Washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine which can supply bubbles to clothing stably and efficiently.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: a housing 1; an outer tub 2 stored in the housing 1; a drum 3 rotatably supported in the outer tub 2; a blower fan 30 for blowing air to the drum 3; and a discharge nozzle 82 for supplying the air into detergent water W and for generating bubbles 83. The discharge nozzle 82 is positioned below a water level S, and a bubble discharge port 26 for delivering the bubbles 83 into the drum 3 is positioned above the water level S. A bubble flow passage 85 for communicating the discharge nozzle 82 and the bubble discharge port 26 is provided at a front part of the outer tub 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Patent document 1 describes a washing machine equipped with a water tub, a drum rotatably mounted within the water tub, a drum motor for rotating the drum, an air bubble generating unit capable of generating air bubbles in the water by supplying air to the wash water stored in the water tub, a fan for supplying air to the air bubble generating unit, and a damper capable of selectively switching between a state in which the air generated by the fan is supplied to the air bubble generating unit and a state in which the air is supplied to the drum. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-97965 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the washing machine described in Patent Document 1, air bubbles generated during washing rise along the drum wall surface, and therefore there is a concern that the air bubbles may not flow sufficiently into the drum.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional washing machine, and has an object to provide a washing machine capable of supplying foam to clothes stably and efficiently. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention comprises a housing, an outer tub housed in the housing, an inner tub rotatably supported within the outer tub, an air blowing section which blows air into the inner tub, and an air bubble generating section which supplies air into detergent water to generate bubbles, wherein the air bubble generating section is located below the water surface and an outlet which sends air bubbles into the inner tub is located above the water surface. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, a washing machine capable of stably and efficiently supplying foam to clothes can be provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view showing a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the damper device is attached to the discharge duct. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a bubble generating device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a discharge nozzle at the tip of the bubble generating device. [Figure 7] This is a view of the tank cover from the inside. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart showing a washing operation of the washing machine of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an air bubble generating device in a washing machine according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and various modifications and application examples within the technical concept of the present invention are also included in its scope. (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a washing machine according to a first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the washing machine 100 is a drum-type washer / dryer, and the frame is formed by combining side panels 1a and reinforcing members 1b (see Fig. 2) made mainly of steel plates provided on the left, right and back sides of the upper part of a synthetic resin base 1h, and the front cover 1c, lower front cover 1f and top cover 1e made of resin molded products are attached on top of the frame to form a housing 1. The front cover 1c is provided with a door 9 that is opened and closed when loading and unloading laundry. The door 9 is a door glass 9a fixed to a door frame 9b, and is attached to the housing 1 by a hinge 9c.

[0010] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of the washing machine of the first embodiment. Note that Fig. 2 shows a state in which a front cover 1c, a top cover 1e, a water supply unit 70 (see Fig. 3), a detergent case (not shown), and the like are removed. As shown in Fig. 2, the housing 1 is provided with an outer tub 2 in the approximate center inside. The outer tub 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and is supported by a plurality of dampers (not shown). The outer tub 2 is provided with an outer tub body 2a and a tub cover 2b, and is configured by attaching the tub cover 2b to a front opening 2a1 of the outer tub body 2a. The rear side of the tub cover 2b is connected to the front opening 2a1 of the outer tub body 2a, and a circular opening 2b1 through which laundry is put in and taken out is formed on the front side.

[0011] A rubber bellows 10 made of an elastic body is attached to the tub cover 2b. The opening edge of the bellows 10 on the far side (rear side) is attached to the opening 2b1, and the opening edge on the near side is attached to the housing 1 on the back side of the door frame 9b (see FIG. 1). When the door 9 is closed, the door 9 comes into close contact with the bellows 10, which serves to maintain watertightness between the inside of the outer tub 2 and the door 9. This prevents water leakage during washing, rinsing, and spin-drying.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the washing machine of the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, a rotatably supported drum 3 (inner tank) is provided inside the outer tank 2. The drum 3 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and is disposed so that an opening 3a is located at the front side. The rotation axis of the drum 3 is inclined so that the front side is higher than the rear side. The rotation axis of the drum 3 may be configured to be approximately horizontal.

[0013] A plurality of lifters (not shown) for lifting up laundry are provided on the inner wall of the cylindrical portion, which is the side wall of the drum 3. The cylindrical portion of the drum 3 also has a number of through holes 3b for centrifugal dehydration and ventilation. Furthermore, a balance ring 3c, which is a vibration-damping member, is provided on the outer periphery of the opening 3a of the drum 3.

[0014] An air duct 20 is provided in the housing 1 to guide airflow to the laundry in the drum 3. The air duct 20 is provided with an air blower fan 30 (air blower section) and a heat pump unit 40. The air blower fan 30 is located downstream of the heat pump unit 40. The air duct 20 also includes an intake duct 21 that connects the rear of the outer tub 2 to the heat pump unit 40, and an exhaust duct 22 that connects the outer tub 2 to the air blower fan 30. The exhaust duct 22 has an air passage that connects the air blower fan 30 to the drying exhaust port 25. Drying filters 6a and 6b are provided between the outer tub 2 and the intake duct 21.

[0015] The heat pump unit 40 dehumidifies and heats the high-temperature, high-humidity air that has passed through the laundry and been discharged from the outer tub 2 during the drying operation to make it high-temperature, low-humidity, and the dehumidified and heated warm air (drying air) passes through the discharge duct 22 by the blower fan 30 and is blown onto the laundry in the drum 3 from the drying discharge port 25 provided at the top of the outer tub 2. The warm air blown onto the laundry becomes high-temperature, high-humidity air and returns to the heat pump unit 40 through the suction duct 21. Note that a water-cooled dehumidification mechanism may be used instead of the heat pump unit 40 to cool and dehumidify the high-temperature, high-humidity air.

[0016] The washing machine 100 also includes a water supply unit 70 (water supply means) that supplies water into the outer tub 2, a water level sensor (not shown) that detects the water level in the outer tub 2, and a control device 90 (control unit) that controls the water supply unit 70, the blower fan 30, etc.

[0017] The water supply unit 70 is equipped with multiple solenoid valves including a water supply solenoid valve, and supplies water to the powder detergent input chamber and liquid detergent input chamber of the detergent case via a water supply pipe when a first solenoid valve is opened, supplies water to the fabric softener input chamber via a water supply pipe when a second solenoid valve is opened, and supplies water directly to the water supply port 2c of the outer tub 2 (see Figure 2) via the water supply pipe when a third solenoid valve is opened.

[0018] A recess 2d (water receiving portion) is provided in the inner bottom portion directly below the vertical direction of the outer tub 2. This recess 2d is provided to have a substantially concave shape and to extend in the axial direction of the drum 3. A drain port 2d2 is provided in a bottom surface 2d1 of the recess 2d.

[0019] A circulation pump 11 is provided below the outer tub 2. The circulation pump 11 has the function of sucking in the washing water in the outer tub 2 from the drain port 2d2 through a hose 11a, pumping it up to the top of the outer tub 2 through a hose 11b, and spraying it onto the laundry in the drum 3. The washing water flows from the drain port 2d2 in the recess 2d of the outer tub 2 through a lint filter 13 into the suction port of the circulation pump 11, and is pressurized by the circulation pump 11, after which it is sprayed from a watering nozzle 15 (see FIG. 7) into the drum 3. The drain port 2d2 in the recess 2d is connected to a drain hose 12a via the lint filter 13 and a drain valve 12, so that the water in the recess 2d can be discharged outside the machine.

[0020] Although not shown, the control device 90 includes electronic circuits such as a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and various interfaces. The CPU reads out a program stored in the ROM and loads it in the RAM, and executes various processes. The control device 90 also controls the water supply unit 70 and the damper device 50, and acquires a detection value detected by a water level sensor (not shown). The damper device 50 (air path switching unit) is provided in the discharge duct 22 and includes a flap 51 that can switch between a state in which the drying air from the blower fan 30 flows to the drying outlet 25, a state in which the drying air flows to the air bubble generator 80, and a state in which the drying air flows to both the drying outlet 25 and the air bubble generator 80.

[0021] The heat pump unit 40 is fixed on the base 1h (see FIG. 2) at the bottom of the outer tub 2 and at the rear of the housing 1. The circulating air dehumidified and heated in the heat pump unit 40 passes through the blower fan 30, passes through the discharge duct 22 from the bottom to the top of the outer tub 2, and is blown onto the laundry in the drum 3 from the drying discharge port 25 provided at the top of the outer tub 2 (tub cover 2b).

[0022] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the damper device is attached to the discharge duct. As shown in FIG. 4, the discharge duct 22 has a rear duct 22a extending in the vertical direction on the rear side of the outer tub 2 (see FIG. 3) and an upper duct 22b extending in the front-rear direction on the upper part of the outer tub 2, and is formed in a substantially L-shape. The upper duct 22b is provided with a damper device 50 for switching the air path to the air bubble generating device 80 described later. The damper device 50 is located rearward of the upper duct 22b. The upper duct 22b is formed with a connection port 22e connected to the bellows tube 24 (see FIG. 3) at the downstream end of the damper device 50. The rear duct 22a is formed with a connection port 22f connected to the bellows tube 27 (see FIG. 3) at the upstream end of the damper device 50.

[0023] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an air bubble generating device. In Fig. 5, the outline arrows indicate the air flow when air bubbles are generated, and the dashed dotted line indicates the water surface of the detergent water W (washing water, detergent liquid). As shown in Figure 5, the bubble generating device 80 is a device that generates bubbles by sending air into the lower part of the outer tank 2, and is configured with an air blower duct 81 branched off from the discharge duct 22, and a discharge nozzle 82 (bubble generating unit) connected to the air blower duct 81 and provided at the lower part inside the outer tank 2.

[0024] The upstream end of the air duct 81 is connected between the damper device 50 (see FIG. 3) of the discharge duct 22 and the blower fan 30 (see FIG. 3). The downstream end of the air duct 81 penetrates the lower part of the tub cover 2b and is connected to the discharge nozzle 82. The tub cover 2b is formed with a connection port 2s through which the air duct 81 is inserted and connected. The connection port 2s and the air duct 81 are connected via a seal material (not shown) so that the detergent water W in the outer tub 2 does not leak out of the outer tub 2 from the connection port 2s.

[0025] In addition, an air bubble flow path cover 84 is provided inside the tub cover 2b. A space is formed between this air bubble flow path cover 84 and the tub cover 2b (front part of the outer tub 2) to form an air bubble flow path 85 (flow path) that causes air bubbles to rise to the top. The air bubble flow path cover 84 is also formed to a position that covers the periphery of the discharge nozzle 82. The discharge nozzle 82 is also disposed at a position lower than the water surface S of the detergent water W (detergent liquid) stored at the bottom of the outer tub 2.

[0026] The downstream end of the air bubble flow path 85 is connected to the air bubble outlet 26 (see FIG. 3) formed in the tub cover 2b. In other words, the air bubble outlet 26 is located above the water surface S. Although not shown, a gap (not shown) is formed between the air bubble flow path cover 84 and the tub cover 2b near the outlet nozzle 82 (at a position lower than the water surface S), and the detergent water W enters the air bubble flow path 85 through this gap. As a result, the detergent water W fills up to the position of the outlet nozzle 82.

[0027] In the air bubble generating device 80 thus configured, the damper device 50 (see FIG. 4) is closed (the flap 51 closes the air passage leading to the drying discharge port 25), and the air pressurized by the blower fan 30 passes through the air supply pipe 81 from the discharge duct 22, and is sent from the discharge nozzle 82 to the detergent water W (washing water) stored at the bottom of the outer tub 2. The air in the detergent water W becomes air bubbles 83 formed by a film of detergent liquid on the water surface S. Air bubbles 83 are continuously generated by the air continuously sent from the air supply pipe 81. The generated air bubbles 83 are gradually pushed out while repeatedly merging and breaking, and rise up the air bubble flow path 85 to be discharged from the air bubble discharge port 26. The air bubbles 83 discharged from the air bubble discharge port 26 are sprayed on the clothes in the drum 3 (see FIG. 3) to wash the clothes. By providing such air bubble generating device 80 and generating air bubbles 83, the washing power for the laundry inside drum 3 can be improved.

[0028] During the drying process, the damper device 50 opens (the flap 51 opens the air passage leading to the drying outlet 25), and the air discharged from the blower fan 30 passes through the rear duct 22a (see Figure 4) and the upper duct 22b (see Figure 4), and the high-temperature, low-humidity air is blown from the drying outlet 25 (see Figure 3) onto the laundry in the drum 3 (see Figure 3).

[0029] In addition, the blower fan 30 is a centrifugal type blower. This makes it easier to generate pressure, and the rising pressure of the blower fan 30 can be increased, so that air bubbles can be stably supplied into the drum 3.

[0030] Next, the relationship between the position of the discharge nozzle 82 and the water surface will be described. The washing machine 100 includes a water supply unit 70 that supplies water to the outer tub 2, a water level sensor (not shown) that detects the water level in the outer tub 2, and a control device 90 that controls the water supply from the water supply unit 70 based on the detection value of the water level sensor. The discharge nozzle 82 is disposed at a position lower than the lowest water level controlled by the control device 90. With this, when air is blown to the bubble generation device 80, the discharge nozzle 82 is in water (in the detergent water W), so that bubbles can be generated reliably.

[0031] In addition, the maximum water level of the detergent water W is set lower than the lowest part of the door 9. This prevents water from leaking from the door 9 during washing.

[0032] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a discharge nozzle at the tip of the air bubble generating device. As shown in FIG. 6, the discharge nozzle 82 includes a cylindrical body 82a and a plurality of discharge ports 82b formed by penetrating the cylindrical body 82a. In addition, both ends of the cylindrical body 82a in the axial direction are closed by wall surfaces. Air is sent into the cylindrical body 82a from an inlet 82d connected to an air blower pipe 81 (see FIG. 5). The inner wall 82a1 of the cylindrical body 82a has a circular shape when viewed from the axial direction of the cylindrical body 82a. A plurality of discharge ports 82b are formed and are formed in a line in the axial direction of the inner wall 82a1. The number of discharge ports 82b is not limited to five, and may be four or less, or six or more. In addition, the diameters of the discharge ports 82b do not all need to be the same diameter, and may be different diameters. In addition, the discharge ports 82b are not limited to a round shape, and may be other shapes such as an elongated hole, a square, or a triangle. As a result, air introduced into the cylinder 82a from the air blower duct 81 (see FIG. 5) is discharged (discharged into the water) from each outlet 82b in a generally horizontal direction forward, as shown by the outline arrow. It is preferable that the entire opening of the outlet nozzle 82 is below the water surface S (submerged), but it is acceptable for part of the opening to be above the water surface S (not to be completely submerged) as long as it does not impede the effects of the invention.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a view of the tank cover from the inside. As shown in Fig. 7, a circulation shower flow path cover 16 through which detergent water W (detergent liquid) pressurized by a circulation pump 11 (see Fig. 3) flows is provided on the inner wall surface of the tub cover 2b, forming a circulation flow path. Also, a sprinkler nozzle 15 that sprinkles the lifted detergent water W into the drum 3 is formed on the tub cover 2b. Also, an air bubble flow path cover 84 through which air bubbles generated during washing flow is provided on the tub cover 2b, forming an air bubble flow path 85. This air bubble flow path 85 is formed so as to extend vertically upward from the position of the discharge nozzle 82, then extend in a curved manner along the inner edge 3A of the opening of the drum 3, and extend obliquely downward at a position where it overlaps with the discharge duct 22 in the front-rear direction.

[0034] The tank cover 2b is also formed with a drying outlet 25 for blowing out drying air in the drying process, and an air bubble outlet 26 for discharging air bubbles 83 from an air bubble passage 85 into the drum 3. The drying outlet 25 is connected to an outlet duct 22 provided on the outer surface side of the tank cover 2b. The air bubble passage cover 84 contains an outlet nozzle 82 of an air bubble generator 80. The air bubble outlet 26 is provided facing the opening 3a of the drum 3 (see FIG. 3).

[0035] 7, the inner edge 3A of the opening of the drum 3 is indicated by a dashed line. The watering nozzle 15, the drying outlet 25, and the bubble outlet 26 are all provided inside the inner edge 3A of the opening. This allows the detergent water W, the drying air, and the air bubbles 83 to be reliably sprayed inside the drum 3.

[0036] In addition, the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the air bubble outlet 26 is larger than the flow path cross-sectional area of ​​the air bubble flow path 85. As a result, the air bubbles 83 that rise up the air bubble flow path 85 are not clogged at the air bubble outlet 26 and are dispersed into the drum 3, preventing poor drying due to residual bubbles.

[0037] Incidentally, since the air bubbles 83 are generated from the water surface S (see FIG. 5), the air bubble outlet 26 needs to be located above the water surface S. Since the highest water level of the water surface S is set lower than the lowest part of the door 9, it is preferable to position the air bubble outlet 26 above the lowest part of the door 9. Furthermore, in order to disperse the air bubbles 83 over as wide an area as possible, it is preferable to position the air bubble outlet 26 as high as possible within the inner edge 3A of the opening of the drum 3. Therefore, in this embodiment, the air bubble outlet 26 is disposed adjacent to the drying outlet 25. Also, the air bubble outlet 26 is located vertically above the drying outlet 25. As a result, by blowing air (see arrow B in FIG. 3) from the drying outlet 25 together with the generation of the air bubbles 83 during washing (see arrow A in FIG. 3), it becomes possible to disperse the discharged air bubbles 83 to the inner part of the drum 3 on the wind.

[0038] It is preferable that air bubble outlet 26 is located above drying outlet 25 (see FIG. 3). This ensures that discharged air bubbles 83 are carried by the wind when they fall.

[0039] The bubbles 83 generated by the bubble generating device 80 (discharge nozzle 82) contain a lot of air and therefore have a low density, and even if the discharge nozzle 82 is at the bottom of the outer tank 2 and the bubble discharge port 26 is at the top of the outer tank 2, i.e., even if there is a large difference in height between the discharge nozzle 82 and the bubble discharge port 26, the generated bubbles can easily rise toward the bubble discharge port 26.

[0040] Moreover, the bubble discharge port 26 is disposed above the center O of the inner edge 3A of the opening of the drum 3, and faces downward. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the bubble discharge port 26.

[0041] Although the blower fan 30 is used as a means for blowing air to the discharge nozzle 82, a separate blower fan may be provided to blow air to the discharge nozzle 82. This eliminates the need for the damper device 50 for switching the air path.

[0042] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the washing operation of the washing machine of the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 8, the control device 90 executes laundry amount sensing in step S10. This laundry amount sensing is a process of detecting the weight (cloth amount) of the laundry put into the washing machine 100. Specifically, a motor (not shown) for driving the drum is driven to rotate the drum 3, and the laundry amount is calculated based on the motor rotation speed and motor current value. For example, as the weight of the laundry increases, the load for rotating the drum 3 increases and more motor current is required to flow through the motor, so the laundry weight can be calculated from the motor current and rotation speed of the motor.

[0043] In step S20, the control device 90 executes the first water supply process (first water supply). That is, the control device 90 opens the water supply solenoid valve (not shown) of the water supply unit 70 to start supplying water to the outer tub 2, raise the water level in the outer tub 2, and drive the motor to rotate the drum 3 in the forward and reverse directions at a predetermined rotation speed to replace the laundry. The control device 90 also controls the circulation pump 11 to a predetermined rotation speed, and sprays the detergent water W (detergent liquid) sucked from the outer tub 2 in a shower-like manner from the water spray nozzle 15 (see FIG. 7) provided on the upper part of the outer tub 2, so that the detergent water W (detergent liquid) soaks into the clothes. Then, when the control device 90 determines that the water level has reached a predetermined water level using a water level sensor (not shown), it closes the water supply solenoid valve of the water supply unit 70 to stop the water supply. Thus, in the first water supply process, water supply is started, and the clothes do not absorb water immediately when the water comes into contact with the clothes, but rather there is a certain time lag before the clothes absorb water.

[0044] In step S30, the control device 90 executes the high concentration washing process. That is, the control device 90 controls the motor to rotate the drum 3 in the forward and reverse directions at a predetermined rotation speed, and replaces the clothes. The control device 90 also controls the circulation pump 11 to rotate at a predetermined speed, and sprays the detergent liquid sucked from the outer tub 2 in a shower-like manner from the watering nozzle 15 provided at the top of the outer tub 2, so that the detergent liquid soaks into the clothes. The control device 90 then executes the high concentration washing process until a predetermined time has elapsed. In this way, the high concentration washing process is also a process of waiting for water to soak into the clothes (a process of compensating for the time difference until the clothes become hydrated).

[0045] In step S40, the control device 90 executes the second water supply process (second water supply). That is, the control device 90 opens the water supply solenoid valve (not shown) of the water supply unit 70 to start supplying water to the outer tub 2. Then, when the control device 90 determines that the water level has reached a predetermined water level using the water level sensor, it closes the water supply solenoid valve of the water supply unit 70 to stop water supply. In this second water supply process, the water level may drop depending on the condition of the clothes. In this way, by executing the second water supply process, it is confirmed whether the water level required in the first water supply process has been reached, and if the required water level has not been reached, water is supplied up to the required water level. In the second water supply process, water supply may be performed while rotating the drum 3.

[0046] In step S50, the control device 90 executes the foam washing process. That is, the control device 90 controls the damper device 50 to operate the flap 51 (see FIG. 3) provided in the damper device 50 to close the air passage of the discharge duct 22 toward the drying outlet 25. Then, the control device 90 controls the blower fan 30 to start blowing air into the outer tub 2. At this time, since the opening area (flow path cross-sectional area) of the discharge duct 22 toward the drying outlet 25 is narrowed by the flap 51 of the damper device 50, air is blown at high pressure to the flow path (air blower pipe 81) on the outlet 82b side of the discharge nozzle 82. As a result, the detergent liquid in the outer tub 2 forms foam (air bubbles 83) by the air sent by the blower fan 30. The generated foam (air bubbles 83) is pushed up through air bubble flow path 85 (see FIG. 7) and dispersed into drum 3 from air bubble outlet 26 (see FIGS. 3 and 7) provided at the top of outer tub 2. Then, drum 3 is rotated forward and backward to wash clothes while attaching the foam to the surface of the clothes.

[0047] In this way, the cleaning power can be increased by generating and contacting the air bubbles 83 (foam) with the laundry inside the drum 3. This is because the detergent concentration is high at the interface (plateau boundary) where the bubbles are in close contact with each other, and when the bubbles burst, a high-concentration detergent solution is applied to the laundry, and the mechanical force acts on the laundry due to the impact when the bubbles burst, thereby enhancing the cleaning effect. In addition, the lubricating effect of the air bubbles 83 can suppress damage to the fabric caused by friction between clothes.

[0048] In the foam washing step, instead of completely closing the flap 51 of the damper device 50, the air passage area of ​​the discharge duct 22 may be reduced to branch the air to the discharge nozzle 82 and the drying outlet 25. This allows air bubbles 83 to be generated during the washing operation and air to be blown out from the drying outlet 25, so that the air bubbles 83 are carried by the air and delivered to the inside of the drum 3. In this case, the generated air bubbles 83 are widely blown onto the clothes in the drum 3, so that the cleaning effect of the air bubbles 83 and the effect of reducing damage to the clothes can be maximized.

[0049] In the foam washing step, the circulation pump 11 may be driven to circulate the detergent water at the bottom of the outer tub 2 while generating bubbles 83 from the bubble outlet 26. This prevents the clothes from losing water due to their own weight and becoming dry, improving the washing effect.

[0050] In step S60, the control device 90 executes the rinsing process. That is, the control device 90 opens the drain valve 12 to drain the water in the outer tub 2, and when the water level sensor detects that the water level in the outer tub 2 has fallen below a predetermined water level, the control device 90 rotates the drum 3 at high speed with the drain valve 12 open to spin the wash water contained in the clothes. Then, when the control device 90 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed, it ends the spin-drying, closes the drain valve 12, and opens the water supply solenoid valve of the water supply unit 70 to supply water to the outer tub 2. Then, when the control device 90 detects that water has been supplied up to the predetermined water level by the water level sensor, it stops the water supply, controls the motor to rotate the drum 3 in the forward and reverse directions, and performs rinsing while replacing the clothes.

[0051] In step S70, the control device 90 executes the spin-drying process. That is, the control device 90 opens the drain valve 12 to drain the water in the outer tub 2, and when the water level sensor detects that the water level in the outer tub 2 has fallen below a predetermined water level, the control device 90 rotates the drum 3 at high speed with the drain valve 12 open to spin-dry the wash water contained in the clothes. Then, when the control device 90 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed, it ends the spin-drying process.

[0052] The washing machine 100 of the first embodiment thus configured includes a housing 1, an outer tub 2 housed in the housing 1, a drum 3 rotatably supported within the outer tub 2, a blower fan 30 that blows air into the drum 3, and a discharge nozzle 82 that supplies air into the detergent water W to generate bubbles. The discharge nozzle 82 is located below the water surface S, and the bubble discharge port 26 that sends the bubbles into the drum is located above the water surface S. This allows all the generated bubbles 83 to be discharged from the bubble discharge port 26, so that the bubbles 83 can be stably and efficiently supplied to clothes (laundry).

[0053] In the first embodiment, an air bubble flow path 85 that connects the discharge nozzle 82 and the air bubble discharge port 26 is provided at the front of the outer tub 2. This makes it easier to introduce the air bubbles 83 into the drum 3, and allows the air bubbles 83 to be stably supplied to the clothes.

[0054] In the first embodiment, an air bubble passage cover 84 is provided on the inside of the outer tub 2 (tub cover 2b), and the air bubble passage 85 is formed by the outer tub 2 and the air bubble passage cover 84 (see FIG. 5). This makes it possible to keep the protrusion of the air bubble passage 85 lower than when the air bubble passage 85 is formed separately, so there is no need to ensure a large clearance with the drum 3.

[0055] In the first embodiment, the air bubble discharge port 26 is provided facing the opening 3a of the drum 3. This makes it easier to introduce the air bubbles 83 into the drum 3.

[0056] Moreover, the first embodiment includes a drying outlet 25 that discharges dry air into the drum 3, and the air bubble outlet 26 is provided adjacent to the drying outlet 25 (see FIG. 7). This allows the air bubbles 83 discharged from the air bubble outlet 26 to ride on the air (air) discharged from the drying outlet 25, and to reach the back of the drum 3. The air discharged from the drying outlet 25 does not need to be dry, and does not need to be at a high temperature.

[0057] In the first embodiment, the air bubble outlet 26 is provided above the drying outlet 25 (see FIG. 3). With this, the air bubbles 83 that have been discharged from the air bubble outlet 26 and fallen can be sent into the drum 3 by the wind discharged from the drying outlet 25.

[0058] Second embodiment 9 is a schematic diagram showing an air bubble generating device in a washing machine according to the second embodiment. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again. As shown in FIG. 9, the air bubble generator 80A is formed integrally with the air bubble passage cover 84. A groove-shaped fitting portion 2b3 is formed on the inner wall surface 2t of the tank cover 2b, into which the edge portion (not shown) of the air bubble passage cover 84A fits. Although not shown, the air bubble passage cover 84A fits into the fitting portion 2b3 via a sealant. In addition, on the inside of the air bubble passage cover 84A, a discharge nozzle 82A (air bubble generating portion) is formed integrally with the air bubble passage cover 84A. By attaching the air bubble passage cover 84A to the inner wall surface 2t of the tank cover 2b, a space that becomes the air bubble passage 85 is formed between the air bubble passage cover 84A and the tank cover 2b. In addition, a connection port 2b2 to which the air blower duct 81 is connected is formed on the lower surface of the tank cover 2b. This allows the air blower duct 81, which communicates with the tank cover 2b, to be attached to the outside of the outer tank 2, which prevents water leakage and improves assembly. Furthermore, since the discharge nozzle 82 is no longer necessary, it is possible to suppress air leakage from the joint portion and increase the amount of generated air bubbles 83. This also leads to a reduction in the number of parts and improved assembly.

[0059] In the above embodiment, a drum type washer / dryer has been described as an example, but the present invention may be applied to a drum type washer that does not have a drying function. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 Case 2 Outer tank 2a Outer tank body 2b Tank cover 3 Drum (inner tank) 3a opening 3A Inner edge of opening 11 Circulation pump 21 Intake duct 22 Discharge duct 22a Rear duct 22b Upper duct 25 Drying outlet 26 Bubble outlet (outlet) 30 Blower fan (blower section) 40 Heat pump unit 50 Damper device 70 Water Supply Unit 80 Bubble Generator 81 Air pipe 82, 82A Discharge nozzle (bubble generating part) 82a cylinder 82b Outlet (foaming outlet) 83 Bubbles 84 Air bubble passage cover 85 Bubble flow path (flow path) 100 Washing Machine S water surface W Detergent Water

Claims

1. A housing and An outer tank accommodated in the housing; an inner tank rotatably supported within the outer tank; A blower unit for blowing air into the inner tank; a bubble generating unit that supplies air into the detergent water to generate bubbles; The washing machine, characterized in that the bubble generating section is located below the water surface, and the outlet for sending bubbles into the inner tub is located above the water surface.

2. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a flow path communicating between the bubble generating section and the discharge port, the flow path being provided in a front portion of the outer tub.

3. The washing machine according to claim 2, The washing machine is characterized in that an air bubble flow path cover is provided on the inside of the outer tub, and the flow path is formed by the outer tub and the air bubble flow path cover.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3, The washing machine is characterized in that the discharge outlet is provided toward an opening of the inner tub.

5. The washing machine according to claim 2, The washing machine, wherein the bubble generating section is integrally formed with the flow path.

6. A washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A drying outlet is provided for discharging dry air into the inner tank, The washing machine, characterized in that the discharge outlet is provided adjacent to the drying discharge outlet.

7. 7. The washing machine according to claim 6, The washing machine is characterized in that the discharge outlet is provided above the drying outlet.

8. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, Equipped with a circulation pump that circulates detergent water, The washing machine is characterized in that air bubbles are discharged from the discharge port and the circulation pump is driven to circulate the detergent water.

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