Clothing treatment device

Abstract

To provide a clothing treatment device which can suppress increase in size and complication of a structure of a water pouring case, even in the case where both manual input part and automatic input part are provided at the water pouring case.SOLUTION: A clothing treatment device includes: a clothing treatment tub for storing clothing; a water supply part for supplying water into the clothing treatment tub; and a water pouring case provided at the water supply part. The water pouring case includes: a case body part; and a water passage part for supplying water to the case body part. The water passage part can be separated from the case body part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a clothing treatment apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In a washing machine, which is an example of a clothing treatment apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment on clothing, there is provided one having a manual input section for a user to manually input a clothing treatment agent such as a detergent or a fabric softener. In recent years, in order to meet the demand for improving the convenience of the user, in a washing machine, a configuration has been developed in which a plurality of clothing treatment agents for a plurality of operations are preliminarily stored in a tank for automatic input, and a necessary amount is automatically input from the tank into a water tank during operation. That is, in recent years, the development of a washing machine having both a manual input section and an automatic input section has been promoted.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration of a washing machine including a water injection case in a water supply section for supplying water into a water tank. And this water injection case is provided with both a manual input section and an automatic input section.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the conventional configuration, with both a manual input section and an automatic input section provided in the water injection case, the water injection case has been enlarged and the configuration has been complicated. In particular, in order to provide an automatic input section, at least a pump for sucking a clothing treatment agent from the tank is required, and the presence of such components as this pump is one of the factors causing the enlargement and complication of the water injection case.

[0006] In the conventional configuration, a water passage portion for supplying water into the water injection case is integrally provided in the water injection case. Therefore, a space for assembling a pump, for example, a space for sliding the pump toward the installation position, must be secured in advance between the water injection case and the water passage portion. That is, a certain amount of large space must be secured between the water injection case and the water passage portion. This is also one of the factors that lead to an increase in the size and complexity of the configuration of the water injection case.

[0007] Therefore, the present embodiment provides a clothing treatment apparatus that can suppress an increase in the size and complexity of the structure of the water injection case even when the water injection case is provided with both a manual input portion and an automatic input portion.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The clothing treatment apparatus according to the present embodiment is a clothing treatment apparatus including a clothing treatment tub for accommodating clothing, a water supply unit for supplying water into the clothing treatment tub, and a water injection case provided in the water supply unit, wherein the water injection case includes a case main body portion and a water passage portion for supplying water into the case main body portion, and the water passage portion is separable from the case main body portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a clothing treatment apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is an example of a clothing treatment apparatus capable of performing predetermined treatments on clothing, in this case, at least a washing treatment for washing the clothing, a rinsing treatment for rinsing the clothing, and a dehydration treatment for dehydrating the clothing. Further, the washing machine 10 is a so-called horizontal-axis drum-type washing machine in which the rotation center axis of the rotating tub extends in the horizontal direction or a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.

[0011] The washing machine 10 includes a washing tub 12 for washing clothes inside a generally rectangular box-shaped outer case 11 that forms its outer shell. The washing tub 12 is an example of a clothes treatment tub, and is configured to rotatably accommodate a drum, which is also a bottomed cylindrical rotating tub, inside a bottomed cylindrical water tank. A large number of small holes are provided on the peripheral wall of the drum, and a plurality of baffles for lifting up the clothes are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the drum. The user can accommodate clothes into the drum through a clothes inlet / outlet (not shown) provided on the front surface of the outer case 11, and can also take out the clothes from the drum. Further, a door 13 for opening and closing this clothes inlet / outlet is provided on the front surface of the outer case 11. In this case, the door 13 is provided so as to be rotatable along the left-right direction of the washing machine 10.

[0012] Further, the washing machine 10 includes a water supply unit 14 for supplying water into the washing tub 12, and a drainage unit (not shown) for discharging the water in the washing tub 12 to the outside of the machine. Although detailed illustration is omitted, the water supply unit 14 has a configuration including, for example, a water injection case 100 (to be described in detail later) in the middle of a water supply path extending from a water source such as a water supply to the washing tub 12. Also, the drainage unit has a configuration including a drainage valve or the like in the middle of a drainage path extending from the bottom of the washing tub 12 to the outside of the machine.

[0013] Next, a configuration example of the water injection case 100 provided in the above-described water supply unit 14 will be described in more detail. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, the water injection case 100 includes a case main body portion 101 and a water passage portion 102.

[0014] The case main body 101 constitutes the main body part of the water injection case 100, and in this case, it is formed in a long, generally rectangular container shape along the front-rear direction of the washing machine 10. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the bottom of the case main body 101 is gently inclined from the front side toward the rear side, and a water outlet 103 is provided at its lowest part. This water outlet 103 is connected to the upper part of the washing tub 12 via a water supply hose (not shown). Also, as illustrated in FIG. 5, when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 1, the left side, that is, the part on the left side surface of the outer case 11, of the bottom of the case main body 101 is lower than the right side, that is, the part on the side of the washing tub 12.

[0015] Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a water supply valve unit 104 and a bath water pump 105 are provided behind the case main body 101. The water supply valve unit 104 and the bath water pump 105 are arranged side by side along the left-right direction of the washing machine 10. In this case, the water supply valve unit 104 is arranged on the left side, that is, the left side surface side of the outer case 11, when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 1, while the bath water pump 105 is arranged on the right side, that is, the side of the washing tub 12, when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 1.

[0016] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a manual input part 106 and a tank accommodation part 107 are provided inside the case main body 101. In this case, the manual input part 106 is provided at the front side inside the case main body 101, and the tank accommodation part 107 is provided at the rear side inside the case main body 101.

[0017] The manual input part 106 includes a plurality of input parts, in this case, a manual input part 108 for detergent and a manual input part 109 for softener. Inside the manual input part 108 for detergent, it is possible for the user to manually input, for example, the detergent for one cycle of operation. On the other hand, inside the manual input part 109 for softener, it is possible for the user to manually input, for example, the softener for one cycle of operation.

[0018] The manual detergent input section 108 and the manual fabric softener input section 109 both extend along the left - right direction of the washing machine 10. Also, in this case, the manual detergent input section 108 is provided at the rear side of the manual input section 106. On the other hand, the manual fabric softener input section 109 is provided at the front side of the manual input section 106. Note that the water injection case 100 may be configured such that the manual detergent input section 108 is provided at the front side of the manual input section 106 and the manual fabric softener input section 109 is provided at the rear side of the manual input section 106.

[0019] The tank storage section 107 forms a substantially rectangular open space with an open upper part behind the manual input section 106. Inside the tank storage section 107, a plurality of tanks, in this case, the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111, can be detachably accommodated. In this case, both the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 can be detached from above into the tank storage section 107.

[0020] The detergent tank 110, as an example of a clothing treatment agent, is in this case a rectangular container - shaped tank for storing detergent for washing the clothes in the washing tub 12. The detergent tank 110 can store detergent for a plurality of operations. The replenishment of the detergent into the detergent tank 110 can be carried out through a replenishment port provided at the upper part of the detergent tank 110.

[0021] On the other hand, the fabric softener tank 111, as an example of a clothing treatment agent, is in this case a rectangular container - shaped tank for storing fabric softener for softening the clothes in the washing tub 12. The fabric softener tank 111 can store fabric softener for a plurality of operations. The replenishment of the fabric softener into the fabric softener tank 111 can be carried out through a replenishment port provided at the upper part of the fabric softener tank 111.

[0022] In this case, the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 are configured to be accommodated along the front - rear direction of the washing machine 10 within the tank housing portion 107. Also, in this case, the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 are configured to be arranged side - by - side along the left - right direction of the washing machine 10 within the tank housing portion 107.

[0023] Further, the water - filling case 100 further includes a pump unit 112. The pump unit 112 is an example of a treatment agent suction portion that suctions the clothing treatment agent from within the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111. In this case, a pump unit housing portion 113 that is recessed in a rectangular concave shape is provided on the rear wall portion of the case main body portion 101, that is, the wall portion on the side of the tank housing portion 107. And the pump unit 112 is provided so as to be fitted into this pump unit housing portion 113. The pump unit 112 includes a detergent metering pump 114 and a fabric softener metering pump 115.

[0024] The detergent metering pump 114 is configured to suction and deliver a liquid by driving a piston by an actuator composed of, for example, a motor or a solenoid. The detergent metering pump 114 suctions a predetermined amount of detergent, in this case, the amount of detergent used for one operation, from within the detergent tank 110. And the detergent metering pump 114 delivers the suctioned detergent into an automatic - input path (not shown).

[0025] The fabric softener metering pump 115 is configured to suction and deliver a liquid by driving a piston by an actuator composed of, for example, a motor or a solenoid. The fabric softener metering pump 115 suctions a predetermined amount of fabric softener, in this case, the amount of fabric softener used for one operation, from within the fabric softener tank 111. And the fabric softener metering pump 115 delivers the suctioned fabric softener into an automatic - input path (not shown).

[0026] The tip of the automatic input path (not shown) is connected to the bottom of the case main body 101. As a result, a predetermined amount of detergent sucked from the detergent tank 110 by the detergent metering pump 114, or a predetermined amount of softener sucked from the softener tank 111 by the softener metering pump 115, is supplied into the case main body 101 through the automatic input path (not shown), and is further automatically input from within the case main body 101 into the washing tub 12 through a water supply hose (not shown). That is, the pump unit 112 constitutes a part of the automatic input unit that automatically inputs the clothing treatment agents in the detergent tank 110 and the softener tank 111 into the washing tub 12.

[0027] The water passage part 102 is a component for supplying tap water supplied from the water supply valve unit 104 or bath water supplied from the bath water pump 105 into the case main body 101. The upstream part 116 of the water passage part 102 extends linearly along the left - right direction of the washing machine 10 behind the case main body 101 and in front of the water supply valve unit 104 and the bath water pump 105. That is, the upstream part 116 of the water passage part 102 extends linearly along the left - right direction of the washing machine 10 between the case main body 101 and the water supply valve unit 104 and the bath water pump 105.

[0028] Also, the downstream part 117 of the water passage part 102 extends linearly along the front - rear direction of the washing machine 10 on the side of the case main body 101. In this case, the downstream part 117 of the water passage part 102 is arranged on the right side of the case main body 101 when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 10. Also, the downstream part 117 of the water passage part 102 extends in a direction that is substantially or completely perpendicular to the upstream part 116 of the water passage part 102. That is, the base end part of the downstream part 117 of the water passage part 102 is connected to the tip end part of the upstream part 116 of the water passage part 102, in this case, the right - hand end part when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 10, at an angle that is substantially or completely perpendicular.

[0029] Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, inside the water channel portion 102, a plurality of water channels are provided, in this case, a main water channel 118, a fabric softener water channel 119, and a bath water channel 120. In this case, the water channel portion 102 has a configuration that integrally includes the main water channel 118, the fabric softener water channel 119, and the bath water channel 120. Also, inside the water channel portion 102, between the main water channel 118, the fabric softener water channel 119, and the bath water channel 120, they are partitioned by ribs respectively. The main water channel 118, the fabric softener water channel 119, and the bath water channel 120 are all provided as water channels for supplying water into the case main body portion 101. In this case, the main water channel 118, the fabric softener water channel 119, and the bath water channel 120 are water channels capable of supplying water to the manual input portion 106 part in the case main body portion 101.

[0030] The main water channel 118 is a water channel for pouring normal water supplied from a water source outside the washing machine 10, such as a water supply, into the detergent manual input portion 108 in the case main body portion 101. The fabric softener water channel 119 is a water channel for pouring normal water supplied from a water source outside the washing machine 10, such as a water supply, into the fabric softener manual input portion 109 in the case main body portion 101. The bath water channel 120 is a water channel for pouring bath water supplied from a water source outside the washing machine 10, such as a bathtub, into the detergent manual input portion 108 in the case main body portion 101.

[0031] In this case, the main water channel 118 is provided on the innermost side of the water channel portion 102, that is, on the side of the case main body portion 101. Also, the main water channel 118 is provided along the rear wall portion and the right wall portion of the case main body portion 101 from the upstream portion 116 to the downstream portion 117 of the water channel portion 102.

[0032] Also, the fabric softener water channel 119 is provided on the outermost side of the water channel portion 102, that is, on the side opposite to the case main body portion 101. Also, the fabric softener water channel 119 is provided along the rear wall portion and the right wall portion of the case main body portion 101 from the upstream portion 116 to the downstream portion 117 of the water channel portion 102.

[0033] Further, the bath water waterway 120 is provided so as to be sandwiched between the main waterway 118 and the softener waterway 119 in the downstream portion 117 of the waterway section 102. In this case, the bath water waterway 120 is not provided in the upstream portion 116 of the waterway section 102, and is configured to be provided in the downstream portion 117 of the waterway section 102.

[0034] In the upstream portion 116 of the waterway section 102, the main waterway 118 and the softener waterway 119 are adjacent to each other in the waterway configuration. Also, in the downstream portion 117 of the waterway section 102, the main waterway 118 and the softener waterway 119 are not adjacent to each other, and the bath water waterway 120 is interposed between these main waterway 118 and softener waterway 119 in the waterway configuration. Further, in the downstream portion 117 of the waterway section 102, the main waterway 118 is adjacent to the inside of the bath water waterway 120, and the softener waterway 119 is adjacent to the outside of the bath water waterway 120 in the waterway configuration.

[0035] Also, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the waterway section 102 includes a water supply valve unit installation portion 102A and a bath water pump installation portion 102B. The water supply valve unit installation portion 102A and the bath water pump installation portion 102B are arranged side by side along the left - right direction of the washing machine 10 at the rear of the upstream portion 116 of the waterway section 102. In this case, when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 10, the water supply valve unit installation portion 102A is provided on the left side, and the bath water pump installation portion 102B is provided on the right side.

[0036] The water supply valve unit 104 is constituted by, for example, an on - off valve for liquids that can be opened and closed electromagnetically. Note that the drain valve provided in the drainage section is also constituted by, for example, an on - off valve for liquids that can be opened and closed electromagnetically. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the water supply valve unit 104 is configured to integrally include a plurality, in this case, four water supply valves 104a, 104b, 104c, 104d.

[0037] The tip of the water supply valve 104a is connected to the base end of the main water passage 118 via a water passage portion (not shown). The water supply valve 104a introduces normal water supplied from a water source outside the washing machine 10, such as a water supply, into the main water passage 118.

[0038] The tip of the water supply valve 104b is connected to the base end of the softener water passage 119 via a water passage portion (not shown). The water supply valve 104b introduces normal water supplied from a water source outside the washing machine 10, such as a water supply, into the softener water passage 119.

[0039] The tip of the water supply valve 104c is connected to the connection portion between the pump unit 112 and an automatic feeding path (not shown) via a water passage portion (not shown). The water supply valve 104c introduces normal water supplied from a water source outside the washing machine 10, such as a water supply, into the connection portion between the pump unit 112 and the automatic feeding path. As a result, the detergent sent out by the detergent metering pump 114 into the automatic feeding path or the softener sent out by the softener metering pump 115 into the automatic feeding path is introduced into the case main body portion 101 by the normal water supplied from the water supply valve 104c. Then, the detergent or softener introduced into the case main body portion 101 is supplied into the washing tub 12 via a water supply hose together with the normal water supplied from the water supply valve 104c.

[0040] Note that the water supply valve 104d is a preliminarily provided water supply valve in this case. The water supply valve 104d can be used, for example, as a water supply valve for supplying washing water for washing various washing objects provided in the washing machine 10, such as ducts for drying (not shown). Further, the water supply valve 104d can be used not as a water supply valve for washing but as a water supply valve for other uses.

[0041] The tip of the bath water pump 105 is connected to the base end of the bath water passage 120 via a water passage portion (not shown). The bath water pump 105 sucks bath water from a water source outside the washing machine 10, such as a bathtub, and introduces the sucked bath water into the bath water passage 120.

[0042] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the water injection case 100 is configured such that at least the water channel portion 102 is separable from the case main body portion 101. That is, the water injection case 100 is not configured such that the water channel portion 102 is integrally provided in the case main body portion 101, but is configured such that the water channel portion 102 is provided separately from the case main body portion 101.

[0043] Also, as illustrated in FIG. 3, in the front-rear direction of the washing machine 10, the water injection case 100 includes, in order from the front side, a manual input portion 106, a tank housing portion 107, a pump unit 112, and an upstream portion 116 of the water channel portion 102. Further, a water supply valve unit 104 and a bath water pump 105 are provided side by side on the left and right behind the upstream portion 116 of the water channel portion 102. In the water injection case 100, the tank housing portion 107 is provided between the manual input portion 106 and the upstream portion 116 of the water channel portion 102.

[0044] Also, as illustrated in FIG. 10, a connection port 121 is provided on the side portion of the case main body portion 101, in this case, the right side portion when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 10. In this case, the connection port 121 forms a long rectangular opening along the longitudinal direction of the case main body portion 101. Also, the connection port 121 is provided on the side portion that is the long side of the case main body portion 101, in this case, the right side portion when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 10. Also, the connection port 121 is provided in the front side portion of the right side portion that is the long side of the case main body portion 101. In other words, the connection port 121 is provided in the portion that is the side portion of the manual input portion 106 in the case main body portion 101 among the right side portions that are the long sides of the case main body portion 101.

[0045] The tip of the downstream portion 117 of the water passage portion 102 is connected to a connection port 121 provided on the side portion of the case main body portion 101, in this case, the right side portion. Therefore, the tip of the water passage portion 102 is connected to the side portion that becomes the long side of the case main body portion 101, in this case, the front side portion of the right side portion when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 10. And the water passage portion 102 connected to the connection port 121 can supply water into the manual input portion 106 from the side thereof, in this case, from the right side when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 10 into the manual input portion 106.

[0046] Also, as illustrated in FIG. 11, between the tip of the water passage portion 102 and the connection port 121 of the case main body portion 101, a rectangular frame-shaped packing 122 along the opening shape of the connection port 121 is provided. The packing 122 is an example of a watertight portion. By interposing the packing 122 between the tip of the water passage portion 102 and the connection port 121 of the case main body portion 101, a state in which the tip of the water passage portion 102 is connected to the connection port 121 of the case main body portion 101 in a watertight state is realized.

[0047] Also, as illustrated in FIG. 10, around the connection port 121 of the case main body portion 101, a frame-shaped wall portion 123 is provided so as to surround the connection port 121. And a locking hole portion 124 is provided in this frame-shaped wall portion 123. In this case, the locking hole portion 124 is provided in the upper portion of the frame-shaped wall portion 123. Also, the locking hole portion 124 is provided in a slit shape that penetrates a part of the frame-shaped wall portion 123, in this case, the upper portion. Also, the locking hole portion 124 is a long slit-shaped opening along the longitudinal direction of the case main body portion 101, in other words, the longitudinal direction of the connection port 121.

[0048] On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 12, a locking piece portion 125 is provided at the tip of the water passage portion 102. In this case, the locking piece portion 125 is provided on the upper surface of the tip of the water passage portion 102. Also, the locking piece portion 125 protrudes in a plate shape upward from the upper surface of the tip of the water passage portion 102. Also, the locking piece portion 125 is a long plate-shaped piece along the longitudinal direction of the case main body portion 101, in other words, the longitudinal direction of the connection port 121.

[0049] When the tip of the water channel part 102 is connected to the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101, the locking piece part 125 on the water channel part 102 side fits into the locking hole part 124 on the case main body part 101 side. Thereby, the tip of the water channel part 102 can be locked to the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101. That is, the locking piece part 125 on the water channel part 102 side and the locking hole part 124 on the case main body part 101 side function as an example of a locking part for locking the tip of the water channel part 102 to the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101.

[0050] Note that a flange part 125a protruding outward in a rectangular shape is provided at the foremost tip of the water channel part 102. The locking piece part 125 is provided on the upstream side of this flange part 125a. Also, a slight gap is formed between the locking piece part 125 and the flange part 125a.

[0051] Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, a fastening protrusion 126 is provided on the side part of the case main body part 101, in this case, the side part on the right side when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 10. In this case, the fastening protrusion 126 is provided below the connection port 121, that is, on the side opposite to the locking hole part 124. Also, the fastening protrusion 126 protrudes linearly rightward from the right side surface of the case main body part 101.

[0052] On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 13, a part to be fastened 127 is provided at the tip of the water channel part 102. In this case, the part to be fastened 127 is provided on the lower surface of the tip of the water channel part 102. That is, the part to be fastened 127 is provided on the side opposite to the locking piece part 125 at the tip of the water channel part 102. Also, the locking piece part 125 protrudes in a plate shape downward from the lower surface of the tip of the water channel part 102. Also, a screw hole 127a is provided at the tip of the part to be fastened 127.

[0053] When the tip of the water channel part 102 is connected to the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101, a screw (not shown) is inserted into the screw hole 127a of the fastened piece part 127 on the water channel part 102 side, and the screw is screwed into the fastening projection 126 on the case main body part 101 side. Thereby, the tip of the water channel part 102 can be firmly fastened to the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101.

[0054] That is, according to the water injection case 100 according to the present disclosure, the tip of the water channel part 102 is firmly fixed to the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101 by the engagement of the engaging piece part 125 with the engaging hole part 124 at the upper part thereof. Further, the tip of the water channel part 102 is firmly fixed to the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101 by the fastening of the fastened piece part 127 to the fastening projection 126 at the lower part thereof.

[0055] Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, the water injection case 100 further includes a pressure dissolution device 130. The pressure dissolution device 130 is a device that pressurizes the water flowing into the pressure dissolution device 130 from the water supply hose 131 and supplies it into the case main body part 101. That is, the pressure dissolution device 130 has, for example, a larger flow path area of the inlet flowing into the pressure dissolution device 130 than the flow path area of the outlet flowing out water from the pressure dissolution device 130. Thereby, by making the amount of water flowing into the pressure dissolution device 130 larger than the amount of water flowing out from the pressure dissolution device 130, the water can be pressurized.

[0056] Further, the pressure dissolution device 130 increases the internal pressure by pressurizing the water, thereby making it easier for the air in the pressure dissolution device 130 to dissolve in the water stored in the pressure dissolution device 130. Thereby, the pressure dissolution device 130 can supply water in which a larger amount of air is dissolved compared to normal water that does not pass through the pressure dissolution device 130.

[0057] In addition, the water injection case 100 is provided with a well-known fine bubble generator (not shown) at the outlet of the pressure dissolution device 130. The fine bubble generator has a throttle flow path portion on the upstream side, that is, on the pressure dissolution device 130 side, and a straight flow path portion on the downstream side, that is, on the case main body portion 101 side. The throttle flow path portion is a tapered flow path whose flow path area gradually decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side. On the other hand, the straight flow path portion is a straight flow path whose flow path area is generally or completely the same from the upstream side to the downstream side. Further, the fine bubble generator has a collision portion at the boundary between the throttle flow path portion and the straight flow path portion. The collision portion protrudes toward the center of the flow path.

[0058] According to the fine bubble generator configured as described above, when water flows into the upstream side, that is, into the throttle flow path portion, the flow path area in the throttle flow path portion is gradually narrowed, so that the flow velocity is increased based on the so-called Bernoulli's theorem of fluid dynamics and cavitation due to pressure reduction occurs. Then, when the high-speed flow collides with the collision portion, fine bubbles finely divided in the flowing water are generated. As a result, the fine bubble generator deposits a large amount of the air dissolved in the water passing through the fine bubble generator as fine bubbles, and supplies fine bubble water containing a larger amount of fine bubbles than before passing through the fine bubble generator.

[0059] Here, generally, bubbles called fine bubbles or fine bubbles are classified as follows according to the particle diameter of the bubbles. For example, bubbles with a particle diameter of less than 50 nm to 1,000 nm, that is, on the nano order, are called ultra-fine bubbles. On the other hand, bubbles with a particle diameter of about several μm to 100 μm, that is, on the micro order, are called micro bubbles. In addition, in the present embodiment, nano-order fine bubbles, ultra-fine bubbles, and nano-bubbles are all synonymous and are intended to be bubbles with a particle diameter on the nano order.

[0060] Nanobubbles can prevent the micellization of detergents through interaction with surfactants contained in the detergents and improve the cleaning ability. Furthermore, due to their fine particle size, nanobubbles can penetrate deep into the fibers and exhibit a cleaning effect of removing dirt and remaining detergent components, i.e., surfactant components, from the clothing.

[0061] In addition, microbubbles are negatively charged as an electrical property and are easily electrostatically adsorbed to dirt such as sebum dirt with a positive charge attached to the clothing. The dirt peeled off from the clothing by the electrical reaction with the microbubbles floats and stays on the water surface due to the buoyancy of the microbubbles while remaining adsorbed on the microbubble surface. Furthermore, since microbubbles with a negatively charged bubble surface repel each other and do not combine, they disperse in the liquid, so it is possible to suppress the reattachment of the dirt removed from the clothing to the clothing in the cleaning water.

[0062] In the case of this embodiment, the fine bubble generator mainly has a function of depositing fine bubbles in the nano order, i.e., nanobubbles, when used alone. However, by increasing the amount of air dissolved in the water passing through the fine bubble generator, it is also possible to deposit fine bubbles in the micro order with a large particle size, i.e., microbubbles. That is, when the amount of air dissolved in the water increases, the number of nanobubbles generated when passing through the fine bubble generator also increases. As a result, it is presumed that a part of the generated nanobubbles combine with each other and develop into microbubbles.

[0063] And in this embodiment, a pressure dissolution device 130 is provided on the upstream side of the fine bubble generator. Therefore, the amount of air contained in the water passing through the fine bubble generator can be increased. As a result, a large amount of nanobubbles and microbubbles can be generated in the water passing through the fine bubble generator, and as a result, the cleaning effect by the nanobubbles and the effect of suppressing the reattachment of dirt by the microbubbles can be obtained simultaneously.

[0064] In this embodiment, the pressure dissolution device 130 is attached to the case main body 101. However, the pressure dissolution device 130 may be attached to the water channel part 102. Further, the pressure dissolution device 130 may be provided as a separate component separable from both the case main body 101 and the water channel part 102.

[0065] According to the configuration example in which the pressure dissolution device 130 is provided in the case main body 101, the pressure dissolution device 130 can be unitized integrally with the case main body 101, and the watertightness and pressure resistance of the water channel connecting between the pressure dissolution device 130 and the case main body 101 can be improved.

[0066] Also, according to the configuration example in which the pressure dissolution device 130 is provided in the water channel part 102, the pressure dissolution device 130 can be unitized integrally with the water channel part 102, and when the water channel part 102 is connected to the case main body 101, the pressure dissolution device 130 can also be connected to the case main body 101. In this configuration example, in the connection part between the pressure dissolution device 130 on the water channel part 102 side and the case main body 101, for example, a packing or a locking part should be provided. Thereby, the watertightness and pressure resistance in the connection part between the pressure dissolution device 130 on the water channel part 102 side and the case main body 101 can be improved.

[0067] Also, even when the pressure dissolution device 130 is configured to be separable from both the case main body 101 and the water channel part 102, in the connection part between the pressure dissolution device 130 and the case main body 101, for example, a packing or a locking part should be provided. Thereby, the watertightness and pressure resistance in the connection part between the pressure dissolution device 130 and the case main body 101 can be improved.

[0068] According to the washing machine 10 according to the present disclosure exemplified above, the water injection case 100 is configured such that the water channel part 102 can be separated from the case main body part 101. According to this configuration example, the pump unit 112 that forms part of the automatic input unit is attached to the case main body part 101 in advance, and then the water injection case 100 can be formed by attaching the water channel part 102 to the case main body part 101. Therefore, there is no need to secure a large space between the case main body part 101 and the water channel part 102 for the space for assembling the pump unit 112, for example, the space for sliding the pump unit 112 toward the pump unit housing part 113 which is the installation position. Thus, compared with the conventional water injection case in which the water channel part is integrally provided in the case main body part, the enlargement of the size and the complication of the structure of the water injection case 100 can be suppressed.

[0069] Also, according to the washing machine 10, the tank housing part 107 which is a relatively large component in the water injection case 100 is provided between the manual input part 106 and the upstream part 116 of the water channel part 102. According to this configuration example, centering around the tank housing part 107 which is a relatively large component in the water injection case 100, other components of the water injection case 100 such as the manual input part 106, the upstream part 116 of the water channel part 102, further, the pump unit 112, the water supply valve unit 104, the bath water pump 105, etc. can be arranged before and after it. That is, according to the configuration example according to the present disclosure, various components that make up the water injection case 100 can be arranged in a row before and after centering around the tank housing part 107 which is a relatively large component, and various components of the water injection case 100 can be compactly stored along the front - rear direction of the washing machine 10.

[0070] In particular, the washing machine 10 according to the present disclosure is a horizontal-axis drum washing machine in which the rotation center axis of the rotating tub extends in the horizontal direction or in a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. Therefore, it is easy to secure a space along the front-rear direction of the washing machine 10 on the side above the cylindrical washing tub 12. And various components can be accommodated in the space along the front-rear direction of the washing machine 10 secured on the side above the washing tub 12 without difficulty in the water injection case 100 arranged along the front-rear direction of the washing machine 10. Therefore, various components of the water injection case 100 can be arranged by effectively utilizing the space within the limited outer box 11. Therefore, although the water injection case 100 is provided with a manual input section and an automatic input section, the water injection case 100 can be compactly stored in the outer box 11, and an increase in the size of the outer box 11, in other words, an increase in the size of the washing machine 10 can be suppressed.

[0071] Further, according to the washing machine 10, the case main body portion 101 is provided with a pump unit 112 for sucking the clothing treatment agent from the detergent tank 110 and the softener tank 111 on the side of the tank accommodation portion 107. According to this configuration example, the distance between the detergent tank 110 and the softener tank 111 accommodated in the tank accommodation portion 107 and the pump unit 112 can be made as short as possible, and the pump unit 112 can efficiently and quickly suck the clothing treatment agent from the detergent tank 110 and the softener tank 111.

[0072] Further, according to the washing machine 10, the pump unit 112 is provided in a pump unit accommodation portion 113 that is recessed in a rectangular shape in the wall portion of the case main body portion 101. According to this configuration example, the amount of protrusion of the pump unit 112 from the wall surface of the case main body portion 101 can be suppressed, and the pump unit 112 can be compactly stored. Also, by storing the pump unit 112 in a compact manner in this way, an increase in the size of the entire water injection case 100 can also be suppressed.

[0073] Further, according to the washing machine 10, the water injection case 100 includes a locking hole portion 124 and a locking piece portion 125 that lock the water channel portion 102 to the case main body portion 101. According to this configuration example, even in a configuration where the water channel portion 102 can be separated from the case main body portion 101, the water channel portion 102 can be firmly connected to the case main body portion 101. Note that the water injection case 100 may be configured to include a locking piece portion 125 on the case main body portion 101 and a locking hole portion 124 on the water channel portion 102. Further, as long as the locking portion is configured to be able to lock the water channel portion 102 to the case main body portion 101, various configurations such as a locking configuration by a claw portion and a claw hole portion can be applied.

[0074] Further, according to the washing machine 10, the water injection case 100 is configured such that the tip of the water channel portion 102 is connected to the side portion of the case main body portion 101. According to this configuration example, even in a configuration where the water channel portion 102 can be separated from the case main body portion 101, by connecting the tip of the water channel portion 102 to the side portion of the case main body portion 101, a configuration capable of supplying water from the water channel portion 102 into the case main body portion 101 can be realized.

[0075] That is, for example, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, that is, in a configuration where the tip of the water channel portion forms a part of the upper surface of the case main body portion, if the water channel portion is configured to be separable from the case main body portion, when connecting the tip of the water channel portion to the case main body portion, for example, ensuring water tightness at the connection portion and displacement of the tip of the water channel portion with respect to the manual input portion in the case main body portion must be considered, and the connection work involves a great deal of difficulty and labor.

[0076] On the other hand, according to the water injection case 100 according to the present disclosure, by simply connecting the tip of the water channel portion 102 to the side portion of the case main body portion 101, a configuration capable of supplying water from the water channel portion 102 into the case main body portion 101 can be realized. Therefore, even if the water channel portion 102 is configured to be separable from the case main body portion 101, the work of connecting the tip of the water channel portion 102 to the case main body portion 101 can be performed without a great deal of difficulty and labor.

[0077] Further, according to the washing machine 10, the water injection case 100 is configured such that the tip of the water channel part 102 is connected to the side part where the long side of the case main body part 101 is located. According to this configuration example, the locking hole part 124 and the locking piece part 125 described above can be provided long along the longitudinal direction of the case main body part 101. Therefore, the tip of the water channel part 102 can be more firmly connected to the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101.

[0078] Further, according to the washing machine 10, the water injection case 100 is provided with a packing 122 that watertightly connects the tip of the water channel part 102 to the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101. According to this configuration example, even in a configuration where the water channel part 102 can be separated from the case main body part 101, water leakage at the connection part between the tip of the water channel part 102 and the connection port 121 of the case main body part 101 can be suppressed.

[0079] Further, according to the washing machine 10, the water channel part 102 integrally includes a plurality of water channels. In this case, the main water channel 118, the fabric softener water channel 119, and the bath water channel 120. According to this configuration example, compared with a water channel configuration in which a plurality of water channels are separate bodies, the water channel part 102 having a plurality of water channels can be easily formed. Also, compared with a water channel configuration in which a plurality of water channels are separate bodies, the rigidity and strength of the water channel part 102 can be increased, and deformation and breakage of the water channel part 102 can be suppressed.

[0080] Further, according to the washing machine 10, the water injection case 100 is configured such that, when viewed from above, the case main body part 101 and the water channel part 102 do not substantially or completely overlap. Thereby, a sufficient space for arranging the pump unit 112 can be secured between the case main body part 101 and the water channel part 102.

[0081] Note that the present embodiment is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and expansions can be made without departing from the gist thereof.

[0082] For example, the water injection case 100 only needs to be configured such that at least the water channel part 102 is separable from the case main body part 101. Regarding the components other than the water channel part 102, they may be configured to be separable from the case main body part 101, or may be configured to be inseparable from the case main body part 101.

[0083] Also, the water injection case 100 only needs to be configured such that the tank accommodation part 107 is provided between the manual input part 106 and the water channel part 102. As long as this condition is satisfied, the positional relationship of the other components can be appropriately changed and implemented.

[0084] Also, it is preferable that the water injection case 100 is configured such that the pump unit 112 is arranged at a position as close as possible to the tank accommodation part 107. However, the water injection case 100 may be configured such that, for example, other components are interposed between the tank accommodation part 107 and the pump unit 112.

[0085] Also, the tip of the water channel part 102 may be configured to be connected, for example, to the left side part instead of the right side part of the case main body part 101. Also, the tip of the water channel part 102 may be configured to be connected to the front side part or the rear side part that is the short side of the case main body part 101 instead of the right side part or the left side part that is the long side of the case main body part 101.

[0086] Also, the water channel part 102 may be configured such that all the water channels are arranged horizontally, or may be configured such that some of the water channels are arranged horizontally. Also, the water channel part 102 may be configured such that all the water channels are stacked vertically, or may be configured such that some of the water channels are stacked vertically.

[0087] Also, the detergent tank 110 and the softener tank 111 may not be detachably provided along the vertical direction of the washing machine 10 within the tank accommodation part 107, but may be detachably provided, for example, along the left - right direction of the washing machine 10, or may be detachably provided along the front - rear direction of the washing machine 10.

[0088] In addition, the shapes of the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 are not limited to rectangular parallelepiped shapes, and various shapes can be applied. Also, the shape, size, etc. of the detergent tank 110 and the shape, size, etc. of the fabric softener tank 111 may be different.

[0089] Also, the tanks are not limited to the detergent tank 110 for storing detergent and the fabric softener tank 111 for storing fabric softener. For example, they may be a deodorant tank for storing a deodorant, a disinfectant tank for storing a disinfectant, a bleaching agent tank for storing a bleaching agent, etc. That is, any tank for storing a treatment agent for performing some treatment on clothing can appropriately employ various types of tanks. Also, the plurality of tanks housed in the tank housing portion 107 may be tanks for storing the same type of treatment agent or may be tanks for storing different types of treatment agents. Further, the washing machine 10 may be configured to house three or more plurality of tanks in the tank housing portion 107. Also, the washing machine 10 may be configured to house one tank in the tank housing portion 107. Also, the detergent metering pump 114 and the fabric softener metering pump 115 are not limited to those that suck in liquid, and for example, may be those that extrude liquid.

[0090] In addition, the present embodiment can also be applied to a so-called vertical-axis type washing machine in which the rotation center axis of the rotary tub extends in the vertical direction. Also, the present embodiment can be applied to a washing machine having a drying function. Also, the present embodiment can be applied to a washing machine having no drying function. Also, the present embodiment can be applied to various clothing treatment devices as long as they are devices capable of performing some treatment on clothing, such as deodorizing, deodorizing, disinfecting, and bleaching of clothing.

[0091] As described above, one embodiment of the present invention has been explained. However, this embodiment is presented only as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, changes, etc. can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0092] In the drawings, 10 is a washing machine (clothes treatment apparatus), 12 is a washing tub (clothes treatment tub), 14 is a water supply section, 100 is a water injection case, 101 is a case main body section, 102 is a water passage section, 106 is a manual input section, 107 is a tank housing section, 108 is a detergent manual input section (manual input section), 109 is a softener manual input section (manual input section), 110 is a detergent tank (tank), 111 is a softener tank (tank), 112 is a pump unit (treatment agent suction section), 118 is a main water passage (water passage), 119 is a softener water passage (water passage), 120 is a bath water passage (water passage), 122 is a packing (watertight section), 124 is a locking hole section (locking section), 125 is a locking piece section (locking section).

Claims

1. A clothing treatment apparatus comprising a clothing treatment tank for accommodating clothing, a water supply section for supplying water into the clothing treatment tank, and a water injection case provided in the water supply section. The water injection case includes a case main body section, and a water passage section for supplying water supplied from a water supply valve unit into the case main body section, and is configured such that the separately formed case main body section and the water passage section are assembled. The case main body section includes a treatment agent suction section for sucking a clothing treatment agent from a tank that stores the clothing treatment agent for a plurality of operations. The water passage section includes a water supply valve unit installation section where the water supply valve unit is installed, and a water passage section that extends vertically between the water supply valve unit installation section and the upstream section of the water passage section. The treatment agent suction section is provided between the case main body section and the water passage section. The water passage section is separable from the case main body section.

2. The case main body section can accommodate a plurality of the tanks arranged side by side in the left - right direction, and the treatment agent suction section can suck the clothing treatment agent from each of the plurality of tanks. The clothing treatment apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. The clothing treatment apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising an automatic input path connected to the treatment agent suction section, wherein the automatic input path is provided between the case main body section and the water passage section.

4. The clothing treatment apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the automatic input path is connected to the case main body section and can supply the clothing treatment agent to the case main body section.

5. The clothing treatment apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising a bath water pump for supplying bath water to the case main body section, wherein the water supply valve unit and the bath water pump are arranged side by side along the left - right direction, and the water passage section extends forward from the water supply valve unit installation section. ​ ​

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