Washing machine

Abstract

To achieve a high sterilization effect by irradiation of ultraviolet rays.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: an outer tub; a rotary tub that is rotatably provided in the outer tub and is capable of accommodating clothing; a water supply mechanism that is connected to an external water source and is capable of supplying water from the external water source into the outer tub; an ultraviolet ray irradiation device that is capable of applying ultraviolet rays into the rotary tub; and an operation processing part that is capable of executing a washing operation including a weight detection step of detecting the weight of laundry in the rotary tub, storing water in the outer tub, and washing the clothing in the rotary tub, and an ultraviolet ray irradiation operation that operates the ultraviolet ray irradiation device before execution of the washing operation and irradiates the clothing accommodated in the rotary tub with ultraviolet rays before the weight detection step in the washing operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, washing machines and the like capable of irradiating clothes with ultraviolet light in order to suppress the growth of bacteria on the clothes and the like have been proposed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-176646 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in such conventional washing machines, there is still room for improvement in order to obtain a high sterilization effect by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. Therefore, a washing machine capable of achieving a high sterilization effect by irradiating ultraviolet rays is provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A washing machine according to an embodiment includes an outer tub, a rotating tub that is rotatably arranged within the outer tub and capable of storing clothes, a water supply mechanism that is connected to an external water source and can pour water from the external water source into the outer tub, an ultraviolet irradiation device that can irradiate ultraviolet rays into the rotating tub, and an operation processing unit that can perform a washing operation before the weight detection step in the washing operation, the washing operation including a weight detection step that detects the weight of laundry in the rotating tub, storing water in the outer tub and washing the clothes in the rotating tub, and an ultraviolet irradiation operation that operates the ultraviolet irradiation device before the washing operation to irradiate ultraviolet rays to the clothes stored in the rotating tub. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing a schematic configuration of an example of a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional rear view showing a schematic configuration of an example of a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an ultraviolet irradiation device of a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a course provided in a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation of an ultraviolet irradiation operation performed in a washing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation of a washing operation performed by a washing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an operation content of a drying operation performed by a washing machine according to an embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Hereinafter, a washing machine according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 10 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is a horizontal-axis or diagonal-axis drum-type washer / dryer with a drying function. The washing machine of this embodiment can also be applied to a vertical-axis type so-called fully automatic washer / dryer. The washing machine 10 of this embodiment can also be applied to a configuration without a drying function.

[0008] 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 includes an outer case 11, a door 12, an outer tub 13, a bellows 14, a rotating tub 15, a motor 16, a water supply mechanism 17, a drain mechanism 18, and an operation panel 19. In this embodiment, the door 12 side of the outer case 11, i.e., the left side of the paper in FIG. 1, is the front side of the washing machine 10. The outer case 11 is formed into a rectangular hollow box shape using, for example, a stainless steel plate, and constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 10. The outer case 11 has a clothes opening 111 at the front part, which communicates between the inside and outside of the outer case 11.

[0009] The door 12 is provided at the front of the outer box 11 and is configured to be able to open and close the clothing entrance 111. With the door 12 open, a user can insert or remove clothing 90 into or from the spin tub 15 through the clothing entrance 111.

[0010] The outer tub 13 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an opening 131 on the front side. In this embodiment, the outer tub 13 can store water inside, and in this case, functions as a water tank. The outer tub 13 has an exhaust port 132 and an air supply port 133. The exhaust port 132 is provided, for example, in the upper front part of the peripheral wall constituting the cylindrical part of the outer tub 13, and is provided at a position separated in the left-right direction from the center of the outer tub 13 in the left-right direction, that is, the top of the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the outer tub 13. The air supply port 133 is provided, for example, in a part of the bottom of the outer tub 13 slightly above the center in the up-down direction of the bottom. The exhaust port 132 and the air supply port 133 communicate the inside and outside of the outer tub 13.

[0011] The bellows 14 is provided around the clothes opening 111 of the outer box 11 and the opening 131 of the outer tub 13. The bellows 14 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical bellows shape, and elastically connects the outer box 11 and the outer tub 13 with the clothes opening 111 and the opening 131 communicating with each other.

[0012] The spin tub 15 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom that can accommodate the clothes 90, and is rotatably accommodated inside the outer tub 13. The rotation axis of the spin tub 15 overlaps with the central axis of the outer tub 13. The spin tub 15 has a plurality of communication ports 151. The communication ports 151 communicate the inside and outside of the spin tub 15. The communication ports 151 are formed in the entire area of ​​the peripheral wall constituting the cylindrical part of the spin tub 15 and the bottom part of the spin tub 15. The communication ports 151 mainly function as water holes through which water enters and exits during the washing operation and the spinning operation, and function as ventilation holes through which air enters and exits during the drying operation. In addition, although not shown in detail, the spin tub 15 is provided with a plurality of baffles on the inside of the cylindrical part. The baffles agitate the clothes 90 accommodated inside the spin tub 15.

[0013] The motor 16 is provided, for example, on the outside of the bottom of the outer tub 13. The tip side of the shaft 161 of the motor 16 protrudes into the inside of the outer tub 13 and is connected to the rotating tub 15. For example, an outer rotor type direct drive motor can be used as the motor 16. The shaft 161 of the motor 16 penetrates the bottom of the outer tub 13, protrudes into the inside of the outer tub 13, and is fixed to the bottom of the rotating tub 15. The motor 16 rotates the rotating tub 15 relative to the outer tub 13. In this case, the shaft 161 of the motor 16, the central axis of the outer tub 13, and the rotation axis of the rotating tub 15 are all aligned.

[0014] The water supply mechanism 17 is a device for injecting water supplied from an external water source such as a water tap into the outer tub 13. The water supply mechanism 17 is provided, for example, in the outer box 11, above one of the left and right sides of the outer tub 13. The water supply mechanism 17 includes a water supply valve 171, a water injection case 172, and a water injection hose 173. The water supply valve 171 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid, and is connected to an external water source such as a water tap (not shown).

[0015] The water injection case 172 is configured to be capable of storing laundry treatment agents such as detergent and finishing agent therein. The water injection hose 173 connects the water injection case 172 and the inside of the outer tub 13. The water supply valve 171 opens and closes a water injection path from an external water source through the water supply mechanism 17 to the inside of the outer tub 13. When the water supply valve 171 is opened, water from the external water source is injected into the outer tub 13 through the water injection case 172. If a laundry treatment agent is stored in the water injection case 172 at the time of the water injection, the laundry treatment agent in the water injection case 172 is carried by the water flowing through the water injection case 172 and is washed down into the outer tub 13. Note that the washing machine 10 does not necessarily have to include the water injection case 172. In other words, the washing machine 10 may be configured so that the user directly puts the laundry treatment agent into the outer tub 13. Furthermore, the washing machine 10 may be provided with an automatic dispenser that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into the outer tub 13 together with the water injection case 172 or in place of the water injection case 172.

[0016] Drain mechanism 18 has a function of discharging water stored inside outer tub 13 to the outside of washing machine 10. Drain mechanism 18 is configured to include drain valve 181 and drain pipe 182. Drain valve 181 is an electromagnetically driven on-off valve for liquid. Drain valve 181 opens and closes a drain path that leads from inside outer tub 13 to the outside of the machine via drain mechanism 18.

[0017] Operation panel 19 has a function of accepting operation inputs from the user regarding settings and operation of washing machine 10, and presenting information regarding settings and operation of washing machine 10 to the user by display, audio, etc. Operation panel 19 can be configured, for example, with a touch panel display, or with touch switches, mechanical switches, etc. Operation panel 19 can also be configured by combining a touch panel display with touch switches and mechanical switches, etc. Operation panel 19 is provided, for example, on the front part of the top surface of outer casing 11.

[0018] The washing machine 10 also has a drying function. In this embodiment, the washing machine 10 has a circulation air duct 20 and a hot air supply device 30. The circulation air duct 20 connects the exhaust port 132 and the air supply port 133 on the outside of the outer tub 13. The circulation air duct 20 has a function of taking in the air in the outer tub 13 from the exhaust port 132 into the circulation air duct 20, turning it into hot air through the hot air supply device 30, and then supplying the hot air from the air supply port 133 into the outer tub 13.

[0019] The circulation air duct 20 can be configured to include, for example, an exhaust duct 21, a filter device 22, a connection duct 23, a heat exchanger 24, and an air supply duct 25. The exhaust duct 21, the filter device 22, the connection duct 23, the heat exchanger 24, and the air supply duct 25 are arranged in order along the flow of air flowing through the circulation air duct 20.

[0020] The exhaust duct 21 is a duct that connects the exhaust port 132 of the outer tub 13 and the filter device 22. The filter device 22 is provided with a filter (not shown) inside and collects lint and foreign matter contained in the air flowing through the circulating air passage 20. The connection duct 23 is a duct that connects the filter device 22 and the heat exchanger 24. The heat exchanger 24 is provided on the inside lower part of the outer box 11 and below the outer tub 13 and the rotating tub 15. The air taken into the circulating air passage 20 from the outer tub 13 is dehumidified and heated as it passes through the heat exchanger 24, becoming dry warm air. The supply air duct 25 is a duct that connects the heat exchanger 24 and the supply air port 133 of the outer tub 13.

[0021] The hot air supplying device 30 has a function of generating hot air for drying the clothes in the rotating tub 15 and supplying the hot air from the air inlet 133 into the outer tub 13. The hot air supplying device 30 can be configured to include, for example, a heat pump type or a heater type heating device. In this embodiment, the hot air supplying device 30 is configured to include a heat pump type heating device, and has an evaporator 31, a condenser 32, and a compressor 33.

[0022] The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32 are provided in the heat exchange section 24. The evaporator 31 is provided upstream of the condenser 32 with respect to the air flow in the heat exchange section 24 during drying operation. The evaporator 31 and the condenser 32, together with a compressor 33 provided outside the heat exchange section 24, constitute a heat pump mechanism, i.e., a refrigeration cycle. Air passing through the heat exchange section 24 is cooled by the evaporator 31 and thereby dehumidified. The air dehumidified by the evaporator 31 is then heated by the condenser 32 to become warm air.

[0023] The downstream side of the heat exchanger 24 is connected to the air intake port 133 of the outer tub 13 by the air intake duct 25. The hot air supply device 30 also includes a blower 34. The blower 34 is provided, for example, at the connection between the heat exchanger 24 and the air intake duct 25, and can be composed of, for example, a sirocco fan. The blower 34 sucks air in the heat exchanger 24 and discharges it to the air intake duct 25 side. As a result, the hot air dehumidified and heated in the heat exchanger 24 is supplied from the air intake port 133 to the outer tub 13 and further to the rotating tub 15 by the blowing action of the blower 34.

[0024] Furthermore, when the blower 34 is operated with the compressor 33 stopped, unheated air is supplied into the rotating tub 15, which lowers the temperature inside the rotating tub 15. Therefore, by operating the blower 34 with the compressor 33 stopped, the blower 34 fulfills the function of cooling the temperature inside the rotating tub 15.

[0025] The washing machine 10 is also provided with an ultraviolet ray irradiation device 40. The ultraviolet ray irradiation device 40 can be provided, for example, at a location other than the rotating tub 15 and facing the inside of the rotating tub 15. The ultraviolet ray irradiation device 40 can be provided, for example, on the inner circumferential surface of the opening 131 of the outer tub 13, the inner circumferential surface of the bellows 14, or inside the door 12. In the case of this embodiment, the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 40 is provided, for example, at the uppermost part of the inner circumferential surface of the opening 131 of the outer tub 13 or the inner circumferential surface of the bellows 14.

[0026] The ultraviolet irradiator 40 has a function of irradiating the rotating tub 15 with light rays including ultraviolet rays, and can emit ultraviolet light with a wavelength of, for example, 200 nm to 380 nm. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiator 40 can irradiate ultraviolet rays toward the lower part of the rotating tub 15, that is, toward the lower part of the peripheral wall of the rotating tub 15, in other words, toward the water surface side when water is stored in the outer tub 13. The ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiator 40 have a sterilization or germicidal ability by themselves, that is, without using a catalyst or the like. In this case, the wavelength of the ultraviolet rays irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiator 40 is preferably within the range of 200 nm to 280 nm, taking into account the sterilization or germicidal ability.

[0027] The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light to be irradiated, that is, the amount of irradiation energy of the ultraviolet light to be irradiated per unit time, to two or more stages. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 of this embodiment is configured to be able to adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light to be irradiated to two stages, for example, "strong" and "weak". In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 adjusts the intensity of the ultraviolet light to be irradiated by adjusting the irradiation time of the ultraviolet light per unit time, that is, the duty ratio between the period when the ultraviolet light is irradiated and the period when the ultraviolet light is not irradiated. In this case, for example, the duty ratio is set to 100% in "strong", that is, the ultraviolet light is always irradiated. In addition, in "weak", the duty ratio is set to a value smaller than 100% of "strong", for example, 50% or less. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 may be configured to adjust the intensity of the ultraviolet light by adjusting the illuminance of the ultraviolet light.

[0028] The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 may be configured to irradiate visible light simultaneously with or separately from the irradiation of ultraviolet light. In the present embodiment, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is configured to be able to irradiate visible light together with the irradiation of ultraviolet light. In this case, the irradiation area of ​​ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 and the irradiation area of ​​visible light irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be set so as to at least partially overlap. Furthermore, for example, the irradiation area of ​​visible light can be set so as to be entirely contained within the irradiation area of ​​ultraviolet light, or the irradiation area of ​​ultraviolet light can be set so as to be entirely contained within the irradiation area of ​​visible light.

[0029] 3, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be configured to include, for example, a light source circuit 41, an ultraviolet light source 42, a blue light source 43, and a white light source 44. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 can be configured by mounting the light source circuit 41, the ultraviolet light source 42, the blue light source 43, and the white light source 44 on, for example, a single substrate 401.

[0030] The light source circuit 41 is an electric circuit for controlling the operations of the ultraviolet light source 42, the blue light source 43, and the white light source 44. The ultraviolet light source 42 is a light source capable of emitting ultraviolet light, and may be configured, for example, by an ultraviolet lamp or an ultraviolet LED. The blue light source 43 is capable of emitting blue visible light, for example visible light close to purple, and may be configured, for example, by a blue lamp or a blue LED. The white light source 44 is capable of emitting white visible light, and may be configured, for example, by a white lamp or a white LED.

[0031] The ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light source 42 is invisible to the human eye. Therefore, when the ultraviolet light source 42 emits ultraviolet light, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 emits blue visible light close to purple from the blue light source 43, so that the user can recognize that ultraviolet light is being emitted from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. In this case, the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43 can be configured to always emit light simultaneously by connecting them to the light source circuit 41 by a common electrical wiring. Note that the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43 can also be configured to be connected to the light source circuit 41 by separate electrical wiring and to emit light independently of each other.

[0032] Furthermore, the white light source 44 can be used, for example, to illuminate the interior of the rotating tub 15. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiator 40 also functions as a lighting device for illuminating the interior of the rotating tub 15. The white light source 44 is connected to the light source circuit 41 by electrical wiring separate from that of the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43, and can be configured to emit light independently of the ultraviolet light source 42 and the blue light source 43.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 4, the washing machine 10 includes a control device 50, a weight detection unit 51, and an operation processing unit 52. The control device 50 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU 501 and a storage area 502 such as a ROM, a RAM, and a non-volatile memory. The control device 50 has a function of managing the operation of the entire washing machine 10. The motor 16, the water supply valve 171, the drain valve 181, the operation panel 19, the compressor 33, the blower 34, and the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 40 are electrically connected to the control device 50 and operate under the control of the control device 50.

[0034] Weight detection unit 51 has a function of detecting the weight of laundry such as clothes 90 housed in spin tub 15. Weight detection unit 51 can be realized, for example, by an ammeter (not shown) that measures the current flowing through motor 16. Weight detection unit 51 can measure the load acting on motor 16 by measuring the current flowing through motor 16 when spin tub 15 is rotated, and detect the weight of laundry housed in spin tub 15 based on the load. Weight detection unit 51 can also be realized, for example, by using an encoder that detects the rotation speed of motor 16. In this case, weight detection unit 51 measures the load on motor 16 from the difference between the target rotation speed and the actual rotation speed, and detects the weight of laundry based on the load.

[0035] Further, the memory area 502 of the control device 50 stores, for example, a program for implementing the operation processing unit 52. The control device 50 executes the program stored in the memory area 502 in the CPU 501, thereby virtually implementing the operation processing unit 52 by software. Note that the operation processing unit 52 may be implemented in hardware as an integrated circuit integrated with the control device 50.

[0036] The operation processing unit 52 can selectively execute a course consisting of one or more combinations of an ultraviolet irradiation operation, a washing operation, and a drying operation by operating the motor 16, the water supply valve 171, the drain valve 181, the compressor 33, the blower 34, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40, and the weight detection unit 51 as necessary. In this embodiment, the "operation" in the ultraviolet irradiation operation, the washing operation, and the drying operation is a concept including one or more steps. Also, a course is a concept including one or more operations, and is a unit that can be selected by the user. That is, the user can select and execute a course including a desired operation from among the ultraviolet irradiation operation, the washing operation, and the drying operation, for example, by operating the operation panel 19.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 5, the washing machine 10 of the present embodiment is set with, for example, a washing course, a washing and drying course, a drying course, a sterilization washing course, and a sterilization washing and drying course. In FIG. 5, "◯" means that the corresponding operation is executed, and "none" means that the corresponding operation is not executed. The washing course is a course in which only the washing operation is executed. The washing and drying course is a course in which the washing operation and the drying operation are executed in sequence. The drying course is a course in which only the drying operation is executed. The sterilization washing course is a course in which the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the washing operation are executed in sequence. The sterilization washing course is suitable for washing a small amount of clothes that are sensitive to heat, for example, but is not limited to this. And the sterilization washing and drying course is a course in which the ultraviolet irradiation operation, the washing operation, and the drying operation are executed in sequence.

[0038] The washing operation is aimed at washing clothes, and is an operation in which water is stored in the outer tub 13 to wash the clothes in the spin tub 15. The drying operation is aimed at drying clothes, and is an operation in which hot air is supplied into the outer tub 13 to dry the clothes in the spin tub 15. The ultraviolet irradiation operation is aimed at sterilizing the clothes, and is an operation in which the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated to irradiate the clothes stored in the spin tub 15 with ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet irradiation operation is performed before the washing operation. The specific contents of each operation can be changed automatically or appropriately based on the user's operation on the operation panel 19 depending on the amount of clothes and the state of dirt.

[0039] Details of each operation will be described with reference to Fig. 6 to Fig. 8, taking as an example a case where a sterilization washing course or a sterilization washing and drying course is selected. When the sterilization washing course is executed, the operation processing unit 52 executes the ultraviolet irradiation operation of Fig. 6 and the washing operation of Fig. 7 in that order. Also, when the sterilization washing and drying course is executed, the operation processing unit 52 executes the drying operation of Fig. 8 in that order, in addition to the ultraviolet irradiation operation of Fig. 6 and the washing operation of Fig. 7.

[0040] 6 to 8, ON means that the device is operating, and OFF means that the device is not operating. When the sterilization washing course or the sterilization washing and drying course is started, the operation processing unit 52 first executes the ultraviolet irradiation operation shown in Fig. 6. The operation processing unit 52 keeps the water supply valve 171 and the drain valve 181 closed while executing the ultraviolet irradiation operation. Note that the drain valve 181 may be kept open while executing the ultraviolet irradiation operation.

[0041] During the ultraviolet irradiation operation, the operation processing unit 52 operates the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 to irradiate ultraviolet rays into the rotating tub 15. In this case, the intensity of the irradiated ultraviolet rays is set to "strong." As a result, the clothes in the rotating tub 15 are sterilized by the ultraviolet rays.

[0042] Here, if the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated continuously at "strong" for a long time, the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 generates heat and becomes hot, which may accelerate the deterioration of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. Therefore, the operation processing unit 52 of this embodiment keeps the compressor 33 in a stopped state and operates the blower 34 during the ultraviolet irradiation operation. As a result, unheated air is supplied into the outer tub 13. The ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is cooled by the unheated air supplied into the outer tub 13, and thus the deterioration of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 due to heat is suppressed.

[0043] The ultraviolet irradiation operation of this embodiment includes a stationary irradiation step and an agitation irradiation step. The stationary irradiation step is a step of irradiating ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 with the motor 16 stopped, i.e., with the rotation of the rotating tub 15 stopped. The agitation step is a step of operating the motor 16 to rotate the rotating tub 15, thereby irradiating ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 while agitating the clothes in the rotating tub 15. The rotation speed of the motor 16 in this case is set to a low speed. The agitation irradiation step is performed after the stationary irradiation step.

[0044] In this embodiment, the low speed is, for example, a rotation speed at which the clothes in the rotating tub 15 do not stick to the inner peripheral wall of the rotating tub 15, that is, a speed at which the clothes are lifted up once as the rotating tub 15 rotates and then fall. The medium speed is a speed faster than the low speed, for example, a rotation speed at which the clothes in the rotating tub 15 start to stick to the inner peripheral wall of the rotating tub 15. The high speed is a speed even faster than the medium speed, for example, a rotation speed at which the clothes in the rotating tub 15 are maintained in a state of sticking to the inner peripheral wall of the rotating tub 15. The rotation speed of the motor 16 in each process, i.e., the rotation speed of the rotating tub 15, can be appropriately changed depending on the contents of the process, etc.

[0045] Moreover, the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is shorter than the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation process. That is, the stationary irradiation process continuously irradiates ultraviolet rays during the execution period A1 that is longer than the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process. The ratio of the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation process to the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is set to, for example, about 4 to 9:1. In the case of this embodiment, the ratio of the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation process to the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is set to 7:1. That is, when the execution period of the ultraviolet irradiation operation is, for example, 40 minutes, the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation process is 35 minutes, and the execution period A2 of the stirring irradiation process is 5 minutes.

[0046] When the ultraviolet irradiation operation is completed, the operation processing unit 52 executes the washing operation shown in Fig. 7. The washing operation includes, for example, a weight detection step, a washing step, a rinsing step, and a spin-drying step. The rinsing step and the spin-drying step can be set to occur once or multiple times. In the case of this embodiment, the washing operation includes two rinsing steps and two spin-drying steps each, excluding the spin-drying operation during the washing step.

[0047] In this specification, when the washing machine 10 performs a plurality of different processes in one step, the processes constituting the step are referred to as "operations." The first rinsing step and spin-drying step are referred to as an intermediate rinsing step and an intermediate spin-drying step, respectively, and the second or last rinsing step and spin-drying step are referred to as a final rinsing step and a final spin-drying step, respectively. When the washing operation includes one rinsing step and one spin-drying step, the first rinsing step and spin-drying step are the final rinsing step and the final spin-drying step.

[0048] The rinsing process and the spin-drying process may be set to be performed three or more times based on the user's settings. In the following description, the rinsing process is a general term that includes the intermediate rinsing process and the final rinsing process, and the spin-drying process is a general term that includes the intermediate spin-drying process and the final spin-drying process.

[0049] When the operation processing unit 52 executes the washing operation, it executes a weight detection step, a washing step, an intermediate rinsing step, an intermediate spin-drying step, a final rinsing step, and a final spin-drying step in that order. The weight detection step is a step in which the weight detection unit 51 detects the weight of the laundry in the spin tub 15. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the weight detection step, it operates the motor 16 to rotate the spin tub 15, for example, at a range from low to medium speed, thereby detecting the load on the motor 16, i.e., the weight of the clothes.

[0050] The washing process includes, for example, a water pouring operation, a washing operation, a draining operation, and a spin-drying operation. In the washing process, the operation processing unit 52 sequentially executes the water pouring operation, the washing operation, the draining operation, and the spin-drying operation. The water pouring operation in the washing process is an operation of pouring water supplied from an external water source into the outer tub 13, and is executed before the washing operation. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the water pouring operation in the washing process, for example, the operation processing unit 52 opens the water supply valve 171 with the drain valve 181 closed to pour water into the outer tub 13. At this time, the laundry treatment agent such as detergent that has been put into the water injection case 172 is put into the outer tub 13 along with the pouring of water.

[0051] The washing operation is an operation in which, with water stored in the outer tub 13, the motor 16 is operated to rotate the spin tub 15, etc., to agitate the clothes in the spin tub 15, thereby washing the clothes. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the washing operation, for example, with the water supply valve 171 and the drain valve 181 closed, the motor 16 is operated to rotate the spin tub 15, and the clothes in the spin tub 15 are beaten and washed. Note that, in the washing operation, the operation processing unit 52 may pour water by, for example, intermittently opening and closing the water supply valve 171.

[0052] The drainage operation in the washing step is an operation for draining the water stored in outer tub 13 to the outside of washing machine 10, and is executed after the washing step. When the drainage operation in the washing step is executed, operation processing unit 52 opens drain valve 181 with water supply valve 171 closed, for example, thereby draining the water stored in outer tub 13.

[0053] The dehydration operation in the washing process is an operation in which the spin tub 15 is rotated at high speed to centrifugally dehydrate the clothes that have been washed, and is performed after the drainage operation in the washing process. For example, the control device 50 keeps the drainage valve 181 open and operates the motor 16 to rotate the spin tub 15 at high speed, thereby centrifugally dehydrating the clothes in the spin tub 15.

[0054] The rinsing process includes, for example, a water pouring operation, a rinsing operation, and a draining operation. In the rinsing process, the operation processing unit 52 sequentially executes the water pouring operation, the rinsing operation, and the draining operation. The water pouring operation in the rinsing process is an operation of pouring water supplied from an external water source into the outer tub 13, similar to the water pouring operation in the washing process, and is executed before the rinsing operation. After executing the water pouring operation in the rinsing process, the operation processing unit 52 pours water into the outer tub 13 by opening the water supply valve 171 with, for example, the drain valve 181 closed, similar to the water pouring operation in the washing process.

[0055] The rinsing operation is an operation in which, with water stored in the outer tub 13, the motor 16 is operated to rotate the rotatable tub 15, etc., to agitate the clothes in the rotatable tub 15, thereby rinsing the clothes. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the rinsing operation, it operates the motor 16 with the water supply valve 171 and the drain valve 181 closed, for example, to rotate the rotatable tub 15, as in the washing operation, to rinse the clothes in the rotatable tub 15. Note that, in the rinsing operation, the control device 50 may pour water by, for example, intermittently opening and closing the water supply valve 171.

[0056] The drainage operation in the rinsing step is an operation for draining the water stored in outer tub 13 to the outside of washing machine 10, and is executed after the rinsing step. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the drainage operation in the rinsing step, it opens drain valve 181 with water supply valve 171 closed, for example, in the same manner as the drainage operation in the washing step, thereby draining the water stored in outer tub 13.

[0057] The spin-drying process is a process in which the spin tub 15 is rotated at high speed to centrifugally spin-dry the clothes that have been through the washing process and the rinsing process. The spin-drying process in the washing operation is an operation in which the spin tub 15 is rotated at high speed without operating the hot air supply device 30 to centrifugally spin-dry the clothes. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the spin-drying process, it closes the water supply valve 171 and drives the motor 16 with the drain valve 181 open to rotate the spin tub 15 at high speed. The washing operation is completed upon completion of the final spin-drying process. Then, if the selected course is the sterilization washing course, the operation processing unit 52 completes the sterilization washing course upon completion of the washing operation. On the other hand, if the selected course is the sterilization washing and drying course, the operation processing unit 52 executes the drying operation of FIG. 8 after executing the washing operation.

[0058] The operation processing unit 52 can execute an ultraviolet irradiation process. The ultraviolet irradiation process is a process in which the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated to irradiate ultraviolet rays onto the clothes contained in the spin tub 15 during a period different from the ultraviolet irradiation operation. In the case of this embodiment, the operation processing unit 52 can execute an ultraviolet irradiation process while a washing operation is being performed. The operation processing unit 52 can execute an ultraviolet irradiation process while a washing process is being performed, a final rinsing process is being performed, and a final spin-drying process is being performed.

[0059] In this case, the execution period B1 of the ultraviolet irradiation process executed during the washing step, the execution period B2 of the ultraviolet irradiation process executed during the final rinsing step, and the execution period B3 of the ultraviolet irradiation process executed during the final spin-drying step are shorter than the execution period A0 of the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation step, respectively. Also, the execution period B0 of the entire washing operation is longer than the execution period A0 of the ultraviolet irradiation operation.

[0060] The operation processing unit 52 stops the compressor 33 and the blower 34 during the execution of the washing operation. In this case, when the operation processing unit 52 executes the ultraviolet irradiation process during the washing operation, the operation processing unit 52 sets the intensity of the ultraviolet light to be irradiated to "weak". In other words, the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 in the ultraviolet irradiation process during the washing operation is set to be weaker than the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 during the ultraviolet irradiation operation.

[0061] When the operation processing unit 52 executes the drying operation, it executes a weight detection step and a drying step in that order, as shown in Fig. 8. Also, a preheat dehydration step may be executed between the weight detection step and the drying step based on the user's selection. The weight detection step in the drying operation is a step of detecting the weight of the laundry in the spin tub 15 by the weight detection unit 51, similar to the weight detection step in the washing operation. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the weight detection step in the drying operation, it operates the motor 16 to rotate the spin tub 15, for example, in a range from low speed to medium speed, thereby detecting the load on the motor 16, i.e., the weight of the clothes.

[0062] The preheat dehydration step is a step in which the clothes are centrifugally dehydrated while being heated by applying hot air to the clothes by rotating the rotating tub 15 at high speed while operating the compressor 33 and the blower 34. In the example of Fig. 8, the preheat dehydration step is performed with the drain valve 181 open, but the preheat dehydration step may also be performed with the drain valve 181 closed. In this case, the operation processing unit 52 can perform an ultraviolet ray irradiation process during the execution of the preheat dehydration step in the drying operation.

[0063] The execution period C1 of the preheat dehydration process is shorter than the execution period C2 of the drying process. In this embodiment, the execution period C0 of the entire drying operation is longer than the execution period A0 of the ultraviolet irradiation operation and the execution period B0 of the washing operation. In the preheat dehydration process, the compressor 33 and the blower 34 are operating, but most of the heat of the warm air generated by the compressor 33 and the blower 34 is absorbed by the damp clothes, so the temperature inside the outer tub 13 is unlikely to rise. Therefore, the temperature is unlikely to rise due to the operation of the ultraviolet irradiation device 40. Therefore, the operation processing unit 52 sets the intensity of the ultraviolet rays to be irradiated to "strong" in the ultraviolet irradiation process during the preheat dehydration process.

[0064] The drying process is a process of drying the clothes by rotating the rotating tub 15 at a medium speed to agitate the clothes while operating the hot air supply device 30 to blow hot air onto the clothes. When the operation processing unit 52 executes the drying process, it operates the motor 16, the compressor 33, and the blower 34 with the water supply valve 171 and the drain valve 181 closed. In addition, in the drying process, the operation processing unit 52 does not execute the ultraviolet irradiation process. When the drying process is completed, the operation processing unit 52 completes the sterilization wash-dry course.

[0065] According to the embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 includes the outer tub 13, the spinning tub 15, the water supply mechanism 17, the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 40, and the operation processing unit 52. The spinning tub 15 is rotatably provided in the outer tub 13 and configured to be able to store clothes. The water supply mechanism 17 is connected to an external water source and configured to be able to pour water from the external water source into the outer tub 13. The ultraviolet ray irradiation device 40 is configured to be able to irradiate ultraviolet rays into the spinning tub 15.

[0066] The operation processing unit 52 is configured to be capable of executing a washing operation and an ultraviolet irradiation operation. The washing operation is an operation in which water is stored in the outer tub 13 and the clothes in the spin tub 15 are washed. The ultraviolet irradiation operation is an operation that is executed before the execution of the washing operation, and is an operation in which the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated to irradiate the clothes stored in the spin tub 15 with ultraviolet rays.

[0067] According to this, by performing an ultraviolet irradiation operation before a washing operation using water, germs killed by the ultraviolet irradiation operation can be washed away by the washing operation after the ultraviolet irradiation operation. This reduces the number of germs remaining on clothes, making the clothes clean, and as a result, a high sterilization effect can be obtained by the irradiation of ultraviolet rays.

[0068] The ultraviolet irradiation operation includes a stationary irradiation step and an agitation irradiation step. The stationary irradiation step is a step of irradiating ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 with the rotating tub 15 stopped. The agitation irradiation step is performed after the stationary irradiation step, and is a step of irradiating ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 while rotating the rotating tub 15 and agitating the clothes in the rotating tub 15. In this case, the execution period A2 of the agitation irradiation step is shorter than the execution period A1 of the stationary irradiation step.

[0069] According to this, when the user places clothes in the rotating tub 15, the clothes are arranged so that the ultraviolet rays hit the areas where the user wants to concentrate on sterilization, and the static irradiation step is executed, so that the areas where the user wants to concentrate on sterilization can be continuously irradiated with ultraviolet rays. This allows the areas where the user wants to concentrate on sterilization to be sterilized efficiently. Then, by executing the stirring step after the static irradiation step, the ultraviolet rays can be irradiated to other areas, and the entire clothes can be sterilized.

[0070] Furthermore, the operation processing unit 52 can execute an ultraviolet irradiation process in which the ultraviolet irradiation device 40 is operated during the execution of the washing operation to irradiate the clothes contained in the spin tub 15 with ultraviolet rays. In this way, in addition to the sterilization by the ultraviolet irradiation operation described above, an even higher sterilization effect can be obtained by irradiating ultraviolet rays even during the execution of the washing operation.

[0071] Here, the washing operation includes a washing step and a rinsing step that is executed after the washing step. The operation processing unit 52 can execute an ultraviolet irradiation process during the washing step. This allows the ultraviolet rays to sterilize germs transferred from the clothes to the water during the washing step, preventing the germs from returning to the clothes, and as a result, the clothes can be made cleaner.

[0072] The washing operation includes a washing step and one or more rinsing steps that are performed after the washing step. The operation processing unit 52 can perform an ultraviolet irradiation process during the final rinsing step. This can sterilize germs transferred from the clothes to the water in the final rinsing step with ultraviolet light, thereby preventing germs from returning to the clothes, and as a result, the clothes can be made even cleaner. In this case, the operation processing unit 52 does not perform an ultraviolet irradiation process in the intermediate rinsing step or the intermediate spin-drying step.

[0073] The washing operation includes a washing step, one or more rinsing steps performed after the washing step, and one or more spin-drying steps performed after each rinsing step. The operation processor 52 can perform an ultraviolet irradiation process during the last spin-drying step, i.e., the final spin-drying step. This can sterilize germs remaining in the final rinsing step with ultraviolet light, making the clothes even cleaner.

[0074] The intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light irradiation device 40 in the ultraviolet light irradiation process is set to be weaker than the intensity of the ultraviolet light emitted from the ultraviolet light irradiation device 40 in the ultraviolet light irradiation operation. That is, in the ultraviolet light irradiation operation before the washing operation, since there are many germs present in the clothes, efficient sterilization can be performed by irradiating ultraviolet light at a high intensity. In the ultraviolet light irradiation process during the washing operation, since the germs present in the clothes have been reduced by the ultraviolet light irradiation operation and the washing operation, the intensity of the ultraviolet light irradiated from the ultraviolet light irradiation device 40 is kept low. As a result, in the ultraviolet light irradiation process during the washing operation, germs that could not be completely sterilized by the ultraviolet light irradiation operation and the washing operation can be sterilized, and the life of the ultraviolet light irradiation device 40 can be extended by keeping the intensity of the ultraviolet light in the ultraviolet light irradiation process low.

[0075] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This new embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10... washing machine, 13... outer tub, 15... rotating tub, 17... water supply mechanism, 40... ultraviolet irradiation device, 52... operation processing unit, 90... clothing

Claims

[Claim 1] The outer tank and A rotating tub that is rotatably provided in the outer tub and capable of accommodating clothes; a water supply mechanism connected to an external water source and capable of supplying water from the external water source into the outer tub; an ultraviolet ray irradiation device capable of irradiating ultraviolet rays into the rotating tank; an operation processing unit capable of executing a washing operation including a weight detection step of detecting a weight of laundry in the spin tub, storing water in the outer tub to wash the clothes in the spin tub, and an ultraviolet irradiation operation of irradiating the clothes stored in the spin tub with ultraviolet light by operating the ultraviolet irradiation device before the execution of the washing operation, before the weight detection step in the washing operation; A washing machine equipped with

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