Washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine which includes a treatment agent tank in which cleaning of a connection part with a filter member and a pump is easy.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: a water tub; and an automatic input device which includes a treatment agent tank which can store a washing treatment agent for a plurality of times of washing operation, and a pump for extracting a predetermined amount of a washing treatment agent from the treatment agent tank, and which automatically inputs a predetermined amount of the washing treatment agent into the water tub. The treatment agent tank includes: a tank body which has an opening part and which is formed in a container-like shape; a cap member which detachably closes the opening part, and which has a connection part connected to the pump including a check valve; and a filter member which is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape having a bottom part and a trunk part, which is arranged between the opening part and the cap member having a posture in which the bottom part faces the inside of the tank body, and which captures a foreign object in the washing treatment agent which the pump sucks out.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

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 have been developed that are equipped with an automatic dispenser that stores a plurality of times' worth of laundry treatment agent in a tank for automatic dispensing and automatically dispenses the required amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank during each washing operation. In order to prevent dirt and the like contained in the laundry treatment agent from being dispensed, this type of treatment agent tank has a mesh-like filter member between the laundry treatment agent inlet and outlet, and even if foreign matter is mixed into the laundry treatment agent, this filter member captures the foreign matter, thereby preventing the foreign matter from being sucked into a pump that sucks the laundry treatment agent from inside the treatment agent tank.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a washing machine comprising a housing forming an outer shell, a water tub supported within the housing, a washing tub rotatably arranged within the water tub, a bottomed tank for storing a liquid such as a detergent or fabric softener and having an outlet for discharging the liquid downward, a filter for filtering out foreign matter, and a liquid supply device for supplying the liquid from the tank to the washing tub, with the filter being arranged at an angle inside the tank so as to cover the upper part of the outlet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-171800 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The filter member, which is inclined and hung across two sides of the treatment tank, tends to be large in size. Also, if the filter member is removed while the treatment tank is filled with laundry treatment agent, the unfiltered laundry treatment agent and the filtered laundry treatment agent will mix together, so it is impossible to clean the filter member and the connection part with the pump unless the contents of the treatment tank are completely used up.

[0006] In view of this, a washing machine is provided that is equipped with a treatment agent tank that allows easy cleaning of the filter member and the connection portion with the pump. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The washing machine according to the embodiment includes a water tub, a treatment agent tank capable of storing a laundry treatment agent for multiple washing cycles, a pump for extracting a predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank, and an automatic dosing device for automatically dosing the predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent into the water tub. The treatment agent tank includes a tank body formed in a container shape with an opening, a cap member for detachably closing the opening and having a connection part for connecting to the pump, and a filter member formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having a bottom and a body, the filter member being disposed between the opening and the cap member with the bottom facing inward of the tank body, and capturing foreign matter in the laundry treatment agent sucked out by the pump. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an example of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a treatment agent tank and a storage unit of an example of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a tank body of an example of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional side view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank of an example of a washing machine according to another embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a cap member of an example of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 7] An enlarged view of the area within circle VII in Figure 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a filter member of an example of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement relationship between a filter member, a cap member, and a cylindrical portion of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 10] 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the cap member and the filter member along line XX in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a filter member fixed to a cap member of an example of a washing machine according to a second embodiment; [Figure 12] A cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a filter member of an example of a washing machine according to a third embodiment; [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship between an opening of a filter member and a cap member in an example of a washing machine according to a third embodiment; [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a treatment agent tank and a storage unit of an example of a washing machine according to a fourth embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Washing machines according to several embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Elements that are substantially the same in each embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted. Each embodiment can be applied to both a horizontal-axis or diagonal-axis drum washing machine shown in FIG. 1 and a vertical-axis washing machine not shown.

[0010] (First embodiment) The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. As shown in Figure 1, the washing machine 10 includes an outer box 11, a water tub 12, a rotating tub 13, a rotating tub motor 14, a water supply path 15, a water supply valve 16, a drainage path 17, a drainage valve 18, a water injection case 19, and an automatic insertion device 20.

[0011] The outer case 11 constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 10 and is formed, for example, in a box shape. The water tub 12 is disposed within the outer case 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The spin tub 13 is disposed rotatably within the water tub 12. In this case, the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 function as a washing tub that accommodates laundry therein. The spin tub motor 14 drives the spin tub 13 to rotate.

[0012] The water supply path 15 is a water passage that runs from an external water source (not shown), such as a water faucet, to the water tank 12. The water supply valve 16 is provided midway along the water supply path 15 and has the function of opening and closing the water supply path 15. The water supply valve 16 is composed of an on-off valve for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed, and opens and closes based on an electromagnetic command. The water supply valve 16 controls the water supply to the water tank 12. The upstream side of the water supply valve 16 is connected to an external water source (not shown), such as a water faucet. The downstream side of the water supply valve 16 is connected to the water tank 12, for example, via a water injection case 19.

[0013] Drain path 17 is a waterway leading from water tub 12 to the outside of the machine, and drains the water in water tub 12 to the outside of the machine. Drain valve 18 is provided midway along drain path 17 and has the function of opening and closing drain path 17. Drain valve 18 is composed of an on-off valve for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed, and opens and closes based on an electromagnetic command. The upstream side of drain valve 18 is connected to water tub 12. The downstream side of drain valve 18 is connected to an external drain, for example.

[0014] The water injection case 19 is made of, for example, resin and is formed in a box shape having an internal space. The water injection case 19 is provided downstream of the water supply valve 16 in the middle of the water supply path 15. The water injection case 19 can be configured to have, for example, one or more treatment agent storage sections 191. The treatment agent storage sections 191 are used when the user manually adds the laundry treatment agent for each wash run.

[0015] The treatment agent storage unit 191 is formed in a container shape and configured to be insertable into or detachable from the water supply case 19, for example, and receives, for example, a liquid or powder laundry treatment agent from the user. When the water supply valve 16 is opened with the laundry treatment agent added to the treatment agent storage unit 191, the laundry treatment agent added to the treatment agent storage unit 191 is flushed down into the water tub 12 together with the water supplied from the water supply valve 16 to the water supply case 19.

[0016] The automatic dispenser 20 has a function of automatically dispensing a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into the water tub 12 at a predetermined timing during a washing operation. The automatic dispenser 20 selectively and automatically dispenses, for example, multiple types of laundry treatment agent into the water tub 12. The automatic dispenser 20 has a storage section 21, multiple (in this case two) treatment agent tanks 22, and a pump 30.

[0017] 1 and 2, the storage section 21 is configured, for example, in a box shape with an open top or front, and is provided inside the outer box 11. The storage section 21 is configured to be able to store a plurality of processing agent tanks 22 lined up side by side or front to back. In this embodiment, the storage section 21 is configured in a box shape with a portion of the top surface of the outer box 11 recessed downward. The storage section 21 is also configured to be able to store two processing agent tanks 22 lined up side by side. The processing agent tanks 22 are detachably stored in the storage section 21.

[0018] The multiple treatment agent tanks 22 are configured to be able to store liquid laundry treatment agent therein in an amount sufficient for use in multiple washing operations, for example. The shapes and capacities of the treatment agent tanks 22 may be the same or different. The treatment agent tanks 22 are configured to be able to be inserted into and removed from the outer box 11, or to be detachable. When placed at a predetermined position in the storage section 21, each treatment agent tank 22 is connected to a midpoint of the water supply path 15 via the pump 30.

[0019] The pump 30 is provided downstream of each treatment agent tank 22 in the flow direction of the laundry treatment agent. The pump 30 has a function of sucking a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 22 and introducing it into the water tub 12 via the water supply path 15. The pump 30 can be configured as a syringe pump using, for example, an electric motor as a drive source.

[0020] 1, pump 30 has a suction part 31 and a selection valve 32. Suction part 31 is exposed inside storage part 21, for example, by penetrating a side wall surface of storage part 21. In the case of this embodiment, suction part 31 is exposed inside storage part 21 by penetrating a rear side wall surface of storage part 21. Treatment agent tank 22 contained in storage part 21 is connected to water supply path 15 via pump 30.

[0021] The selection valve 32 is configured, for example, as an electromagnetically operable on-off valve for liquid, and has a function of opening and closing a path between each treatment agent tank 22 and the pump 30. The selection valve 32 selectively opens one of two paths connecting each treatment agent tank 22 and the pump 30. This prevents the laundry treatment agent from being sucked out of both treatment agent tanks 22 and mixing of multiple types of laundry treatment agents when the pump 30 is driven.

[0022] Pump 30 draws in a fixed amount of laundry treatment agent from one of treatment agent tanks 22 whose path has been opened by selection valve 32, and discharges it downstream of water supply path 15, in this case to water inlet case 19. In this configuration, when water inlet valve 16 is opened, water supplied from an external water source flows into water supply path 15 and passes through water inlet case 19. When laundry treatment agent is stored in water inlet case 19, the water flowing through water supply path 15 dissolves the laundry treatment agent as it flows downstream and is supplied to water tub 12. In this way, automatic dispenser 20 automatically dispenses a fixed amount of laundry treatment agent into water tub 12 while washing machine 10 is operating.

[0023] The detailed configuration of the treatment agent tank 22 will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 9. The treatment agent tank 22 has a tank body 40, a cap member 50, and a filter member 60. The tank body 40 constitutes the outer shell of the treatment agent tank 22, and is formed in the shape of a container having an opening 401. The cap member 50 opens and closes the opening 401 of the tank body 40. The cap member 50 is configured to be detachable from the tank body 40 by a user or an operator during cleaning or maintenance. The filter member 60 is disposed between the tank body 40 and the cap member 50, and collects and removes foreign matter such as dust from the laundry treatment agent sucked out of the tank body 40 through the opening 401 by the pump 30.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 3, in this embodiment, the tank body 40 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, and has a front portion 41, left and right side portions 42, a rear portion 43, a bottom portion 44, and an upper portion 45. The front portion 41, the left and right side portions 42, and the rear portion 43 form the sides of the container-shaped tank body 40. The bottom portion 44 forms the bottom surface of the container-shaped tank body 40. In this embodiment, the bottom portion 44 is inclined so as to descend as it approaches the rear portion 43. The upper portion 45 forms the top surface of the container-shaped tank body 40.

[0025] 2 and 4, the opening 401 is formed penetrating the tank body 40, and communicates between the inside and outside of the tank body 40. The opening 401 is provided in a lower portion of the tank body 40, for example, in the front portion 41, the left and right side portions 42, or a portion of the back portion 43 near the bottom portion 44, or in the bottom portion 44. The opening 401 is an opening that serves as an inlet when a user injects a laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 22. The opening 401 is also an opening that serves as an outlet for the laundry treatment agent when a predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent is sucked out by the pump 30.

[0026] As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the tank body 40 has a cylindrical portion 46. The cylindrical portion 46 is formed in a cylindrical shape with both ends penetrated and protrudes outward from a part of the tank body 40. The opening 401 is located at the outer end of the cylindrical portion 46. In this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 46 is provided at the lower edge of the back surface portion 43. That is, the opening 401 opens rearward at the rear of the tank body 40 and communicates between the inside and the outside.

[0027] The opening 401 serves both as an inlet for the laundry treatment agent to the treatment agent tank 22 and as an outlet for the laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 22. That is, the treatment agent tank 22 has a single opening 401 as an inlet and outlet for the laundry treatment agent. A user refills the tank body 40 with the laundry treatment agent through the opening 401, and when the laundry treatment agent is sucked out by the pump 30, the laundry treatment agent flows out of the treatment agent tank 22 from the opening 401. In this embodiment, the opening 401 is the only opening that the tank body 40 has.

[0028] In another embodiment, the tank body 40 may have an opening other than the opening 401 that does not function as an inlet or outlet for the laundry treatment agent. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the tank body 40 may have an intake port 100 and an intake valve 101 other than the opening 401. It is preferable that the intake port 100 is arranged to be located at the top of the tank body 40 both when the treatment agent tank 22 is in use, that is, when it is stored in the storage section 21, and when the laundry treatment agent is refilled, that is, when it is removed from the storage section 21 and the opening 401 is facing upward, thereby preventing the intake valve 101 from coming into contact with the laundry treatment agent. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the intake port 100 is formed by penetrating the edge of the upper surface portion 45 on the back surface portion 43 side in the thickness direction. The intake valve 101 is configured to be able to open and close the intake port 100. In this case, it is preferable that the opening 401 is arranged on the back surface portion 43 as shown in FIG. 5, not on the bottom surface portion 44.

[0029] In this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 46 and the opening 401 are arranged biasedly toward the right edge of the rear portion 43, but this is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the cylindrical portion 46 and the opening 401 may be arranged biased toward the left edge of the rear portion 43, or may be arranged in the center in the left-right direction. The cross section of the cylindrical portion 46 may be a circle, an oval, an ellipse, a polygon such as a rectangle, or any other shape. In this embodiment, the cross section of the cylindrical portion 46 is formed to be a circle, that is, a cylindrical shape.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the cap member 50 is configured to include an outer tube portion 51 formed in a cylindrical shape, a connection portion 52, and a head portion 53. The outer tube portion 51 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and accommodates the cylindrical portion 46 inside when attached to the tank body 40. The connection portion 52 is formed inside the outer tube portion 51, and is a portion to which the suction portion 31 is connected when the tank body 40 with the cap member attached is accommodated in the accommodation portion 21. The connection portion 52 is configured to include an inner tube portion 521 and a valve mechanism 522. The inner tube portion 521 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and allows the suction portion 31 to be inserted inside when the suction portion 31 is connected to the connection portion 52. The inner tube portion 521 forms a path for the laundry treatment agent from the inside of the treatment agent tank 22 to the pump 30 when the cap member 50 is attached to the tank body 40.

[0031] When the connection part 52 is not connected to the suction part 31, the valve mechanism 522 closes the passage within the inner tube part 521 to not allow the laundry treatment agent to pass through, and when the connection part 52 is connected to the suction part 31, the valve mechanism 522 opens the passage within the inner tube part 521 to allow the laundry treatment agent to pass through.

[0032] The head 53 connects one end of the outer tube 51 to one end of the inner tube 521. In this case, the head 53 forms the back surface of the cap member 50, and connects the rear end of the outer tube 51 to one end of the inner tube 521. The head 53 is formed in an annular shape with an opening in the center. The opening of the head 53 allows the suction part 31 to be inserted inside when the suction part 31 is connected to the connection part 52.

[0033] 8, the filter member 60 includes a filter portion 61 and a flange portion 62. The filter portion 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and has a bottom portion 611 and a body portion 612. The bottom portion 611 forms the surface facing the inside of the treatment agent tank 22 when the filter member 60 is attached to the tank body 40, that is, the front surface of the filter member 60 in this case. The body portion 612 forms the side surface of the cylindrical shape of the filter member 60. The end portion of the body portion 612 opposite to the bottom portion 611, that is, the rear end portion in this case, is connected to the flange portion 62.

[0034] A plurality of small holes are formed in the bottom portion 611 and the body portion 612. The size of the small holes in the filter portion 61 is set to a size that does not allow foreign matter such as dust to pass through but allows the passage of laundry treatment agents. In this embodiment, the filter portion 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape.

[0035] 9, the outer dimension, i.e., outer diameter Rf1, of the body portion 612 is smaller than the inner dimension, i.e., inner diameter Rt2, of the tubular portion 46 of the tank body 40, and the inner dimension, i.e., inner diameter Rf2, of the body portion 612 is set to be larger than the outer dimension, i.e., outer diameter Rc1, of the inner tubular portion 521 of the cap member 50. Therefore, the filter portion 61 can be inserted into the tubular portion 46. Also, at least a portion of the inner tubular portion 521 can be accommodated in the filter portion 61.

[0036] When the filter member 60 is attached to the tank body 40, the bottom 611 is located closer to the center of the tank body 40 than the cylindrical portion 46. That is, the length of the body 612 in the insertion / removal direction is set to be longer than the length of the cylindrical portion 46 in the same direction. This ensures a sufficient surface area for the filter portion 61, so that even if part of the filter portion 61 becomes clogged, it is unlikely to hinder the pump 30 from sucking out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent. In this embodiment, the bottom 611 is formed in a flat shape, but this is not limited to this. For example, in other embodiments, the bottom may be formed in a curved shape or may have a step.

[0037] The flange 62 protrudes from the rear end of the filter portion 61 in a direction perpendicular to the body portion 612, i.e., radially outward. The flange 62 is formed in an annular shape with an opening in the center. As shown in FIG. 9, the outer dimension, i.e., the outer diameter Rf3, of the flange 62 is set to be equal to or greater than at least the inner dimension, i.e., the inner diameter Rt2, of the cylindrical portion 46 of the tank body 40. This makes it possible to prevent the filter member 60 from dropping into the tank body 40 through the opening 401. In this embodiment, the outer diameter Rf3 of the flange 62 is set to be approximately the same as the outer diameter Rt1 of the cylindrical portion 46.

[0038] 9 and 10, the outer dimension, i.e., the outer diameter Rf3, of the flange portion 62 is set to be smaller than the inner dimension, i.e., the inner diameter Rc4, of the outer tubular portion 51 of the cap member 50. Therefore, when the cap member 50 is attached to the tank body 40 with the filter portion 61 inserted into the tank body 40 from the opening 401, the filter member 60 is sandwiched and fixed between the cap member 50 and the tubular portion 46.

[0039] In this case, the flange 62 may be made of, for example, synthetic rubber having elasticity and watertightness and function as a packing. In another embodiment, a ring-shaped packing made of, for example, synthetic rubber having elasticity and watertightness may be sandwiched between the flange 62 and the opening 401.

[0040] The cap member 50 and the tank body 40 can be detachably fixed by any known method. For example, in this embodiment, the cap member 50 and the tank body 40 are detachably fixed by a screw mechanism. As shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9, the cap member 50 has a female thread portion 511 on the inner surface of the outer tubular portion 51. As shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 9, the tank body 40 has a male thread portion 461 on the outer surface of the tubular portion 46 that can engage with the female thread portion 511. That is, in this case, the cap member 50 is a so-called screw cap that can be attached and detached by screwing. In this way, the cap member 50 and the filter member 60 can be easily attached and detached to the tank body 40.

[0041] The cleaning and maintenance work by the user or the worker and the refilling of the laundry treatment agent will be described. The treatment agent tank 22 can be removed from the storage section 21 and placed on a table in a position with the opening 401, for example, the back part 43 in this case facing upward. The user or the worker can loosen the screwing state of the screw mechanism by turning the cap member 50 in a predetermined direction, for example, counterclockwise, to remove the cap member 50 from the tank body 40, and can also remove the filter member 60 from the tank body 40. The inside of the tank body 40 may be cleaned with a cleaning tool such as a bottle brush, or the removed cap member 50 and filter member 60 may be cleaned. Furthermore, the laundry treatment agent can be injected through the opening 401 to refill. After the cleaning and maintenance work and / or refilling of the laundry treatment agent, the user or the worker attaches the filter member 60 and the cap member 50 to the tank body 40 and stores the treatment agent tank 22 in the storage section 21 again.

[0042] According to the present embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 includes the water tub 12 and the automatic dosing device 20 that automatically doses a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into the water tub 12. The automatic dosing device 20 includes a treatment agent tank 22 capable of storing a laundry treatment agent for multiple washing operations, and a pump 30 that draws out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 22. The treatment agent tank 22 includes a tank body 40 formed in a container shape having an opening 401, a cap member 50 that detachably closes the opening 401 and has a connection part 52 that connects to the pump 30, and a filter member 60 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having a bottom part 611 and a body part 612, and disposed between the opening part 401 and the cap member 50 with the bottom part 611 facing the inside of the tank body 40, and capturing foreign matter in the laundry treatment agent sucked out by the pump 30.

[0043] According to this, by removing the cap member 50, the connection part 52 can be removed from the tank body 40 and cleaned. Furthermore, when the cap member 50 is removed, the filter member 60 can also be removed from the tank body 40. Therefore, the filter member 60 can also be cleaned at any time regardless of the amount of storage in the treatment agent tank 22. Therefore, a washing machine 10 is provided that is equipped with a treatment agent tank 22 in which the filter member 60 and the connection part 52 with the pump 30 can be easily cleaned.

[0044] Furthermore, the filter member 60 can be made smaller in size than a structure in which it is hung across two surfaces of the treatment agent tank 22. Therefore, the manufacturing costs of the filter member, and therefore the manufacturing costs of the washing machine 10, can be reduced.

[0045] The opening 401 serves both as an inlet for the laundry treatment agent to the treatment agent tank 22 and as an outlet for the laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 22 .

[0046] That is, the treatment agent tank 22 does not need to have multiple openings for the inflow and outflow of the treatment agent, and can have a simple structure. Therefore, the manufacturability of the treatment agent tank 22 is improved and the manufacturing cost is suppressed. In addition, when the user cleans the treatment agent tank 22, the user can easily clean it with a bottle brush or the like. Furthermore, the user or the worker can remove the cap member regardless of the amount of laundry treatment agent stored, that is, the liquid level position, by placing the treatment agent tank 22 in a position where the opening 401 faces upward. Therefore, the filter member 60 and the connection part 52 can be cleaned at any time, improving the convenience for the user.

[0047] The tank body 40 does not have any opening other than the opening 401 through which the laundry treatment agent can be refilled or removed.

[0048] According to this, since there is no unnecessary opening, the risk of liquid leakage is suppressed. Also, since the shape of the tank body 40 can be simplified, the manufacturability of the treatment agent tank 22 is improved and the manufacturing cost is suppressed.

[0049] The filter member 60 has a flange 62 formed by projecting outward from the end of the body 612 on the opposite side to the bottom 611. The outer dimensions of the flange 62 are set smaller than the inner dimensions of the cap member 50 and larger than the inner dimensions of the opening 401. By fixing the cap member 50 to the tank body 40, the filter member 60 is fixed to the tank body 40 with the flange 62 sandwiched from both sides by the cap member 50 and the tank body 40.

[0050] This can prevent the filter member 60 from accidentally dropping into the tank body 40. In addition, it can prevent foreign matter such as dust from getting between the filter member 60 and the cap member 50, which can result in the pump 30 sucking in the foreign matter.

[0051] Note that the flange 62 being sandwiched from both sides by the cap member 50 and the tank body 40 means that the flange 62 is directly or indirectly sandwiched and fixed between the cap member 50 and the tank body 40. Therefore, as long as the filter member 60 is also fixed by fixing the cap member 50 to the tank body 40, another member such as a packing may be interposed between the flange 62 and the tank body 40 and / or between the flange 62 and the cap member 50.

[0052] The opening 401 is disposed at the bottom of the tank body 40. The bottom surface 44 of the tank body 40 forms an inclined surface that descends toward the opening 401.

[0053] According to this, even if the amount of the laundry treatment agent stored inside the treatment agent tank 22 becomes small, the laundry treatment agent gathers toward the opening 401 due to gravity. Therefore, the laundry treatment agent can be more reliably sucked out by the pump 30 and poured into the water tub 12.

[0054] Second embodiment The second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. In this embodiment, the filter member 60 can be detachably fixed to the cap member 50. This allows the filter member 60 and the cap member 50 to be attached to the tank body 40 at one time by attaching the cap member 50 to which the filter member 60 is fixed to the tank body 40.

[0055] In this case, the cap member 50 has a plurality of claws 54 (in this case, two claws 54). When the filter member 60 is inserted into the outer tube portion 51 of the cap member 50 with the flange portion 62 at the front, the movement of the flange portion 62 in the insertion / removal direction is fixed by the claws 54, and the filter member 60 will not come off the cap member 50 in the absence of an external force. Therefore, when the cap member 50 is removed from the tank body 40, the filter member 60 is also removed from the tank body 40.

[0056] This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above embodiment.

[0057] According to this embodiment, the filter member 60 has a flange 62 formed by projecting outward from the end of the body 612 opposite the bottom 611. The outer dimension of the flange 62 is set smaller than the inner dimension of the cap member 50. The cap member 50 has claws for detachably holding the flange 62.

[0058] According to this, since the filter member 60 can be fixed to the cap member 50, the filter member 60 and the cap member 50 can be simultaneously attached and detached to the tank body 40 in a single operation, improving workability during cleaning and maintenance.

[0059] Third embodiment A third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. In this embodiment, the treatment agent tank 22 is configured to include a filter member 70. The filter member 70 can be fixed to the tank body 40 even in a state where the cap member 50 is not attached.

[0060] The filter member 70 and the tank body 40 can be fixed by any known method. In this embodiment, the filter member 70 can be fixed to the tank body 40 by a screw mechanism. For example, the filter member 70 includes a filter portion 71, a flange portion 72, and an engagement portion 73. The filter portion 71 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, and has a bottom portion 711 and a body portion 712. The bottom portion 711 forms a surface facing the inside of the treatment agent tank 22, that is, in this case, the front surface of the filter member 70, when the filter member 70 is attached to the tank body 40. The body portion 712 forms a cylindrical side surface of the filter member 70. The end portion of the body portion 712 opposite to the bottom portion 711, that is, in this case, the rear end portion, is connected to the engagement portion 73.

[0061] The engagement portion 73 is formed in a cylindrical shape in this case. The end of the engagement portion 73 that is not joined to the filter portion 71 is connected to the flange portion 62. The filter member 70 has a male thread portion 731 on the outer surface of the engagement portion 73. The tank body 40 has a female thread portion (not shown) on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 46. The female thread portion is configured to be able to engage with the male thread portion 731. The filter member 70 can be detachably fixed to the cylindrical portion 46 by screwing the male thread portion 731 and the female thread portion. With the filter member 70 fixed to the cylindrical portion 46, the cap member 50 can be fixed to the tank body 40.

[0062] This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiments.

[0063] (Fourth embodiment) A fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 15. In this embodiment, the washing machine 10 includes a remaining amount detection mechanism 80. The remaining amount detection mechanism 80 has a function of detecting the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent stored in the treatment agent tank 22.

[0064] The remaining amount detection mechanism 80 includes a detected part 81 and a detection part 82. The detected part 81 is disposed inside the tank body 40, and its position changes depending on the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent. The detected part 81 includes, for example, a float that floats on the laundry treatment agent, and a magnet. The detection part 82 is disposed outside the treatment agent tank 22, for example, outside the storage part 21, and is configured to be able to detect the approach of the detected part. The detection part 82 can be, for example, a magnetic sensor such as a Hall sensor.

[0065] In this case, the outer dimensions of the detected part 81 in at least two directions are set to be smaller than the inner dimensions of the opening 401, that is, the inner diameter in this case. Therefore, the detected part 81 can be inserted into and removed from the tank body 40 through the opening 401.

[0066] The detected part 81 is anchored to the filter member 60 or the cap member 50 by an anchoring member 83. In this embodiment, the detected part 81 is anchored to the filter member 60 by the anchoring member 83. The anchoring member 83 is, for example, a string-like or ribbon-like member that is configured to be bendable. The anchoring member 83 restricts the movement of the detected part 81 within a predetermined range, so that the detection part 82 can accurately detect the approach of the detected part 81.

[0067] This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiments.

[0068] According to this embodiment, the washing machine 10 is provided with a remaining amount detection mechanism including a detected part 81 arranged inside the treatment agent tank 22 and whose position varies according to the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent, and a detection part 82 arranged outside the treatment agent tank 22 and detects the position of the detected part 81. The detected part 81 is configured to be able to pass through the opening 401, and is anchored to the filter member 60 or the cap member 50 by an anchoring member 83 configured to be bendable.

[0069] According to this, by removing the cap member 50 and / or the filter member 60 from the tank body 40, the detected part 81 can also be removed from the treatment agent tank 22 and cleaned. Therefore, the cleanability of the treatment agent tank 22 is further improved.

[0070] In the above-described embodiments, the cylindrical portion 46 and the opening 401 are provided on the back surface portion 43, but this is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments, the cylindrical portion 46 and the opening 401 may be provided on the rear edge portion of the bottom surface portion 44.

[0071] In addition, in each of the above-described embodiments, the cap member 50 and the tank body 40 are fixed to each other by screwing together a screw mechanism, but this is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the cap member 50 and the tank body 40 may be fixed to each other by, for example, a so-called snap fit.

[0072] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments can be implemented in appropriate combinations.

[0073] 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]

[0074] 10... washing machine, 12... water tub, 20... automatic dispenser, 22... treatment agent tank, 30... pump, 40... tank body member, 401... opening, 50... cap member, 54... claw portion, 52... connection portion, 60... filter member, 61... filter portion, 611... bottom portion, 612... body portion, 62... flange portion, 70... filter member, 71... filter portion, 711... bottom portion, 712... body portion, 72... flange portion, 80... remaining amount detection mechanism, 81... detected portion, 82... detection portion, 83... anchoring member

Claims

1. Aquarium and The washing machine is provided with an automatic dispenser that automatically dispenses the predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent into the water tub, the automatic dispenser having a treatment agent tank capable of storing a laundry treatment agent for multiple washing operations, and a pump that extracts a predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank, The treatment agent tank includes a tank body having an opening and formed in a container shape, a cap member that detachably closes the opening and has a connection part that connects to the pump, and a filter member that is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having a bottom and a body part, and is disposed between the opening and the cap member with the bottom facing inward of the tank body, and that captures foreign matter in the laundry treatment agent sucked out by the pump. washing machine.

2. The opening serves as an inlet for the laundry treatment agent to the treatment agent tank and an outlet for the laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank. The washing machine according to claim 1.

3. The tank body does not have any opening other than the opening through which the laundry treatment agent can be refilled or sucked out. The washing machine according to claim 1.

4. The filter member has a flange portion formed by projecting outward from an end portion of the body portion opposite the bottom portion, An outer dimension of the flange is set to be smaller than an inner dimension of the cap member and larger than an inner dimension of the opening, The filter member is fixed to the tank body by fixing the cap member to the tank body, so that the flange portion is sandwiched between the cap member and the tank body from both sides and fixed to the tank body. The washing machine according to claim 1.

5. the filter member has a flange portion formed by protruding outward from an end portion of the body portion opposite the bottom portion, The outer dimension of the flange portion is set smaller than the inner dimension of the cap member, The cap member has a claw portion that detachably holds the flange portion. The washing machine according to claim 1.

6. The opening is disposed in a lower portion of the tank body, The bottom surface of the tank body forms an inclined surface that descends toward the opening. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. a remaining amount detection mechanism including a detection part disposed inside the treatment agent tank and whose position varies depending on the remaining amount of the laundry treatment agent, and a detection part disposed outside the treatment agent tank and which detects the position of the detection part, The detection target portion is configured to be able to pass through the opening portion and is anchored to the filter member or the cap member by a bendable anchoring member. The washing machine according to claim 6.

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