Discharge filter and washing machine

Abstract

To provide a discharge filter in which water discharge is performed quickly at the time of dewatering of foreign objects, and which can improve the problem such as water drip after taking out a filter body, and to provide a washing machine.SOLUTION: A discharge filter 100 includes: a filter body 30 mounted in a case 20, and having a plurality of comb teeth 34 standing from a bottom wall part 31 and extending in a first direction D1; a compression board 40 having a peripheral edge part 42 fitted in the plurality of comb teeth 34, and movable in the first direction D1 in the filter body 30; and an operation part 50 for moving the compression board 40 in the first direction D1 according to the operation of an operation lever 53, and for performing dewatering of foreign objects between the compression board 40 and the case 20. In the filter body 30, at a side edge part 31b of the bottom wall part 31, an inclined surface 31f is formed which descends outward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] A washing machine equipped with a drain filter is known, for example, from the washing machine described in Patent Document 1. In this washing machine, a foreign object trapping unit is provided midway along the drain path from the outer tub. A plurality of protrusions are provided on the bottom surface of the foreign object trapping unit, and foreign objects become entangled in these protrusions and are trapped. A removable sheet is attached to the bottom surface of the foreign object trapping unit. The sheet has holes formed in it into which the protrusions fit. The sheet is peeled off using a handle, thereby removing lint accumulated at the base of the protrusions. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-153374 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Some drainage filters are designed to compress trapped foreign matter using a compression plate or the like to dehydrate the filter. In such a configuration, when the filter body is removed from the washing machine for maintenance, the filter body is removed to discard the foreign matter. At this time, water generated by the dehydration process falls as droplets, wetting the floor or other surfaces.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a drain filter and a washing machine that can quickly drain water when dewatering foreign objects and can eliminate problems such as water dripping after the filter body is removed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] [1] One aspect of the present disclosure is a drain filter that captures foreign matter contained in wash water by introducing wash water into a filter body and passing the water through the filter body, the drain filter comprising: a case having an inlet for introducing wash water; a filter body mounted within the case and having a bottom wall portion and a plurality of comb teeth rising from the bottom wall portion and extending in a first direction; a compression plate having a flat plate portion located above the bottom wall portion within the filter body and a peripheral portion that engages with the plurality of comb teeth and that is movable in the first direction within the filter body; and an operating unit attached to the filter body and operable from the outside, that moves the compression plate in the first direction in response to operation of an operating lever to dehydrate foreign matter between the compression plate and the case, and in the filter body, the peripheral portion of the bottom wall portion has an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the first direction and that slopes downward as it extends outward.

[0007] According to the drain filter of [1], foreign objects are captured as the wash water passes through the comb teeth of the filter body. During maintenance, when the user operates the operating lever to move the compression plate, foreign objects are dehydrated between the compression plate and the case. At this time, the foreign objects are scraped off by the periphery of the compression plate. Water generated during dehydration flows downward, i.e., toward the bottom wall, and then drains from the filter body to the case along the inclined surface formed on the periphery of the bottom wall. Because the inclined surface (gradient) promotes drainage, water is quickly drained during dehydration of foreign objects. The user then removes the filter body from the washing machine. Because the amount of water remaining in the filter body is reduced, fewer water droplets fall after removing the filter body, eliminating problems such as dripping.

[0008] [2] In the compression plate of the drainage filter of [1] above, a downward protrusion may be formed at the lower part of the peripheral edge portion, facing the tops of the comb teeth in the arrangement direction of the comb teeth when the compression plate is located at the upper limit position in the first direction. With this configuration, the downward protrusion faces the tops of the comb teeth and is easily engaged with the tops, making it difficult for the compression plate to come off the filter body.

[0009] [3] In the filter body of the drainage filter of [2] above, at least one rib extending in the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall may be provided on the underside of the bottom wall, and the at least one rib may suppress rotational movement of the filter body around the longitudinal direction within the case. This configuration stabilizes the position of the filter body within the case, more reliably achieving the aforementioned drainage promotion effect. The rib is also effective as a countermeasure against warping of the bottom wall.

[0010] [4] As another aspect of the present invention, a washing machine may be provided that includes an outer tub disposed in a housing, a washing tub disposed in the outer tub and containing laundry, a drain pipe connected to the outer tub for discharging wash water from the outer tub, and any one of the drain filters [1] to [3] above connected to the drain pipe. This washing machine improves problems such as water dripping during maintenance, making maintenance work more convenient. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, water is quickly discharged when dewatering foreign matter. Water droplets are less likely to fall after the filter body is removed, and problems such as dripping are improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a drum-type washing machine to which a drain filter according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the drainage filter in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a perspective view of a filter assembly of the drainage filter in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the drainage filter during the compression operation. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the filter body taken along a plane perpendicular to the second direction. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the compression plate cut along a plane perpendicular to the second direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted.

[0014] In the following description, the mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z directions shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 may be used to describe washing machine 1. The X and Z directions correspond to the front-to-rear and height directions (or up-down or vertical directions) in the installed state of washing machine 1 shown in FIG. 1. The direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1 is the Y direction shown in FIG. 3, which corresponds to the left-to-right direction in the installed state of washing machine 1. In this specification, terms indicating directions such as "front," "rear," "up," "down," "left," and "right" are terms based on the installed state of washing machine 1.

[0015] First, with reference to FIG. 1, the overall configuration of washing machine 1 will be described. Washing machine 1 is, for example, a drum-type washing machine. Washing machine 1 includes, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped housing 2. A circular door 3 that can be opened and closed is attached to the front of housing 2. A circular loading port 4 through which laundry is loaded is formed on the front of housing 2. Loading port 4 is opened and closed by door 3. Inside housing 2, there are provided an outer tub 6 that stores wash water, and a drum (washing tub) 7 that is rotatably disposed within outer tub 6 and stores laundry. Both outer tub 6 and drum 7 are cylindrical with a bottom. Outer tub 6 is elastically supported within housing 2 by multiple dampers 11 and springs 12. Outer tub 6 and drum 7 are arranged concentrically (coaxially) with respect to a central axis extending in the X direction, for example. Outer tub 6 has a circular opening 6a located in front of an opening 7a of drum 7.

[0016] The peripheral edge of the opening 6a of the outer tub 6 and the peripheral edge of the loading port 4 of the housing 2 are connected by an annular packing 8 made of an elastic material. The peripheral surface of the closed door 3 comes into contact with the packing 8, sealing the space between the loading port 4 and the door 3 with water. A large number of dewatering holes 7b are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the drum 7. A balancer 7c is also provided at the front of the inner peripheral surface of the drum 7, and multiple (e.g., three) baffles 7d are provided at equal intervals around the circumference.

[0017] A drive motor 9 for rotating the drum 7 is installed within the housing 2 and behind the outer tub 6. The drive motor 9 has a rotation shaft 9a extending in the X direction and connected to a portion of the drum 7. The rotation shaft 9a and the drum 7 may be connected via a pulley, a speed reducer, or the like, or may be connected directly. During the washing and rinsing cycles, the drive motor 9 rotates the drum 7 at a relatively low rotation speed so that the centrifugal force acting on the laundry in the drum 7 is smaller than gravity, causing the laundry to tumble. During the spin cycle, the drive motor 9 rotates the drum 7 at a relatively high rotation speed so that the centrifugal force acting on the laundry in the drum 7 is larger than gravity, causing the laundry to stick to the inner circumferential surface of the drum 7.

[0018] A water supply pipe 13 and a water supply valve 14 are disposed at the rear of the housing 2. The water supply pipe 13 may be a flexible hose, or may be made of a piping material other than a hose. When the water supply valve 14 is opened, tap water from a water faucet is supplied into the outer tub 6 through the water supply pipe 13. In this specification, "washing water" refers to a liquid appropriate for each process, such as the washing process and rinsing process, of the laundry. Therefore, in the washing process, the washing water may be water (liquid) containing detergent, etc., and in the rinsing process, the washing liquid may be water. Furthermore, in the rinsing process, the washing water may contain fabric softener.

[0019] A recess 6b is formed in the bottom of the outer tub 6, recessed downward. A drain pipe 16 is connected to the recess 6b. The drain pipe 16 includes, for example, a first drain pipe 16a and a second drain pipe 16b. The first drain pipe 16a and the second drain pipe 16b may be flexible hoses or may be made of piping materials other than hoses. The drain pipe 16 drains the wash water from the outer tub 6. The wash water is drained by gravity through the drain pipe 16, for example, by arranging the drain pipe 16 facing downward. The second drain pipe 16b extends, for example, downward to the outside of the washing machine 1. The wash water discharged from the washing machine 1 through the first drain pipe 16a and the second drain pipe 16b is drained through a drain outlet provided in a waterproof pan or the like. The layout of the drain pipe 16 may be changed as appropriate.

[0020] The washing machine 1 is provided with a drain filter 100, which is installed, for example, midway through the drain pipe 16 and traps foreign matter contained in the wash water. An inlet pipe (not shown) of the drain filter 100 is connected to the downstream end of the first drain pipe 16a. For example, a drain hose H (see FIG. 2) is attached to the rear end of the drain filter 100, and the drain hose H is connected to the upstream end of the second drain pipe 16b. The drain filter 100 is provided with a case 20 and a filter assembly A mounted within the case 20. The filter assembly A is housed within the case 20. For example, a drain valve 17 is provided on the second drain pipe 16b. The first drain pipe 16a, the drain filter 100, and the second drain pipe 16b form a drainage path that allows gravity flow. When the drain valve 17 is opened, the wash water flowing down from the outer tub 6 and the first drain pipe 16a is introduced into the drain filter 100, passes through the drain filter 100 (after filtration), and is then discharged through the second drain pipe 16b. The drain valve 17 may be provided in the first drain pipe 16a (that is, on the upstream side of the drain filter 100).

[0021] Washing machine 1 is equipped with operation buttons operated by the user, and a controller (none of which are shown) that controls the driving of drive motor 9, the opening and closing of water supply valve 14, and the opening and closing of drain valve 17. The controller performs various operations of washing machine 1 according to pre-stored programs in response to operations by the user. Also, in FIG. 1, the detergent dispenser and (if washing machine 1 is provided with a drying function) various parts related to the drying function, such as a heater, fan, and duct, are not shown.

[0022] The drain filter 100 is installed, for example, near the lower right side inside the housing 2. The drain filter 100 is fixed inside the housing 2 by appropriate means. The case 20 is installed at an angle so that the rear part of the case 20 (the right part in the figure) is lower than the front part of the case 20 (the left part in the figure). The filter assembly A is detachable from the case 20. A user can access the filter assembly A by opening a cover B that covers an opening 2f at the lower right side of the front of the housing 2. For example, when the operation of the washing machine 1 is completed, the filter assembly A is removed to the outside of the washing machine 1 through the opening 2f after the user performs an operation such as spin-drying (described in detail later). This allows maintenance of the drain filter 100.

[0023] The drainage filter 100 will be described in detail with reference to the necessary figures from Fig. 2 onwards. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the drainage filter 100, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the filter assembly A. The drainage filter 100 is installed in an inclined state (posture), but in Fig. 2 and subsequent figures, the drainage filter 100 is shown as a single item without taking this inclination into consideration. Therefore, in Fig. 2 and subsequent figures, the X-direction line (front-back direction line) and Z-direction line (up-down direction line) shown in Fig. 1 are omitted.

[0024] The drain filter 100 captures foreign matter contained in the wash water by introducing the wash water through a first drain pipe 16a connected to the outer tub 6. As shown in FIG. 2, the case 20 includes a substantially cylindrical case body 21, an inlet pipe 25 connected to, for example, the side of the case body 21, and a circular outlet 26a formed at the rear end of the case body 21. A circular inlet 25a is formed at the connection point of the inlet pipe 25 to the case body 21. The case 20 may be made of any material, such as resin. The first drain pipe 16a is connected to the inlet pipe 25, a drain hose H is attached to the outlet 26a, and a filter assembly A is inserted into the case body 21 to close the insertion opening 27 of the case body 21, thereby providing a hermetic seal for the case 20. The inlet 25a introduces the wash water through the first drain pipe 16a, and the outlet 26a discharges the filtered wash water that has passed through the filter body 30.

[0025] The drain filter 100 according to this embodiment has a structure and function that take filter maintenance into consideration. During maintenance, the drain filter 100 allows for easy dewatering of contaminants captured in the filter body 30, allowing the user to dispose of the contaminants with minimal contact. The dewatering function of the drain filter 100 will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 3 , the filter assembly A includes the filter body 30, a compression plate 40 fitted within the filter body 30, and an operating unit 50 attached to the front side of the filter body 30. The term "front" is used with reference to a user standing in front of the washing machine 1 (in front of the door 3 and cover B) and is synonymous with the front of the washing machine 1. In the filter assembly A, these components are integrated. The user can easily remove and install the filter assembly A from and in the case 20 by grasping and rotating the attachment / detachment lever 51 of the operating unit 50. The components constituting the filter assembly A are made of, for example, resin molded parts. Metal may also be used in some parts.

[0026] 2 and 3, the filter body 30 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is open upward. The filter body 30 has a bottom wall portion 31 in the shape of a rectangular plate, a base end wall portion 32 that has a U-shaped cross section and is formed on the front side of the bottom wall portion 31, and a flange portion 33 that is formed on the front side of the base end wall portion 32. The filter body 30 is inserted and attached into the case 20 through the insertion opening 27 of the case 20. When the filter body 30 is attached, its rear end portion 38 is exposed (for example, protrudes) from the discharge opening 26a of the case 20. The attachment structure of the filter body 30 to the case 20 is not particularly limited.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the filter body 30 has a plurality of comb teeth 34 extending from the bottom wall 31. The comb teeth 34 are arranged along side edges 31b (see FIG. 6 ), which are a pair of long sides of the bottom wall 31, and along a short side 31c (see FIG. 6 ), which is close to the rear end 38, so as to form a pair of side walls and a rear wall of the filter body 30. That is, the comb teeth 34 are arranged along the peripheral edges of three of the four sides of the bottom wall 31 (excluding the front edge). All of the comb teeth 34 are parallel to each other and extend in the first direction D1. The comb teeth 34, which are arranged at regular intervals, form the filtering surface of the filter body 30. An opening 36 is formed in the base end wall 32 of the filter body 30 at a position facing the inlet 25a. Wash water introduced into the drainage filter 100 flows into the filter body 30 through the opening 36. The wash water passes through a filtering surface made up of numerous comb teeth 34. This causes foreign matter such as lint to be caught and captured by the comb teeth 34. The filtered wash water passes through the gaps between the comb teeth 34 and is discharged from the discharge port 26a.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2 , the first direction D1 is perpendicular to the bottom wall 31. However, because the case 20 is inclined as described above, the filter assembly A is also inclined. Therefore, the first direction D1 extends parallel to the XZ plane and forms a predetermined angle with the YZ plane. Most of the filter body 30 (the portion involved in filtration) is fitted into the case body 21. For example, the bottom wall 31, the base end wall 32, and the comb teeth 34 maintain a fixed posture within the case body 21 by fixing the attachment / detachment lever 51 at the insertion opening 27 and abutting the comb teeth 34 against a portion of the top surface 21a. The upper ends of the comb teeth 34 are close to the flat top surface (receiving surface) 21a formed on the upper inner surface of the case body 21.

[0029] The compression plate 40 has a rectangular flat plate portion 41 that fits within the filtration space surrounded by the multiple comb teeth 34, and a peripheral portion 42 that fits concave and convexly to the multiple comb teeth 34. The flat plate portion 41 is disposed above the bottom wall portion 31 within the filter body 30. Protrusions (these protrusions are also tooth-shaped) in a number corresponding to the gaps between the comb teeth 34 are aligned along a pair of side edges and a short rear edge of the flat plate portion 41. Gaps exist between the protrusions on the peripheral portion 42 and the comb teeth 34. With this configuration, the compression plate 40 fits within the filter body 30 and is movable within the filter body 30 in a first direction D1 (see FIGS. 2 and 3 ) while maintaining this fitted state. The compression plate 40 moves substantially parallel to the filter body 30 while maintaining its posture. In other words, the direction of movement of the compression plate 40 is restricted by the comb teeth 34, and it is movable only in the first direction D1.

[0030] Each comb tooth 34 may be provided with a tapered portion (chamfered portion) that allows the comb tooth 34 to fit smoothly with the peripheral edge 42 and the compression plate 40 to slide smoothly. The peripheral edge 42 may also be provided with a tapered portion (chamfered portion) that allows the comb tooth 34 to fit smoothly with the compression plate 40 and the compression plate 40 to slide smoothly.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the operating unit 50 can be operated from outside the washing machine 1, i.e., from outside the insertion opening 27. By opening the cover B (see FIG. 1), a user can hold the filter assembly A with one or both hands through the opening 2f. The operating unit 50 has a rotating attachment / detachment lever (separate lever) 51 and a fitting / detachment portion 56 that rotates integrally with the attachment / detachment lever 51. For example, when the flat-shaped attachment / detachment lever 51 faces left or right, the filter assembly A is attached and fixed to the case 20 by the fitting / detachment portion 56. When the user rotates the attachment / detachment lever 51 approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise, the fitting / detachment portion 56 is released, allowing the filter assembly A to be removed from the case 20. The filter assembly A can be removed, for example, along a second direction (movement direction) D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1. When mounting the filter assembly A, the above steps are reversed to mount the filter assembly A in the case 20. The second direction D2 also extends, for example, parallel to the XZ plane.

[0032] The flange portion 33 of the filter body 30 is disposed between the fitting / detaching portion 56 and the insertion opening 27 of the case 20. An annular packing (not shown) may be provided between the flange portion 33 and the insertion opening 27. The fitting / detaching portion 56, the flange portion 33, and the packing seal the case 20 against water.

[0033] The operating unit 50 has an operating lever 53 that can be pushed and pulled in the second direction D2. The operating lever 53 extends in the second direction D2 and includes a shaft portion 58a disposed along the rotation center line L (see FIG. 2) of the detachable lever 51. The operating lever 53 moves linearly along a guide portion 54 formed within the detachable lever 51. The operating lever 53 rotates integrally with the detachable lever 51 in the rotational direction around the rotation center line L due to the engagement between the flat body portion 57a ​​and the guide portion 54. However, the pushing and pulling action of the operating lever 53 and the rotational action of the detachable lever 51 are independent of each other. By inserting an index finger or the like into the annular finger rest 57c of the operating lever 53 and pulling the operating lever 53, the operating lever 53 moves in the pull-out direction Dout. By pushing the operating lever 53 toward the inside of the filter body 30, the operating lever 53 moves in the push-in direction Din. The pull-out direction Dout and the push-in direction Din are parallel to the second direction D2 and also parallel to the rotation center line L.

[0034] In the filter assembly A, the compression plate 40 moves up and down within the filter body 30, thereby enabling dewatering of foreign matter. The filter assembly A further includes a reciprocating member 61 that is connected to the tip end of the operating lever 53 and that reciprocates in the second direction D2 in response to pushing and pulling the operating lever 53. The reciprocating member 61 is a member for compressing foreign matter that is movable in the second direction D2 within the filter body 30, and is connected to the compression plate 40. That is, the filter assembly A includes a lifting mechanism 60 that moves the compression plate 40 in the first direction D1 in response to pushing and pulling the operating lever 53. In the drainage filter 100 of this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 60 is a cam-type interlocking mechanism.

[0035] The lifting mechanism 60 includes a flat reciprocating member 61 and four parallel cam members 63 extending diagonally from the reciprocating member 61. The reciprocating member 61 includes a connecting wall portion 62 formed on its front side and protruding upward. The reciprocating member 61 is connected to the operating lever 53 by fitting the connecting end 58b of the operating lever 53 into a fitting recess 62a of the connecting wall portion 62 (e.g., an H-shaped fitting). The connecting end 58b and the fitting recess 62a form a connecting portion C that connects the reciprocating member 61 and the operating lever 53. Even if the operating lever 53 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the detachable lever 51, the connecting end 58b rotates idly on the fitting recess 62a, and the fitting state of the connecting end 58b in the fitting recess 62a remains unchanged. In other words, the operating lever 53 is rotatably engaged with the reciprocating member 61 (lifting mechanism 60). The four cam members 63 are formed integrally with the reciprocating member 61 and extend in a third direction that forms an angle with both the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 in a plane perpendicular to the reciprocating member 61 and parallel to the second direction D2 (i.e., in a plane including the first direction D1 and the second direction D2). The four cam members 63 are present in a filtering space surrounded by the comb teeth 34. Each cam member 63 has a plate shape extending in the plane and is thin in the left-right direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 3). As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the flat plate portion 41 is formed with four cam insertion holes 41e, through which the cam members 63 are inserted, corresponding to the four cam members 63. Each cam insertion hole 41e has a rectangular shape when viewed from the third direction.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the reciprocating member 61 is disposed between the bottom wall portion 31 of the filter body 30 and the flat plate portion 41 of the compression plate 40. The reciprocating member 61 is guided, for example, by a guide groove formed on the bottom wall portion 31 and is movable in the second direction D2. The upper end of the cam member 63 is located at a height substantially equal to the upper ends of the comb teeth 34 and is close to the top surface 21a. The cam member 63 is inserted into the cam insertion hole 41e, restricting the movable direction of the compression plate 40, so that the entire lifting mechanism 60 can move only in the second direction D2 (the third direction of the cam member 63 is set in this manner). The lifting mechanism 60 moves the compression plate 40 in the first direction D1 in conjunction with the reciprocating movement of the reciprocating member 61 in response to the pushing and pulling of the operating lever 53.

[0037] 4, a mechanism for restricting the range of movement of the lifting mechanism 60 in the second direction D2 is provided on the underside of the reciprocating member 61. A protrusion 64 is provided on the underside of the reciprocating member 61 at the center in the left-right direction. Furthermore, a groove 31g is formed in the bottom wall 31 at the center in the left-right direction, recessed from the surface (contact surface) on which the reciprocating member 61 rests and extending in the second direction D2. A compression coil spring 65 is fitted in this groove 31g. The compression coil spring 65 is interposed between the base end wall 32 of the filter body 30 and the protrusion 64 of the lifting mechanism 60, and expands and contracts as the reciprocating member 61 moves.

[0038] In the state shown in FIG. 2, the compression plate 40 is in contact with the bottom wall portion 31 and is located at the initial position P1. The compression coil spring 65 is pressed by the protrusion 64 and is slightly compressed from its natural length. When the operating lever 53 moves in the pull-out direction Dout, the reciprocating member 61 also moves in the pull-out direction Dout. The protrusion 64 moves in the pull-out direction Dout against the spring force of the compression coil spring 65. As a result of this movement, the compression plate 40 moves upward Dup (rises), as shown in FIG. 4. Thereafter, the movement of the reciprocating member 61 in the pull-out direction Dout is stopped by the reciprocating member 61 abutting against a protrusion or the like provided on the bottom wall portion 31. At this time, the compression plate 40 is located at the upper limit position P2, which corresponds to the upper end of the comb teeth 34.

[0039] Furthermore, when the operating lever 53 is returned in the pushing direction Din, the reciprocating member 61 also moves in the pushing direction Din. Accompanying this movement, the compression plate 40 moves (descends) downward Ddown. The upward Dup and downward Ddown directions are substantially parallel to the first direction D1. The compression plate 40 can also be called a lifting plate.

[0040] In this way, the lifting mechanism 60 is provided with a compression coil spring 65 that urges the reciprocating member 61, which has been moved in the pull-out direction Dout, in the push-in direction Din (reverse direction). The range of movement of the compression plate 40 by the lifting mechanism 60 is restricted to within the range of the entire length of the comb teeth 34 (the length of the comb teeth 34 described above). Figure 5 is a perspective view of Figure 4. In Figures 4 and 5, the compression plate 40 is located at the upper limit position P2. At this time, the peripheral edge 42 of the compression plate 40 engages with the upper ends of the comb teeth 34.

[0041] At its upper limit position, the compression plate 40 is close to or abuts against the top surface 21a of the case body 21. As the compression plate 40 rises, foreign matter caught on the comb teeth 34 is scraped off and lifted by the peripheral portion 42, and foreign matter caught on the cam members 63 is scraped off and lifted by the flat plate portion 41. Because the driving force is transmitted by the four cam members 63, the compression plate 40 rises smoothly and stably, scraping off the foreign matter. The foreign matter is sandwiched between the compression plate 40 and the top surface 21a and dehydrated.

[0042] As described above, the operating unit 50 raises the compression plate 40 in response to operation of the operating lever 53, and dehydrates foreign matter between the compression plate 40 and the top surface 21a (case main body 21). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the operating lever 53 is provided with a clutch structure to protect the connecting portion C from damage, etc. The operating lever 53 includes a first member 57 operated by the user in the pull-out direction Dout, a second member 58 that detachably engages with a portion of the first member 57 and transmits the operating force in the pull-out direction Dout to the reciprocating member 61 via the connecting portion C, and an intervening member 59 that is interposed between the first member 57 and the second member 58.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 4, the base end wall portion 32 is provided with a tunnel-shaped filter inner cover 70 that covers the fitting portion (i.e., the connecting portion C) between the connecting end 58b of the operating lever 53 and the connecting wall portion 62 (fitting recess 62a).

[0044] Next, the drainage promotion structure provided on the filter body 30 and the compression plate 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the filter body 30 cut along a plane perpendicular to the second direction D2. FIG. 7 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the compression plate 40 cut along a plane perpendicular to the second direction D2. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom wall portion 31 of the filter body 30 includes a rectangular main body plate 31a. A pair of side edge portions 31b (peripheral portions) of the main body plate 31a and a short side portion 31c (peripheral portion) near the rear end portion 38 are formed with inclined surfaces 31f that are inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the first direction D1 (i.e., a plane parallel to the second direction D2 and the Y direction). The inclined surfaces 31f have, for example, a certain inclination angle with respect to the plane. The inclined surfaces 31f are continuous with the upper surface 31aa of the main body plate 31a. The height of the inclined surface 31f decreases outward, i.e., as it moves away from the center of the main body plate 31a. The inclination angle of the inclined surface 31f with respect to the plane is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, between 5° and 30°. The inclined surface 31f extends, for example, along the peripheral edges of three sides of the main body plate 31a.

[0045] Two ribs 39 extending in the second direction D2 (the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall portion 31) are provided on the lower surface of the main body plate 31a. The two ribs 39 are in contact with, for example, the wall surface of the lower end portion 21b of the case main body 21. The two ribs 39 suppress movement of the filter main body 30 in the case main body 21 in the rotational direction around the second direction D2.

[0046] Each comb tooth 34 includes a rising surface 34g that rises obliquely from near the inner periphery of the inclined surface 31f (the highest position of the inclined surface 31f).

[0047] 7, a downward protrusion 45 is formed on the lower part of each peripheral edge 42 (protrusion) of the compression plate 40. When the compression plate 40 is positioned at the upper limit position P2 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) in the first direction D1, each downward protrusion 45 faces the apex 34t of each of the comb teeth 34 in the arrangement direction of the comb teeth 34. With regard to the comb teeth 34 provided on the pair of side edges 31b (see FIG. 6), the arrangement direction is the second direction D2.

[0048] When the compression plate 40 is located at the initial position P1 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), the lower surface 41b of the flat plate portion 41 abuts against the upper surface 31aa of the main body plate 31a. The lower edge of each peripheral portion 42 is formed with an inclined portion 42f that extends along the inclined surface 31f of the filter body 30 at the same inclination angle as the inclined surface 31f. Furthermore, the left and right long sides of the flat plate portion 41 are formed with tapered surfaces 41c that extend along the rising surfaces 34g of each comb tooth 34. Thus, when the compression plate 40 is located at the initial position P1, it has a shape that fits the bottom wall portion 31 of the filter body 30 and the (rising surfaces 34g of) the comb teeth 34.

[0049] When performing maintenance on the drain filter 100, the user first opens the cover B while the washing machine 1 is stopped. For example, the user inserts one hand through the opening 2f and pulls the operating lever 53. At this time, the attaching / detaching lever 51 is in the closed position. The engaging / detaching part 56 is engaged with the case 20 and closes the insertion opening 27. When the foreign objects are dehydrated, water flows down within the filter body 30 and is quickly drained out of the filter body 30 along the inclined surface 31f formed on the peripheral edge of the bottom wall 31. The drained water is discharged, for example, through the outlet 26a of the case 20 and the drain hose H. When the user then presses the operating lever 53, the compression plate 40 is lowered. Even if a small amount of moisture generated during dehydration remains in the filter body 30, lint and the like absorb the moisture (the moisture returns to the lint and the like).

[0050] The user rotates the attachment / detachment lever 51 to the open position and pulls out the filter assembly A (removes it from the case 20). At this time, the filter assembly A is pulled out in the pulling direction Dout while being guided by the case main body 21. At this time, very little or no water drips from the filter assembly A. When the user holds the filter assembly A upside down and pulls the operating lever 53 in this state, foreign matter such as lint is pushed out by the four cam members 63 and easily falls out due to the inertial force generated by its own weight. Alternatively, the filter main body 30 may be shaken to cause the foreign matter such as lint to fall out due to the inertial force. Note that because the rotation of the attachment / detachment lever 51 and the pushing and pulling of the operating lever 53 are independent of each other, the filter assembly A can be removed regardless of the position of the compression plate 40.

[0051] According to the drainage filter 100 of this embodiment, water generated during spin-drying flows downward in the filter assembly A, i.e., toward the bottom wall portion 31, and then drains from the filter body 30 toward the case body 21 (case 20) along the inclined surface 31f formed on the peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 31. Because the inclined surface 31f (gradient) promotes drainage, water is quickly drained during spin-drying of foreign objects. The user then removes the filter assembly A from the washing machine. Because the amount of water remaining in the filter body 30 has decreased, fewer water droplets fall after the filter assembly A is removed, and problems such as dripping are alleviated.

[0052] In conventional drainage filters, when the filter is removed and tilted, water that has accumulated in the gap between the filter body and the compression plate flows to the lower end of the tilted filter, forming droplets that fall and wet the floor. The drainage filter 100 and washing machine 1 of this embodiment solve problems such as dripping water during maintenance, making maintenance work more comfortable.

[0053] Furthermore, when the compression plate 40 is positioned at the upper limit position P2 in the first direction D1, each downward protrusion 45 formed at the lower part of the peripheral portion 42 faces the apex 34t of each comb tooth 34 and is easily engaged with the apex 34t, making it difficult for the compression plate 40 to come off the filter body 30.

[0054] Furthermore, by forming ribs 39 on the underside of the bottom wall 31 of the filter body 30, the position of the filter body 30 within the case 20 is stabilized, and the above-mentioned effect of promoting drainage is more reliably achieved. The ribs 39 are also effective as a countermeasure against warping of the bottom wall.

[0055] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the inclined surface 31f may have a plurality of different inclination angles with respect to a plane perpendicular to the first direction D1 depending on the location. In this case, the inclination angle of the inclined surface 31f varies along the peripheral edge of the three sides of the bottom wall portion 31 described above. Furthermore, the inclined surface 31f is not limited to extending along the peripheral edge of the three sides of the bottom wall portion 31, but may be provided partially along the peripheral edge of the three sides. For example, the inclined surface 31f as a drainage path may be provided at one or more locations on each side. The inclined surface 31f may not be provided on the short side portion 31c near the rear end portion 38, but may be provided only on a pair of side edges 31b.

[0056] The downward protrusion 45 may be omitted from the peripheral edge 42 of the flat plate portion 41. Only one rib 39 may be provided on the bottom wall portion 31. The rib 39 may be omitted from the bottom wall portion 31.

[0057] The lifting mechanism 60 is not limited to a cam-type mechanism, and other mechanisms may be used. For example, a link-type mechanism having four parallel link members may be used. Other interlocking mechanisms may be used in addition to the embodiments and the above-described modified examples.

[0058] The first direction D1 and the second direction D2 may intersect at an angle other than 90 degrees. The direction in which the comb teeth 34 extend and the direction in which the compression plate 40 is movable may form an angle other than 90 degrees with respect to the extension direction of the bottom wall portion 31.

[0059] The present invention may be applied to washing machines other than drum washing machines, for example, vertical washing machines. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1...washing machine, 2...casing, 6...outer tub, 7...drum (washing tub), 16...drain pipe, 20...case, 21...case body, 21a...top surface (receiving surface), 25a...inlet, 30...filter body, 31...bottom wall portion, 31b...side edge portion (periphery portion), 31f...inclined surface, 34...comb teeth, 34t...top portion, 39...rib, 40...compression plate, 41...flat plate portion, 42...periphery portion, 45...downward protrusion portion, 50...operation portion, 53...operation lever, 60...lifting mechanism, 61...reciprocating member, 100...drain filter, A...filter assembly, D1...first direction, D2...second direction, Din...push-in direction, Dout...pull-out direction, P1...initial position, P2...upper limit position

Claims

1. A drain filter that captures foreign matter contained in washing water by introducing washing water into a filter body and passing the water through the filter body, a case having an inlet for introducing the washing water; the filter body is mounted in the case and has a bottom wall portion and a plurality of comb teeth rising from the bottom wall portion and extending in a first direction; a compression plate having a flat plate portion disposed above the bottom wall portion within the filter body and a peripheral edge portion fitted with the plurality of comb teeth, the compression plate being movable in the first direction within the filter body; an operating unit attached to the filter body and operable from the outside, the operating unit moving the compression plate in the first direction in response to operation of an operating lever, and dehydrating the foreign matter between the compression plate and the case, In the filter body, a sloping surface is formed on the peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion, the sloping surface being inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the first direction and gradually decreasing in size as it extends outward.

2. The drainage filter according to claim 1, wherein the compression plate has a downward protrusion formed at the lower part of the peripheral portion that faces the top of the comb teeth in the arrangement direction of the comb teeth when the compression plate is positioned at the upper limit position in the first direction.

3. 3. A drainage filter as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter body has at least one rib extending in the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall portion on the underside of the bottom wall portion, and the at least one rib suppresses rotational movement of the filter body around the longitudinal direction within the case.

4. an outer tank disposed within the housing; A washing tub disposed in the outer tub and accommodating laundry; a drain pipe connected to the outer tub for discharging washing water from the outer tub; A washing machine comprising: the drain filter according to claim 1 or 2, connected to the drain pipe.

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