Washing machine

Abstract

To improve attachment / detachment operability of a washing treatment agent tank to / from a washing machine.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: an input opening part 10 open upward at an upper part of a housing 1; an automatic input part 11 arranged in the input opening part 10 and for automatically inputting a washing treatment agent in an outer tub 2; and an input lid 6 for opening / closing the input opening part 10. At the automatic input part 11, a detergent tank 111 for storing a detergent is provided in an attachable / detachable manner. The detergent tank 111 includes a detergent discharge part 111e in which a connection direction is facing downward so as to be connected with a connection protrusion part 10a provided at the automatic input part 11. The input lid 6 and a washing treatment agent tank are arranged at the positions that are not overlapped in a top view, in a state where the input lid 6 is open.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] In a washing machine, laundry treatment agents such as detergent and finishing agent are used to wash and rinse. In recent years, there are washing machines that use an automatic dispenser of laundry treatment agents to improve user convenience. In a washing machine using an automatic dispenser of laundry treatment agents, a laundry treatment agent tank that stores laundry treatment agents is installed on the top of the washing machine, and the top of the laundry treatment agent tank is covered with an openable and closable lid. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses such a technology.

[0003] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, a first lid part and a second lid part are provided from the back side to the front side of the washing machine. A first rotation shaft is provided between the top surface of the outer box of the washing machine and the first lid part, and a second rotation shaft is provided between the first lid part and the second lid part.

[0004] When a user places their fingers on the second handle of the second lid and lifts it upward, the second lid rotates around the second pivot shaft, opening the top of the loading section for loading one dose of detergent and finishing agent. The second lid rotates so as to form a valley fold relative to the first lid. Furthermore, when a user places their fingers on the first handle of the first lid and lifts it upward, the first lid rotates around the first pivot shaft, opening the top of the laundry treatment agent tank that stores several doses of detergent and finishing agent. When the first lid is fully open, the second lid is located behind the first lid.

[0005] The laundry treatment agent tank is removably housed in a housing of the washing machine. The rear lower part of the laundry treatment agent tank is configured to protrude rearward. The rear lower part of the laundry treatment agent tank protruding rearward is provided with a connection part for connecting to a pump pipe provided in the washing machine. When removing the laundry treatment agent tank from the housing, the laundry treatment agent tank is moved forward within the housing, disconnected from the pump pipe, and then pulled out upward. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-160858 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In order to prevent clogging of the laundry treatment tank, it is preferable to periodically remove the laundry treatment tank from the washing machine and clean the entire laundry treatment tank. Also, when changing the type of laundry treatment, it is preferable to clean the entire laundry treatment tank in order to prevent mixing of the laundry treatments.

[0008] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the rear lower part of the laundry treatment tank, which is equipped with a connection part, is configured to protrude backward, and this protruding part interferes with the first lid part in the upward direction. Therefore, when removing the laundry treatment tank from the storage part, the laundry treatment tank is moved forward inside the storage part and then pulled out upward, which requires two actions, making it difficult to remove the laundry treatment tank.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to improve the ease of attaching and detaching a laundry treatment agent tank to a washing machine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a washing machine including a housing, an outer tub elastically supported by the housing, and an inner tub rotatably supported within the outer tub, The upper part of the housing is provided with an upwardly opening opening, an automatic dosing unit that is placed within the dosing opening and automatically dosing laundry treatment agent into the outer tub, and a dosing lid that opens and closes the dosing opening, and the automatic dosing unit has a laundry treatment agent tank that stores the laundry treatment agent removably provided therein, and the laundry treatment agent tank has a laundry treatment agent discharge unit with a connection direction facing downward so as to connect to a connection protrusion provided on the automatic dosing unit, and when the dosing lid is open, the dosing lid and the laundry treatment agent tank are positioned so that they do not overlap when viewed from above. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, the operability of attaching and detaching the laundry treatment agent tank to and from the washing machine can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of a drum type washing machine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 4 is a partially enlarged view showing the state in which the input lid 6 is folded and opened. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a top view of the top cover 1d as viewed from above. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the detergent tank 111. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a laundry treatment agent dispenser 200. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the laundry treatment agent case 50 as seen from the front right side. [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective view of a top cover 1d and a laundry treatment agent dispenser 200 as viewed from below on the right side. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the automatic insertion unit 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In principle, the same elements are given the same reference numerals in all drawings. Furthermore, explanations of parts having the same functions will be omitted. Note that the configurations described below are merely examples, and it is not intended that the embodiment of the present invention is limited to the specific embodiments described below.

[0014] In this embodiment, a drum-type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the inner tub is substantially horizontal will be described as an example of a washing machine.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of a drum-type washing machine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a state in which an input lid 6 is folded and opened. Fig. 3 is a top view of an upper cover 1d as viewed from above. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 3.

[0016] In the following description, the right side is referred to as the "right" side and the left side is referred to as the "left" side as viewed from the direction in which the user operates the drum type washing machine 100. In addition, the front side of the drum type washing machine 100 is referred to as the "front" side and the back side is referred to as the "rear" side as viewed from the direction in which the user operates the drum type washing machine 100, thereby defining the front-rear direction.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, a drum type washing machine 100 includes a housing 1, an outer tub 2 elastically supported within the housing 1, and a rotating drum (inner tub) 3 rotatably supported within the outer tub 2.

[0018] The housing 1 is formed by combining a steel plate and a resin molded product, and is attached to the top of a base B. The housing 1 is composed of left and right side plates 1a, a front cover 1b, a rear cover 1c, a top cover 1d, and a lower front cover 1e. The left and right side plates 1a are joined by a U-shaped upper reinforcement, a front reinforcement, and a rear reinforcement (not shown). This forms a box-shaped housing 1 including the base B, and has sufficient strength as a housing.

[0019] A door 4 for opening and closing an opening for putting in and taking out clothes (laundry) is supported openably by a hinge 4h provided on the front reinforcement material at approximately the center of the front cover 1b of the housing 1. A door handle 4t is provided on the front cover 1b near the right hand side of the door 4 to release a locking mechanism (not shown) of the door 4 by gripping it.

[0020] By gripping the door handle 4t, the locking mechanism is released and the door 4 can be opened, while by pressing the door 4 against the front cover 1b, the door 4 is closed and locked. The front reinforcement member has a circular opening, which is almost concentric with the opening of the outer tub 2, for putting in and taking out laundry.

[0021] An operation cover 21 in front of the top cover 1d of the housing 1 is provided with a touch panel 23 having a display section and the like.

[0022] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, an input opening 10 that opens upward is formed on the left side of a top cover 1d disposed on the upper part of the housing 1. A laundry treatment agent input device 200 (see Figures 4 and 6), which will be described later, is installed in the input opening 10. A detergent input section (manual input section 5, automatic input section 11) described below is arranged in the laundry treatment agent input device 200 via the input opening 10.

[0023] A manual insertion section 5 for inserting a single load of laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener into the outer tub 2 is provided in front of the insertion opening 10. An automatic insertion section 11 is provided behind (at the back of) the insertion opening 10 (manual insertion section 5). In other words, the manual insertion section 5 is provided inside the insertion opening 10 located in front of the automatic insertion section 11.

[0024] The automatic dispenser 11 has a laundry treatment agent tank that stores laundry liquid such as detergent and fabric softener to be used for multiple washes, and automatically dispenses the laundry liquid into the outer tub 2. In this specification, the term laundry treatment agent is used collectively to refer to items used in washing. Detergent and fabric softener are types of laundry treatment agents.

[0025] The input opening 10 is provided with an openable and closable input lid 6, and by closing the input lid 6, the manual input section 5 and the automatic input section 11 are covered from above.

[0026] A lint filter cover 1f is attached to a flat portion of the lower front cover 1e for inserting and removing a filter member of a lint filter (not shown).

[0027] The touch panel type liquid crystal panel (liquid crystal display unit) serving as touch panel 23 is provided between front cover 1b and top cover 1d on an inclined surface at a predetermined angle so that it is easy to see when a user stands in front of drum type washing machine 100. Therefore, the inclined surface is somewhat long in landscape size, and accordingly, touch panel 23 is made a liquid crystal panel of a landscape size. This allows a lot of information to be displayed on one screen, and the settings and status of the washing machine can be checked without switching screens.

[0028] 2 and 3, the automatic dispenser 11 is provided with two laundry treatment agent tanks, a detergent tank 111 for storing a detergent and a fabric softener tank 112 for storing a fabric softener. The detergent tank 111 and the fabric softener tank 112 are detachable from the dispenser opening 10 (laundry treatment agent dispenser 200) of the drum washing machine 100.

[0029] Fig. 5 is an external perspective view of detergent tank 111. As shown in Figs. 2 to 5, detergent tank 111 includes detergent tank section 111b that is open at the top and stores detergent, a detachable detergent tank lid 111a that covers the top opening of detergent tank section 111b, detergent input opening / closing lid 111c that is provided so as to be openable and closable relative to detergent tank lid 111a with rotation shaft 111c1 as a fulcrum, and detergent tank handle 111d that is provided on detergent tank lid 111a and serves as a handle for removing detergent tank 111 upward from input opening 10 of drum type washing machine 100.

[0030] The detergent tank handle 111d includes an upper surface portion 111d1 whose upper surface is inclined downward from the rear to the front (front-rear direction), a handle recess 111d2 formed between the upper surface portion 111d1 and the upper surface of the detergent tank lid 111a and recessed from the rear to the front (front-rear direction), and a cutout opening 111d3 cut along the left-right direction of the upper surface portion 111d1. When the detergent tank 111 is washed, water tends to accumulate in the handle recess 111d2. In this embodiment, the cutout opening 111d3 is formed in the upper surface portion 111d1, so that the water accumulated in the handle recess 111d2 can be drained through the cutout opening 111d3.

[0031] When removing the detergent tank 111 from the dispenser opening 10 (laundry treatment agent dispenser 200), the user bends his / her fingers to insert them into the handle recess 111d2 and, in this state, pulls up the detergent tank 111. Since the detergent tank handle 111d is located approximately in the center of the detergent tank 111 in the front-to-rear direction, the detergent tank 111 can be pulled up stably.

[0032] 2 and 3, the fabric softener tank 112 includes a fabric softener tank section that is open at the top and stores detergent, a removable fabric softener tank lid 112a that covers the top opening of the fabric softener tank section, a fabric softener dispenser opening / closing lid 112c that is provided on the fabric softener tank lid 112a so as to be openable and closable with a rotating shaft as a fulcrum, and a fabric softener tank handle 112d that is provided on the fabric softener tank lid 112a and is used to remove the fabric softener tank 112 upward from the dispenser opening 10 of the drum washing machine 100. The fabric softener tank 112 is similar to the detergent tank 111, so detailed description thereof will be omitted below.

[0033] The detergent tank 111b is provided at its rear lower portion with a detergent discharger 111e (laundry treatment agent discharger) that connects to the laundry treatment agent dispenser 200 (see Figs. 4 and 6) and supplies detergent. The detergent discharger 111e is provided to protrude downward so that the connection direction, which is the discharge port, faces downward. When the detergent tank 111 is installed in the laundry treatment agent dispenser 200 (dispensing opening 10) of the drum type washing machine 100, the opening / closing valve of the detergent discharger 111e is opened by the connecting protrusion 10a (Fig. 4) provided on the automatic dispenser 11 of the laundry treatment agent dispenser 200, and the detergent stored in the detergent tank 111b can be supplied to the drum type washing machine 100 via the discharge control unit 170 (see Figs. 8 and 9). The configuration of the discharge control unit 170 will be described later.

[0034] In this embodiment, the connection direction of the detergent discharge portion 111e provided in the detergent tank portion 111b faces downward and protrudes downward, so that the side surface 111b1, the front surface 111b2, and the rear surface 111b3 of the detergent tank portion 111b are formed as flat surfaces rising vertically.

[0035] A plurality of claws 111f are provided on the upper part of a side surface 111b1 of the detergent tank portion 111b, and the detergent tank lid 111a is fixed to the detergent tank portion 111b by inserting the claws 111f into fixing holes provided in a side surface 111a1 of the detergent tank lid 111a.

[0036] To prevent clogging, it is preferable to periodically remove the detergent tank 111 (laundry treatment agent tank) from the washing machine and clean the entire detergent tank 111. Also, when the type of detergent (laundry treatment agent) is changed, it is preferable to clean the entire detergent tank 111 (laundry treatment agent tank) to prevent mixing of the detergents (laundry treatment agents).

[0037] The operation of removing the detergent tank 111 (laundry treatment agent tank) will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0038] The input opening 10 is provided with an openable and closable input lid 6. The input lid 6 is composed of a first lid portion 61 that is disposed at the rear side when the input lid 6 is closed, and a second lid portion 62 that is disposed at the front side when the input lid 6 is closed. The length in the front-rear direction of the second lid portion 62 is set to be shorter than the length in the front-rear direction of the first lid portion 61. This configuration can prevent the second lid portion 62 from coming into contact with the detergent input portion (manual input portion 5, automatic input portion 11) when the input lid 6 is opened.

[0039] Second cover portion 62 has recess 621 recessed downward from the upper surface, and handle portion 622 on which a user places his / her fingers.

[0040] The first cover 61 has a first rotating shaft 65 on the rear side (deep side), and is rotatably supported by the top cover 1d of the housing 1. The first rotating shaft 65 is formed extending in the left-right direction of the first cover 61. The first rotating shaft 65 is inserted into a bearing portion (not shown) formed in the top cover 1d of the housing 1, and rotatably supports the first cover 61, causing the first cover 61 to rotate. In this embodiment, the first rotating portion is formed by the first rotating shaft 65 and the bearing portion (not shown).

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the first lid part 61 is provided with a second rotation shaft 66 on the front side (near side), which connects the first lid part 61 and the second lid part 62 so as to be capable of rotating.

[0042] In this embodiment, by providing two rotation shafts (first rotation shaft 65, second rotation shaft 66), first lid part 61 and second lid part 62 rotate so that their back surfaces (their faces on the insertion opening 10 side) face each other. In other words, first lid part 61 and second lid part 62 rotate so as to be in a mountain-folded state with the second rotation part located at the top.

[0043] The second lid part 62 of the input lid 6 is provided with a handle 622 for a user to open and close the lid. The handle 622 is formed on the rear side (deep side) of the center of the second lid part 62 in the front-rear direction, and extends from the rear side to the front side. The handle 622 is provided near the second rotation shaft 66.

[0044] The second lid portion 62 is formed with a recess 621 that is recessed downward from the upper surface of the second lid portion 62. The recess 621 extends toward the rear side (deep side), and is formed to extend to a position below the handle portion 622.

[0045] When opening the insertion lid 6, the user inserts his / her finger into the recess 621 and hooks his / her fingertip on the underside of the handle 622. When the user lifts the handle 622 with his / her fingertip, the first lid 61 rotates upward about the first rotation part (first rotation shaft 65 and bearing part), and the second lid 62 rotates about the second rotation part (second rotation shaft 66 and bearing part) so as to approach the first lid 61. Then, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the first lid 61 and the second lid 62 are in a mountain-folded state with the second rotation part located at the top. The first lid 61 and the second lid 62 in the mountain-folded state are held in an inclined state so as to fall toward the rear side of the housing 1.

[0046] As described above, when removing the detergent tank 111 of this embodiment from the dispenser opening 10 (laundry treatment agent dispenser 200), the detergent tank 111 is pulled out upward.

[0047] In the detergent tank 111 of this embodiment, the side surface 111b1, the front surface 111b2, and the rear surface 111b3 of the detergent tank section 111b are formed as planes rising vertically, so that the side surface 111a1, the front surface 111a2, and the rear surface 111a3 around the detergent tank lid 111a protrude toward the outer periphery.

[0048] When the detergent tank 111 is pulled out upward, it is necessary to ensure that the periphery of the detergent tank 111, i.e., the side 111a1, front 111a2, and rear 111a3 of the detergent tank lid 111a do not overlap with the input opening 10 and the input lid 6 when the drum type washing machine 100 is viewed from above. In this embodiment, the side and front of the input opening 10 are formed larger than the side 111a1 and front 111a2 of the detergent tank lid 111a, so that the side 111a1 and front 111a2 of the detergent tank lid 111a do not interfere with the side and front of the input opening 10. In addition, on the rear side, the detergent tank 111 and the input lid 6 are arranged so that the upward extension line L1 of the rear surface 111a3 of the detergent tank lid 111a does not overlap with the input opening 10 and the input lid 6, as shown in FIG.

[0049] In this embodiment, when the loading lid 6 (first lid portion 61 and second lid portion 62) is opened, the loading lid 6 is held in an inclined state so as to fall toward the rear side of the housing 1, so that the rear surface 111a3) of the detergent tank lid 111a does not overlap with the loading lid 6 when the drum type washing machine 100 is viewed from above, and interference between the two can be prevented when the detergent tank 111 is pulled out upward. Also, when connected to the connecting protrusion 10a of the loading opening 10, the detergent discharge portion 111e is provided at the bottom of the detergent tank portion 111b and the connection direction faces downward, so that the connection state between the detergent discharge portion 111e and the connecting protrusion 10a can be released simply by pulling the detergent tank 111 upward from the loading opening 10.

[0050] In this embodiment, the opening state of the drop-in lid 6 is shown as a mountain fold, but the same effect can be obtained even if the first lid portion 61 and the second lid portion 62 of the drop-in lid 6 are in a straight line.

[0051] Next, the configurations of the laundry treatment agent dispenser 200 and the manual dispenser 5 will be described. Fig. 6 is an external perspective view of the laundry treatment agent dispenser 200. Fig. 7 is an external perspective view of the laundry treatment agent case 50 as seen from the front right side. Fig. 8 is an external perspective view of the top cover 1d and the laundry treatment agent dispenser 200 as seen from the lower right side.

[0052] The laundry treatment agent dispenser 200 includes a main body case 201 that is open at the top, and the main body case 201 is provided with a manual dispenser 5 and an automatic dispenser 11. As described above, the detergent tank 111 and the fabric softener tank 112 are detachably disposed in the automatic dispenser 11.

[0053] Further, a laundry treatment agent case 50 is removably disposed in the manual dispenser 5. The laundry treatment agent case 50 is provided with a manual detergent dispenser 51 for dispensing one dose of detergent, and a manual fabric softener dispenser 52 for dispensing one dose of fabric softener. The manual detergent dispenser 51 and the manual fabric softener dispenser 52 are separated by a partition wall 50a that rises upward from the bottom of the laundry treatment agent case 50 and extends in the front-rear direction. A laundry treatment agent case cap 70 is attached to the partition wall 50a from above.

[0054] The manual detergent dispensing section 51 of the laundry treatment agent case 50 is formed with a first water supply opening 51a through which tap water is supplied from the detergent supply hose 151, a detergent discharge opening 51b through which detergent is discharged together with tap water, and an overflow opening 51c through which excess tap water is discharged.

[0055] The manual fabric softener dispenser 52 of the laundry treatment agent case 50 is formed with a second water supply opening 52a through which tap water is supplied from the fabric softener supply hose 152, a fabric softener discharge opening 51b through which the fabric softener is discharged together with tap water using the siphon principle, and an overflow opening 52c through which excess tap water is discharged.

[0056] The laundry treatment agent case cap 70 includes a current plate 71 provided at a position facing the first water supply opening 51a, and a siphon cap 72 attached to the fabric softener discharge port 51b. The current plate 71 is provided at a position facing the first water supply opening 51a inside the laundry treatment agent case 50.

[0057] Tap water is supplied to the manual detergent dispenser 51 through a first water supply opening 51a formed on the front side of the laundry treatment agent case 50, but the tap water supplied to the manual detergent dispenser 51 may splash due to water pressure. In this embodiment, therefore, a straightening plate 71 is disposed at a position opposite the first water supply opening 51a to prevent the tap water from splashing. The straightening plate 71 is formed with a downward inclination from the front to the rear. The tap water flowing in from the first water supply opening 51a flows along the straightening plate 71 to the bottom of the manual detergent dispenser 51 and is supplied to the outer tub 2 together with the detergent.

[0058] A user pours one dose of detergent and fabric softener into the laundry treatment agent case 50. In doing so, there is a possibility that the detergent and fabric softener may be spilled. In particular, detergent and fabric softener spilled on the front side of the laundry treatment agent case 50 are likely to adhere to and solidify on the manual dispenser 5. Therefore, in this embodiment, a guide plate 53 is provided on the front side of the laundry treatment agent case 50 to guide spilled detergent and fabric softener to the manual detergent dispenser 51 and manual fabric softener dispenser 52. The guide plate 53 is provided so as to protrude toward the front of the laundry treatment agent case 50.

[0059] In this embodiment, a guide plate 53 is provided in front of the laundry treatment agent case 50, so that spilled detergent and fabric softener can be guided to the manual detergent dispenser 51 and the manual fabric softener dispenser 52, and the spilled detergent and fabric softener can be prevented from adhering to and solidifying on the manual dispenser 5. In this embodiment, the laundry treatment agent case 50 is provided detachably from the laundry treatment agent dispenser 200, so that the laundry treatment agent case 50 can be removed and the adhering detergent and fabric softener can be washed away.

[0060] The main body case 201 is provided with a detergent water supply hose 151 and a fabric softener water supply hose 152 which connect the solenoid valve 160 and the laundry treatment agent case 50.

[0061] The detergent supply hose 151, which supplies tap water to the manual detergent dispenser 51, has one upstream end connected to the solenoid valve 160 and the other downstream end connected to the front of the main body case 201. The detergent supply hose 151 extends along the front-rear direction on the right side of the main body case 201, is bent at a substantially right angle at the front position, extends along the front of the main body case 201 in the left-right direction, and is then connected to the front of the main body case 201. The detergent supply hose 151 is formed in an L-shape when viewed from above. The discharge port of the detergent supply hose 151 is connected to the first water supply opening 51a, and tap water is supplied to the manual detergent dispenser 51 through the first water supply opening 51a. The first water supply opening 51a is formed at a position opposite to the other end of the detergent supply hose 151, and guides tap water into the laundry treatment agent case 50.

[0062] In this embodiment, detergent supply hose 151 is formed in an L-shape when viewed from above, so that detergent supply hose 151 can be installed while avoiding manual fabric softener dispenser 52.

[0063] The fabric softener supply hose 152, which supplies tap water to the manual fabric softener dispenser 52, has one upstream end connected to the solenoid valve 160 and the other downstream end connected to a side surface of the main body case 201. The fabric softener supply hose 152 extends along the front-rear direction on the right side surface of the main body case 201 and is connected to the side surface of the main body case 201. The discharge port of the fabric softener supply hose 152 is connected to the second water supply opening 52a, and tap water is supplied to the manual fabric softener dispenser 52 via the second water supply opening 52a.

[0064] A water passage 202 is formed at the bottom of the main body case 201, through which the detergent put into the manual detergent dispenser 51, the fabric softener put into the manual fabric softener dispenser 52, and tap water pass. The water passage 202 extends from the front to the rear, and one end of a connection hose 203 is connected to the rear end. The other end of the connection hose 203 is connected to the outer tub 2, and the detergent, fabric softener, and tap water are supplied to the outer tub 2 via the connection hose 203.

[0065] Furthermore, a discharge control unit 170 that controls the automatic dispenser 11 is provided at the bottom of the main body case 201. The aforementioned solenoid valve 160 is attached to the rear of the main body case 201. In addition to the aforementioned detergent supply hose 151 and fabric softener supply hose 152, a main body case cleaning hose 153 and a discharge control unit cleaning hose 154 are connected to the solenoid valve 160. The solenoid valve 160 controls the opening and closing of the valves to start and stop the supply of tap water to each hose.

[0066] In the main body case 201, the detergent put into the manual detergent dispenser 51 and the fabric softener put into the manual fabric softener dispenser 52 may not flow out and remain and adhere to the main body case 201. Therefore, in this embodiment, the water supply solenoid valve is controlled to pass tap water through the main body case cleaning hose 153 and supply tap water to the bottom of the main body case 201. As a result, in this embodiment, the detergent and fabric softener remaining in the main body case 201 can be washed away.

[0067] Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the automatic insert unit 11. FIG.

[0068] The detergent tank 111, the fabric softener tank 112, and the laundry treatment agent case 50 are housed in a main body case 201.

[0069] The detergent tank 111 is provided at the lower rear portion with a detergent discharge portion 111e, and the fabric softener tank 112 is provided at the lower rear portion with a fabric softener discharge portion 112e.

[0070] Downstream (below) of the detergent tank 111 and the fabric softener tank 112, a discharge control section 170 is provided which controls the discharge of fluids (detergent, fabric softener, and washing water).

[0071] The discharge control unit 170 is composed of a detergent supply flow path 171 (first flow path), a fabric softener supply flow path 172 (second flow path), a cleaning flow path 173 (third flow path) connected to the main case cleaning hose 153, a switching valve 174, a discharge flow path 175, a stepping motor 176 (first drive unit), a conveying pump 180, a first check valve 177, a discharge port 178, and a second check valve 179.

[0072] The detergent discharge section 111e is connected to a detergent supply flow path 171 (first flow path) through which detergent is supplied from the detergent tank 111, and the softener discharge section 112e is connected to a softener supply flow path 172 (second flow path) through which softener is supplied from the softener tank 112. The detergent supply flow path 171 (first flow path) and the softener supply flow path 172 (second flow path) are connected to a switching valve 174 (switching unit) that switches the flow paths. In addition, the switching valve 174 is connected to a washing flow path 173 (third flow path) through which tap water (washing water) is supplied from the solenoid valve 160 via the main body case washing hose 153, and a discharge flow path 175 that communicates with the conveying pump 180.

[0073] The switching valve 174 in this embodiment functions as a four-way valve that switches to select any one of the fluids, the detergent from the detergent tank 111, the fabric softener from the fabric softener tank 112, and the wash water from the solenoid valve 160, and discharges it from the discharge flow path 175. Note that the switching valve 174 may also be a three-way valve that switches to select any one of the fluids, the detergent from the detergent tank 111, and the fabric softener from the fabric softener tank 112, and discharges it from the discharge flow path 175.

[0074] A stepping motor 176 serving as a first drive unit is connected to the switching valve 174, and the valve element is rotationally driven by the stepping motor 176 to change the stopping position, thereby switching the flow path.

[0075] A transfer pump 180 is provided downstream of the switching valve 174. The transfer pump 180 is composed of a cylinder 180b that stores detergent and fabric softener, a piston 180a that moves inside the cylinder 180b, and a pump motor 180c that drives the piston 180a. The piston 180a and the cylinder 180b form a pump that introduces fluid into the outer tub 2, and this pump is driven by the pump motor 180c (second drive unit).

[0076] A first check valve 177 is provided between the discharge flow path 175 and the cylinder 180b, and a second check valve 179 is provided between a discharge port 178 of the discharge control section 170 and the cylinder 180b.

[0077] The operation of the conveying pump 180 will be described. When the conveying pump 180 switches the switching valve 174 and the detergent or fabric softener is supplied to the discharge flow path 175, the conveying pump 180 operates the pump motor 180c to draw the piston 180a toward the pump motor 180c. When the piston 180a is drawn toward the pump motor 180c, the pressure inside the cylinder 180b becomes negative, the first check valve 177 opens, and the detergent or fabric softener is sucked from the discharge flow path 175 into the cylinder 180b. At this time, the second check valve 179 remains closed. When the operation of the piston 180a is stopped, the first check valve 177 closes. Then, when the pump motor 180c is operated again and the pump motor 180c pushes the piston 180a, the pressure inside the cylinder 180b increases, the second check valve 179 opens, and the detergent or fabric softener in the piston 180a is supplied to the outer tub 2 from the discharge port 178.

[0078] By repeating the suction and extrusion action of the detergent or fabric softener by the piston 180a several times, the detergent or fabric softener is automatically dispensed into the outer tub 2 in an amount that matches the amount of water in the outer tub 2.

[0079] After the detergent or fabric softener is discharged, the detergent or fabric softener adheres to the switching valve 174, the piston 180a, and the cylinder 180b. If the detergent or fabric softener is left on the surface after the washing is completed, the detergent or fabric softener may dry and harden, causing the switching valve 174, the piston 180a, and the cylinder 180b to become stuck and inoperable.

[0080] Therefore, in this embodiment, a washing process is provided for washing the switching valve 174, the piston 180a, and the cylinder 180b. The washing process is performed after the detergent or fabric softener is poured into the outer tub 2. After the detergent or fabric softener is pushed out by the piston 180a, the switching valve 174 is switched to communicate the washing flow path 173 (third flow path) with the discharge flow path 175. In this state, when the solenoid valve 160 is opened, the washing water passes through the washing flow path 173 and is discharged from the discharge flow path 175 together with the detergent or fabric softener adhering to the switching valve 174. Since the washing water discharged from the discharge flow path 175 is subjected to waterworks pressure, the washing water opens the first check valve 177 and flows into the cylinder 180b. The washing water that flows into the cylinder 180b washes away the detergent or fabric softener adhering to the piston 180a and the cylinder 180b, opens the second check valve 179, and is discharged from the discharge port 178 into the outer tub 2.

[0081] In this manner, the switching valve 174, the piston 180a, and the cylinder 180b are cleaned. When supplying cleaning water to the cylinder 180b, it is preferable to pull the piston 180a toward the pump motor 180c. By positioning the piston 180a toward the pump motor 180c, the cleaning range within the cylinder 180b can be expanded. After cleaning of the piston 180a and the cylinder 180b is completed, it is preferable to drive the pump motor 180c to push out the piston 180a in order to remove the cleaning water accumulated within the cylinder 180b. Then, the conveying pump 180 is positioned on the opposite side to the pump motor, with the piston 180a pushed out, in preparation for the next operation.

[0082] When opening the solenoid valve 160, it is preferable to open the solenoid valve 160 after the switching valve 174 is in a position where the cleaning flow path 173 and the discharge flow path 175 communicate with each other. If the solenoid valve 160 is opened before the switching valve 174 is in a position where the cleaning flow path 173 and the discharge flow path 175 communicate with each other, water pressure is applied to the switching valve 174, which may cause the switching valve 174 to be damaged or cause water leakage. For this reason, in this embodiment, the solenoid valve 160 is opened after the switching valve 174 is in a position where the cleaning flow path 173 and the discharge flow path 175 communicate with each other. By operating the solenoid valve 160 and the switching valve 174 in this manner, it is possible to suppress damage to the switching valve 174 and water leakage.

[0083] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the dispensing lid 6 is open, the dispensing lid 6 and the laundry treatment agent tank (detergent tank 111, fabric softener tank 112) are positioned so that they do not overlap when viewed from above. This makes it possible to easily remove the laundry treatment agent tank, thereby improving the operability of dispensing laundry treatment agent into the washing machine. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1...housing, 1a...left and right side panels, 1b...front cover, 1c...rear cover, 1d...top cover, 1e...lower front cover, 1f...lint filter cover, 2...outer tub, 3...rotating drum (inner tub), 4...door, 4h...hinge, 4t...door handle, 5...manual input section, 6...input lid, 10...input opening, 10a...connection protrusion, 11...automatic input section, 12...fixing recess, 12a...edge, 21...operation cover, 23...touch panel, 50...laundry treatment agent case, 50a...partition wall, 51...manual detergent input section, 51a...first water supply opening 51b...fabric softener outlet, 51c...overflow opening, 52...manual fabric softener dispenser, 52a...second water supply opening, 52c...overflow opening, 53...guide plate, 61...first lid portion, 62...second lid portion, 65...first pivot shaft, 66...second pivot shaft, 70...laundry treatment agent case cap, 71...baffle plate, 72...siphon cap, 100...drum-type washing machine, 111...detergent tank, 111a...detergent tank cover, 111a1...side surface, 111a2...front surface, 111a3...rear surface, 111b...detergent tank portion, 111b1... Side, 111b2...front, 111b3...rear, 111c...detergent dispenser opening / closing lid, 111c1...rotating shaft, 111d...detergent tank handle, 111d1...upper surface, 111d2...handle recess, 111d3...notch opening, 111e...detergent discharge section, 111f...claw, 112...fabric softener tank, 112a...fabric softener tank lid, 112c...fabric softener dispenser opening / closing lid, 112d...fabric softener tank handle, 112e...fabric softener discharge section, 151...detergent water supply hose, 152...fabric softener water supply hose, 153...main body case cleaning hose, 154 ...Discharge control unit cleaning hose, 160... solenoid valve, 170... discharge control unit, 171... detergent supply flow path, 172... fabric softener supply flow path, 173... cleaning flow path, 174... switching valve, 175... discharge flow path, 176... stepping motor, 177... first check valve, 178... discharge port, 179... second check valve, 180... conveying pump, 180a... piston, 180b... cylinder, 180c... pump motor, 200... laundry treatment agent dispenser, 201... main body case, 202... water passage, 203... connection hose, 621... recess, 622... handle

Claims

1. A washing machine including a housing, an outer tub elastically supported by the housing, and an inner tub rotatably supported within the outer tub, The upper part of the housing is provided with an input opening that opens upward, an automatic input unit that is disposed in the input opening and automatically inputs a laundry treatment agent into the outer tub, and an input lid that opens and closes the input opening, The automatic dispenser is provided with a detachable laundry treatment agent tank for storing the laundry treatment agent, The laundry treatment agent tank includes a laundry treatment agent discharge part whose connection direction faces downward so as to connect with a connection protrusion provided on the automatic dispenser, The washing machine is characterized in that, when the loading lid is open, the loading lid and the laundry treatment agent tank are arranged at positions where they do not overlap with each other when viewed from above.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, A manual insertion unit is provided within the insertion opening located in front of the automatic insertion unit, The washing machine is characterized in that the manual dispenser section is provided with a detachable laundry treatment agent case for dispensing a single dose of laundry treatment agent into the outer tub.

3. The washing machine according to claim 2, The washing machine is characterized in that a guide plate protruding forward is provided on the front side of the laundry treatment agent case to guide the laundry treatment agent into the laundry treatment agent case.

4. The washing machine according to claim 2, A washing agent dispenser is provided with a solenoid valve for supplying and stopping water, the solenoid valve being attached to the main body case. The laundry treatment agent tank and the laundry treatment agent case are housed in the main body case, The washing machine is characterized in that the main body case is provided with a laundry treatment agent water supply hose connecting the solenoid valve and the laundry treatment agent case.

5. The washing machine according to claim 4, The solenoid valve is attached to the rear of the main body case, The washing machine is characterized in that the laundry treatment agent supply hose is formed in an L-shape when viewed from above, one end of the laundry treatment agent supply hose is connected to the solenoid valve, and the other end of the laundry treatment agent supply hose is connected to a front surface of the main body case.

6. The washing machine according to claim 5, The laundry treatment agent case is provided with a water supply opening for introducing water into the laundry treatment agent case, the water supply opening being provided at a position opposite to the other end of the laundry treatment agent water supply hose.

7. The washing machine according to claim 6, The washing machine is characterized in that a baffle plate inclined downward from the front to the rear is provided at a position opposite to the water supply opening in the laundry treatment agent case.

8. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the laundry treatment tank includes a removable laundry treatment tank cover; the laundry treatment agent tank lid is provided with a detergent treatment agent tank handle serving as a handle for removing the laundry treatment agent tank upward from the input opening, The washing machine is characterized in that the detergent treatment agent tank handle has an upper surface portion that is inclined downward as it goes from the rear to the front, and a handle recess portion that is formed between the upper surface portion and the upper surface of the laundry treatment agent tank lid and is recessed from the rear to the front.

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