. 16 shows the detergent tank 401, in which the recess 70 is provided on the side facing the finishing agent tank 402, i.e., the right side. As shown in FIG. 17, the finishing agent tank 402 may have the recess 70 on the side facing the detergent tank 401, i.e., the left side.

[0091] In this case, the position of the recess 70 provided in the detergent tank 401 and the position of the recess 70 provided in the finishing agent tank 402 are set to face each other. Therefore, when the processing agent tanks 401, 402 are housed in the storage section 21, a space having a width at least twice the depth of the depression of each recess 70 is formed between the processing agent tank 401 and the processing agent tank 402. The user can insert his or her fingers into the space formed jointly by the two recesses 70 to reliably remove the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 or attach it to the storage section 21.

[0092] 16, the recess 70 is formed to extend in the vertical direction over substantially the entirety of the upper member 42 and the side surface portion 412 of the tank body 41. Note that in other embodiments, the recess 70 may be formed only in the upper member 42, or may be provided in the upper member 42 and a portion of the upper portion of the side surface portion 412.

[0093] The position of the recess 70 can be set at a position close to the center of gravity of the processing agent tank 40. For example, the position of the recess 70 can be set at the center in the left-right direction of the processing agent tank 40, or the center in the front-rear direction, or in the vicinity of these. In this embodiment, the position of the recess 70 is set at a position slightly forward of the center point of the length dimension in the front-rear direction of the processing agent tank 40. In this case, the position of the recess 70 is set at the center point of the length dimension in the front-rear direction of the upper member 42.

[0094] The depth of the recess 70 can be set to a dimension that allows an adult's thumb to be hooked or inserted into the recess. Specifically, the depth of the recess 70 may be set to 0.5 cm to 2 cm. Specifically, the depth of the recess 70 may be set to 1 cm to 1.5 cm.

[0095] Here, because the handle 50 is provided protruding forward from the tank body 41, it is located somewhat away from the center of gravity of the treatment agent tank 40. For example, when a large amount of laundry treatment agent is stored in the treatment agent tank 40, the weight of the treatment agent tank 40 and the laundry treatment agent combined may be considerable, and a user with weak strength may find it difficult to grasp the handle 50, which is away from the center of gravity, and support the treatment agent tank 40.

[0096] In contrast, according to the second embodiment described above, the treatment agent tank 40 of the washing machine 10 has a recess 70 formed by recessing at least a part of the upper portion toward the inside of the treatment agent tank 40.

[0097] This allows the user to grasp the treatment agent tank 40 from above when attaching or detaching the treatment agent tank 40. Since the recess 70 is provided at least in the upper part of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., in the upper part of the tank body 41, the distance from the center of gravity of the treatment agent tank 40 is shorter than the position of the handle part 50. Therefore, even when a large amount of laundry treatment agent is stored, the user can hold the treatment agent tank 40 more stably by grasping the recess 70. This improves user operability.

[0098] In this embodiment, one recess 70 is provided in each processing agent tank 40, but in other embodiments, multiple recesses 70 may be provided in each processing agent tank 40. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 18, two recesses 70 are provided in each processing agent tank 40. In this case, the recesses 70 are provided on the left and right side surfaces of the processing agent tank 40. In yet another embodiment, the recesses 70 may be provided on the front and rear surfaces of the processing agent tank 40. Note that FIG. 18 shows the processing agent tank 40 without the cover member 423.

[0099] Furthermore, when the processing agent tank 40 is provided with the recess 70, the user can easily remove the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 by gripping the recess 70 without gripping the handle portion 50. Therefore, in this case, the processing agent case 30 may not be provided with the notch portion 37. Also, the processing agent tank 40 may not be provided with the handle portion 50.

[0100] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 10... washing machine, 11... outer box, 12... water tank, 21... storage section, 211... opening, 212... bottom, 22... pump, 23... cover member, 30... treatment agent case, 31... wall section, 37... notch section, 40... treatment agent tank, 41... tank body, 43... tank outlet, 50... handle section, 51... front section, 52... side section, 53... recessed section, 70... recess (second embodiment)

Claims

1. An outer box formed in a box shape; A water tank provided in the outer box; A storage section is provided in the outer box and has an opening formed by opening a top surface side of the outer box; a treatment case for receiving a laundry treatment agent to be used in one operation and supplying the laundry treatment agent to the water tub; A treatment tank capable of storing a laundry treatment agent to be used for multiple operations, the storage unit is capable of storing the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank in the same space while being arranged side by side in a horizontal direction, When the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodation section, an outer periphery of the treatment agent case and an outer periphery of an upper part of the treatment agent tank are exposed upward from the opening. washing machine.

2. The processing agent tank can be inserted downward into the storage section with the processing agent case accommodated in the storage section, or can be pulled upward into the storage section and removed from the storage section. The washing machine according to claim 1.

3. 3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein when the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodation section, an upper end of the treatment agent case extends parallel to a plane formed by an upper portion of the treatment agent tank.

4. The treatment agent tank has a handle portion on which a user can place his / her hand from above the opening. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the treatment agent case is disposed at a position closer to a user than the treatment agent tank in a state in which the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodation portion. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodation portion so as to be aligned in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction, a longitudinal direction of the treatment agent case and a longitudinal direction of the treatment agent tank are perpendicular to each other when the treatment agent case is accommodated in the accommodation portion; The washing machine according to claim 5.

7. The bottom of the storage portion has a first portion and a second portion that is higher in height than the first portion, the processing agent tank abuts against the second portion when housed in the housing portion; The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A water supply path is further provided connecting the storage unit to the water tank, a water outlet from the storage unit to the water supply path is disposed at a position overlapping a part of the treatment agent tank when viewed in a vertical direction in a state in which the treatment agent tank is stored in the storage unit; The washing machine according to claim 7.

Images