Washing machine

Abstract

To provide washing machine that enables the whole of an exhaust duct thereof to be washed.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: a washing tub that accommodates laundry; a circulation air passage that supplies air into the washing tub; a filter device that collects foreign matters contained in the air flowing in the circulation passage; and an exhaust duct 20 that connects between an exhaust port formed in the washing tub and the filter device. The washing machine is provided with a water discharge part 30 configured to discharge water into the exhaust duct 20. The water discharge part 30 has a blade 32a disposed to face a water outlet 31a through which the water is discharged. The blade 32a receives the water discharged from the water outlet 31a and disperse water along an inner wall of the exhaust duct 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a washing machine for washing laundry. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, washing machines that have not only a washing function but also a drying function for drying washed clothes have been widely used. During the drying process, lint (thread scraps) may be generated from the clothes, so a filter is provided in the air circulation path to collect the lint. In this case, since air containing a lot of lint passes through the duct connecting the washing tub and the filter, the lint may adhere to the inside of the duct, and if the lint is left adhered, it may lead to a decrease in drying performance. Therefore, a method for cleaning foreign matter such as lint adhered to the inside of the duct has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6738196 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A conventional washer-dryer includes a water tub, a drum, a circulating air duct, a heating device, and a filter device, and the circulating air duct includes an exhaust duct having an L-shaped bent portion between the water tub and the filter device, and an exhaust duct nozzle is embedded in the bent portion. The exhaust duct nozzle sprays water or the like in a shower toward the upper front portion of the vertically extending portion of the exhaust duct.

[0005] In the washer-dryer described above, the areas that are directly hit by the shower-like water are cleaned, but if the water is too strong, the force of the water may cause it to splash away from the exhaust duct, which may result in other areas not being cleaned completely.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a washing machine that can clean the entire exhaust duct. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The washing machine according to the present disclosure is a washing machine comprising a washing tub for storing laundry, a circulation air duct for supplying air into the washing tub, a filter device for collecting foreign matter contained in the air flowing into the circulation air duct, and an exhaust duct connecting an exhaust port formed in the washing tub and the filter device, wherein a water discharge section for discharging water is provided inside the exhaust duct, and the water discharge section has a blade provided facing a water outlet for discharging water, and the blade receives the water discharged from the water outlet and diffuses it along the inner wall of the exhaust duct.

[0008] In the washing machine according to the present disclosure, the exhaust duct may extend upward from the exhaust port and then bend toward the filter device, and the water discharge section may be attached to the top of the exhaust duct.

[0009] In the washing machine according to the present disclosure, the bent portion of the exhaust duct may be provided with a flat surface having a portion of its cross section that is straight or gently arcuate, and the blade may be configured to guide water from the water discharge portion to the flat surface.

[0010] In the washing machine according to the present disclosure, the water-discharging section may be attached to a mounting section that bulges outward from the inner wall of the exhaust duct, and only the blade may be exposed to the inside of the exhaust duct.

[0011] In the washing machine according to the present disclosure, the blade may be configured so that a tip of the blade extends at an angle downward relative to a central axis of the water outlet rather than perpendicularly.

[0012] In the washing machine according to the present disclosure, the blade may be configured so that its tip faces a part of the inner wall of the exhaust duct, and the angle at which they face each other is greater than 0 degrees and not greater than 30 degrees. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present disclosure, the ejected water can be directed at the blades, dispersing the water over a wide area and cleaning the entire exhaust duct. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the exhaust duct as viewed obliquely from above. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the exhaust duct as viewed from the flat surface side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a top view showing the exhaust duct as viewed from above. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the water discharge section as viewed from diagonally below. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of the water-discharging section shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section near the water outlet of the water discharge section. [Figure 8] 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along the line AA in FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, a washing machine having both a washing function and a drying function is illustrated as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention can also be applied to a dryer having only a drying function.

[0016] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Note that Fig. 1 shows only the configuration related to the drying function of the washing machine 10, and omits the configuration related to the washing function.

[0017] Washing machine 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is a drum type washer / dryer, and main body 100 is provided with door 120 that covers an opening on the front side, and washing tub 110 having rotating drum 111 provided therein is exposed by opening door 120. When door 120 is closed, the inside is liquid-tightly sealed, so that water in washing tub 110 does not leak.

[0018] After washing and spin-drying the clothes put into the washing tub 110 (rotating drum 111), the washing machine 10 performs a drying operation by sending dry air into the washing tub 110. In other words, when the washing machine 10 functions as a dryer, the washing tub 110 serves as a storage tub for holding the clothes.

[0019] Washing machine 10 has dry air generating section 130, blower fan 140, and filter device 150 as components for drying operation. Washing machine 10 is also provided with circulation air duct 160 that connects washing tub 110, filter device 150, dry air generating section 130, and blower fan 140 in this order, and air flows through each section through circulation air duct 160. An exhaust duct 20 is connected between an exhaust port formed in washing tub 110 and filter device 150. In circulation air duct 160, washing tub 110 is connected behind blower fan 140, and air is configured to circulate along circulation air duct 160.

[0020] The filter device 150 includes a lint filter and collects lint (lint) generated from clothes during drying operation. The dry air generating unit 130 converts the moist air sent from the washing tub 110 through the filter device 150 into dry air. Specifically, in the dry air generating unit 130, an evaporator 131 and a condenser 132 in a heat pump (refrigeration cycle) are arranged in this order from the upstream side in the air flow direction. The evaporator 131 dehumidifies the moist air (condenses moisture in the air), and the condenser 132 heats the dehumidified air to make it dry air. Note that the washing machine 10 includes other components of a heat pump (such as a compressor and an expansion valve), but these are omitted in FIG. 1. The blower fan 140 generates an air flow in the circulation air passage 160. Note that the dry air generating unit 130 is not limited to a heat pump, and may be configured by, for example, a dehumidifier and a heater.

[0021] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the exhaust duct as seen from diagonally above, Fig. 3 is a side view showing the exhaust duct as seen from the flat surface side, and Fig. 4 is a top view showing the exhaust duct as seen from above. Note that Figs. 2 to 4 show some components including the exhaust duct 20 extracted from the washing machine 10.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the filter device 150 is disposed above the washing tub 110 and toward the back of the washing machine 10. Therefore, the exhaust duct 20 is bent toward the filter device 150 after extending upward from the exhaust port (washing tub 110). In the exhaust duct 20, a part such as the connection part (filter side connection part 22) with the filter device 150 is made substantially cylindrical, but the bent part on the outer periphery side is provided with a flat surface 23 in which a part of the cross section is linear or arc-shaped with a bending radius larger than the bending radius of the bent part. In other words, in the exhaust duct 20, by providing the flat surface 23, the bulge of the corner on the outer periphery side of the bent part is suppressed, and the corner is cut off at an angle. The cross section of the bent part is a circle with a part of the outer periphery cut out, and the part corresponding to the chord of the arc is the flat surface 23. In addition, in exhaust duct 20, a connection portion (washing tub side connection portion 21) with washing tub 110 is bellows-shaped, and expands and contracts when washing tub 110 swings.

[0023] At the top of the exhaust duct 20, a water discharge section 30 is provided that discharges water into the inside of the exhaust duct 20. Specifically, the exhaust duct 20 is provided with an attachment section 24 that bulges outward from the inner wall, and the water discharge section 30 is inserted into this attachment section 24. A water supply source (not shown) is connected to the water discharge section 30, and water to be discharged is appropriately supplied. The attachment section 24 is provided near the filter side connection section 22 and in the vicinity of the upper end of the flat surface 23.

[0024] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the water-discharging part as seen from diagonally below, Fig. 6 is a side view of the water-discharging part shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section near the water outlet of the water-discharging part. Note that Figs. 5 to 7 show only a part of the water-discharging part 30 that is attached to the exhaust duct 20, and omit the connection part with the water supply source, etc.

[0025] The water-discharging section 30 has a cylindrical nozzle member 31 and a blade member 32 attached to the tip of the nozzle member 31. In this embodiment, the nozzle member 31 and the blade member 32 are separate members, but this is not limiting, and the two may be formed integrally.

[0026] The nozzle member 31 has a water outlet 31a at the lower end thereof for discharging water. The blade member 32 has a blade 32a provided facing the water outlet 31a. The blade 32a is flat, covers the lower side at a slight distance from the water outlet 31a, and is formed slightly larger than the water outlet 31a. The water outlet 31a has a cylindrical extension 31b extending toward the blade 32a. In other words, the nozzle member 31 does not simply have a hole on the circumferential surface, but the water outlet 31a is formed via the extension 31b extending slightly from the hole.

[0027] The blade 32a extends at an angle downward from the vertical to the central axis of the water outlet 31a. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the water discharged from the water outlet 31a hits the blade 32a at a slight inclination (arrow SR1 in FIG. 7), and a part of the water changes direction to the tip side of the blade 32a (arrow SR2 in FIG. 7) so as to follow the blade 32a, and the rest changes direction to the side of the blade 32a (in FIG. 7, toward the front and rear of the paper). In this way, by slightly inclining the blade 32a to the water outlet 31a, the water can be diffused over a wide area toward the inclined side. Moreover, regardless of how the direction of the water is changed in the water discharge section 30, the provision of the extension section 31b can suppress the variation in the flow rate of the water toward the blade 32a.

[0028] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along the line AA in FIG.

[0029] As described above, the blade 32a is inclined so that the distance between the blade 32a and the water outlet 31a increases toward the tip side. When the water discharge unit 30 is attached to the attachment unit 24, the base side of the blade 32a faces the filter side connector 22 side, and the tip side faces the washing tub side connector 21 side. In other words, the tip side of the blade 32a faces the flat surface 23 side, more preferably, the upper part of the flat surface 23. As shown in FIG. 8, the blade 32a receives the water discharged from the water outlet 31a and diffuses it so as to run along the inner wall of the exhaust duct 20 (arrow SR3 in FIG. 8). The water that hits the blade 32a is led to the flat surface 23.

[0030] In this way, the discharged water hits the blade 32a, and the water is diffused over a wide range, and the entire exhaust duct 20 can be cleaned. If the water is directly discharged toward the inner wall of the exhaust duct 20, the way the water spreads changes depending on the force, and the water hits discrete places or tends to be biased. However, the water is discharged so that it hits the blade 32a and spreads over a wide angle toward the inner wall of the exhaust duct 20, and runs along the inner wall, so that the effects of water pressure and the like are suppressed and a stable range can be cleaned. By guiding the water to the flat surface 23, the water spreads throughout without being biased locally, and the water can flow along the inner wall to the innermost part. In addition, by flowing the water from the top of the exhaust duct 20, the inner wall of the exhaust duct 20 can be efficiently cleaned. The tip of the blade 32a faces a part of the flat surface 23, preferably a part near the top, and the angle at which the blades face each other is preferably greater than 0 degrees and less than 30 degrees. This allows the water discharged from the blade 32a to hit the flat surface 23 reliably, and allows the water to flow along the flat surface 23 while preventing the water from splashing off the flat surface 23.

[0031] The water running down the inner wall of the exhaust duct 20 is drained together with the washed-out lint into the washing tub 110. The washing tub 110 is connected to a drainage path (not shown), and the lint is collected by a filter provided in the drainage path.

[0032] In the water discharge part 30 attached to the mounting part 24, only the blade 32a is exposed to the inside of the exhaust duct 20. With this configuration, the water discharge part 30 is hidden inside the mounting part 24, so it is possible to efficiently direct only the discharged water against the inner wall of the exhaust duct 20 while avoiding obstruction of the air. In addition, because the blade 32a covers the water outlet 31a, it is possible to prevent lint from adhering to the water outlet 31a and causing clogging.

[0033] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to provide a basis for a restrictive interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments, but is defined based on the claims. In addition, the present disclosure includes all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 10. Washing Machine 20 Exhaust Duct 23 Flat surface 24 Mounting part 30 Water discharge part 31 Nozzle member 31a Water outlet 31b Extension part 32 Blade material 32a Blade 110 Washing tub 150 Filter device

Claims

1. A washing tub for storing laundry; A circulation air duct for supplying air into the washing tub; A filter device that collects foreign matter contained in the air flowing in the circulating air passage; A washing machine including an exhaust duct connecting an exhaust port formed in the washing tub and the filter device, A water discharge unit that discharges water is provided inside the exhaust duct, The water discharge portion has a blade provided facing a water outlet for discharging water, The blade receives the water discharged from the water outlet and spreads it along the inner wall of the exhaust duct. A washing machine characterized by:

2. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, The exhaust duct extends upward from the exhaust port and then bends toward the filter device, The water discharge section is attached to the top of the exhaust duct. A washing machine characterized by:

3. The washing machine according to claim 2, The bent portion of the exhaust duct is provided with a flat surface having a cross section that is partly linear or partly arcuate, The blade guides water from the water discharge portion to the flat surface. A washing machine characterized by:

4. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, The water discharge section is attached to a mounting section that bulges outward from the inner wall of the exhaust duct, and only the blade is exposed to the inside of the exhaust duct. A washing machine characterized by:

5. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, The blade has a tip that extends at a downward angle relative to the central axis of the water outlet. A washing machine characterized by:

6. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, The blades have their tips facing a part of the inner wall of the exhaust duct, and the angle at which they face each other is greater than 0 degrees and not greater than 30 degrees. A washing machine characterized by:

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