Clothes treatment apparatus

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a laundry treating apparatus capable of improving rigidity of an outer case and suppressing occurrence of an appearance gap of the outer case.SOLUTION: A laundry treating apparatus includes an outer case containing a storage tub, wherein the outer case includes a front plate constituting at least a part of a front surface of the outer case, and a component disposed behind the front plate and formed of a material different from that of the front plate, and the front plate is fitted to the component.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a clothing treatment device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a clothing processing device that includes a housing body consisting of two side panels and a rear panel, and a front panel, the housing body being molded as a single unit, with a body flanging and a front panel flanging respectively provided at the joining ends of the housing body and the front panel, and in order to prevent deformation of the housing, the body flanging and the front panel flanging each being provided with ribs and grooves that fit together along the length. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2018-535073 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure provides a clothing processing device that can improve the rigidity of the outer box and suppress the occurrence of external gaps in the outer box. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The clothing treatment device of the present disclosure is a clothing treatment device that includes an outer box that contains a storage tub, and the outer box includes a front panel that forms at least a portion of the front surface of the outer box, and a component that is positioned behind the front panel and is made of a material different from the front panel, and the front panel is fitted to the component. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] In the clothing processing device disclosed herein, the front panel is fitted to a part that is part of the outer box and is located behind the front panel, which prevents misalignment between the front panel and the part located behind the front panel. This improves the rigidity of the outer box and prevents the occurrence of external gaps in the outer box. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] Perspective view of a washing machine [Figure 2] Exploded perspective view of a washing machine [Figure 3] View of the outer box from above [Figure 4] Exploded perspective view of the decorative plate unit [Figure 5] Perspective view of the superstructure from above [Figure 6] Perspective view of the upper structure from below [Figure 7] Perspective view of the lower support [Figure 8] Top view of the lower support [Figure 9] Top view of the front of the outer box [Figure 10] Diagram showing the mounting structure of the decorative plate unit [Figure 11] Close-up of the front of the superstructure [Figure 12] A diagram showing the attachment structure of the side of the upper structure [Figure 13] Close-up of the rear of the superstructure [Figure 14] Close-up of the rear of the superstructure [Figure 15] A perspective view showing the fitting structure of a washing machine [Figure 16] Close-up of the left front of the washing machine [Figure 17] Diagram showing the arrangement of the left panel of the outer box and the reinforcing plate [Figure 18] XVIII-XVIII cross section of Figure 16 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (Findings that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors arrived at the idea of ​​the present disclosure, a clothing disposal device was known that included a housing main body consisting of two side panels and a rear panel made of sheet metal, and a front panel of the housing main body made of sheet metal. The clothing disposal device had a main body flanging and a front panel flanging at the joining ends of the housing main body and the front panel, respectively, and to prevent deformation of the housing, the main body flanging and the front panel flanging were provided with ribs and recessed grooves that fit together along the length, thereby fixing the front panel to the housing main body and preventing gaps from occurring between the front panel and the housing main body. However, while the conventional techniques can be applied to configurations in which both the side panels and the front panel are made of sheet metal, they have found a problem in that they are difficult to apply when the front panel and the side panels are made of different materials, such as when the front panel is made of resin. In order to solve this problem, the inventors have come up with the subject matter of the present disclosure.

[0009] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a clothing processing device that can suppress the occurrence of external gaps in the outer box, stabilize it, and improve the rigidity of the outer box even when the front panel is fixed.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, in some cases, more detailed explanation than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed explanation of already well-known matters or redundant explanation of substantially the same configuration may be omitted. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] 1. First Embodiment [1-1.Configuration] [1-1-1. Washing machine configuration] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, unless otherwise specified, the directions such as front, back, left, right, and up and down are the same as the directions when viewing the washing machine from the front in Figure 1. The washing machine 1 is an example of a clothing processing device.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine 1 according to the present disclosure. 1 is configured by housing a clothes storage tub (storage tub) consisting of a water tub and a rotating tub (not shown) inside an outer box 10. Washing machine 1 is a so-called drum-type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotating layer is slightly inclined relative to the horizontal.

[0013] The outer box 10 constitutes the exterior of the washing machine 1 and is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The outer box 10 has a base 11, a front panel 21, outer box side panels (hereinafter referred to as an outer box left panel 16 and an outer box right panel 17), an outer box rear panel 45, an outer box top panel 55, and a decorative plate unit 100. The base 11 constitutes the bottom of the outer box 10. The outer box right panel 17 and the outer box left panel 16 are rectangular flat panels that are long in the vertical direction. The outer box right panel 17 and the outer box left panel 16 are respectively disposed at the left and right ends of the upper surface of the base 11. The decorative plate unit 100 is provided above the front panel 21. The decorative plate unit 100 and the outer box top panel 55 constitute an upper surface 59 of the washing machine 1. The upper surface 59 is formed flush. The upper surface 59 may be partially inclined, or may have an uneven portion, for example, the rear portion of the upper surface 59 may not be flush.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 2, an opening (hereinafter referred to as round hole 13) is provided in the center of front plate 21, and a lid 15 is provided to openably and closably cover round hole 13. An upper reinforcing member 70 is provided to straddle the upper parts of outer box left plate 16 and outer box right plate 17. Upper reinforcing member 70 is formed by bending a metal plate into a substantially L-shape. Upper reinforcing member 70 has a bridging portion 72 and stay portions 71R, 71L, and is supported by the upper ends of outer box left plate 16 and outer box right plate 17 via stay portions 71R, 71L.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 3 , the upper reinforcing member 70 is located behind the bisector AA in the front-to-rear direction of the outer box 10, i.e., toward the rear in the front-to-rear direction of the outer box 10. A reinforcing plate 80 is provided inside the outer box 10, near the front, connecting the outer box right panel 17 and the outer box left panel 16 to reinforce the outer box 10. The reinforcing plate 80 is a metal plate-shaped unit with a hole through which a washing tub (not shown) passes. The reinforcing plate 80 is composed of a reinforcing portion that rises approximately perpendicular to the base 11 and a reinforcing-plate-side support portion 82 that bends horizontally at the upper end of the reinforcing portion toward the rear of the washing machine 1. The reinforcing-plate-side support portion 82 includes a left support portion 82b and a right support portion 82c formed at both left-to-right end portions, and a center portion 82d formed in the center in the left-to-right direction. Each of the reinforcing plate side support portions 82 is provided with a fastening hole 82 a, and the decorative plate unit 100 is fixed to the reinforcing plate side support portion 82 .

[0016] A first cutout 85 is formed between the left support portion 82b and the central portion 82d. A second cutout 86 is formed between the central portion 82d and the right support portion 82c. [1-1-2. Composition of the decorative plate unit]

[0017] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the decorative plate unit 100. As shown in FIG. The decorative plate unit 100 includes a control board 116, a box-shaped lower support body 130 that supports the control board 116, an upper structure 110, and a membrane sheet 150 made of polyethylene terephthalate resin film that is provided on top of the upper structure 110. The upper structure 110 is fastened together with the lower support body 130 to the reinforcing plate side support part 82 with screws 101. The decorative plate unit 100 includes an operation display area 200 having various settings related to the operation of the washing machine 1 and various operation sections used by the user to operate the washing machine 1. The operation display area 200 may cover the entire top surface of the decorative plate unit 100.

[0018] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper structure 110 as seen from above. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the upper structure 110 as seen from below. The upper structure 110 has a rectangular, flat top plate 111 and side plate portions 114 extending downward substantially perpendicularly from the top plate portion 111. The side plate portions 114 are slightly smaller than the circumferential size of the top plate portion 111 and have a shape that surrounds it on all four sides. A plurality of hook-shaped mating claws 120 are provided at equal intervals on the side plate portion 114a on the front side. The mating claws 120 extend downward and have protrusions at their lower ends that protrude toward the front surface.

[0019] The top plate 111 has downwardly extending retaining ribs 121 at both ends and the front end. The top plate 111 also has downwardly extending closing ribs 122 between the retaining ribs 121 provided at the left and right ends of the top plate 111 and the left and right side plate portions 114b, 114c. The top plate 111 also has second fitting claws 123 between the retaining ribs 121 provided at the left and right ends of the top plate 111 and each closing rib 122. The second mating claw 123 extends downward and has a protrusion at its lower end that projects to the front surface.

[0020] 6, a plurality of position restriction ribs 125 extending rearward and upward from the upper structure 110 are provided on the rear portion of the back surface of the upper structure 110. The position restriction ribs 125 are formed integrally with the rear side plate portion 114d and the back surface of the top plate portion 111. Recesses 113 that fit with the lower supports 130 are formed at both ends on the rear surface of the upper structure 110. (Positioning Restriction)

[0021] Approximately U-shaped rear support portions 126 are provided at the rear of the rear surface of the upper structure 110 and between the position restriction ribs 125. The rear support portions 126 are provided at both ends and the center of the upper structure 110. The rear support portion 126 has a connection hole 126a formed in its bottom surface.

[0022] A gutter-shaped drain groove 127 is formed on the surface of the upper structure 110 between the rear side plate portion 114d and the rear end 111a of the top plate portion 111. The drain groove 127 is formed in the left-right direction and is continuous between each of the rear support portions 126. When the decorative plate unit 100 is arranged, the drain groove 127 is located above the wiring arrangement portion 87 so as to cover the wiring arrangement portion 87 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the decorative plate unit 100 according to this embodiment has the effect of preventing water from splashing on the electronic components located below the center of the housing, even if water splashes on the washing machine 1 from the outside.

[0023] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the lower support 130. Fig. 8 is a top view of the lower support 130. The lower support 130 has a rectangular, flat bottom plate 131 and side plate portions 135 provided along the circumferential direction of the bottom plate portion 131. A first protrusion 133 extending forward is formed on the side plate portion 135. A plurality of insertion ribs 137 extending downward are provided at equal intervals on the first protrusion 133. By providing equal intervals for the insertion ribs 137, the occurrence of gaps can be suppressed. Note that some of the intervals may not be equal.

[0024] At both ends of the bottom plate portion 131 of the lower support 130, convex portions 131b that fit into concave portions 113 provided in the upper structure 110 are formed to protrude upward. The bottom plate portion 131 is provided with a wiring hole 131a through which a cable can be routed. A connector is inserted into the wiring hole 131a. A first fixing portion 141 for fixing a cable and a second fixing portion 143 for fixing a cable, which is provided rearward of the first fixing portion 141, are provided at the rear end of the bottom plate portion 131. Fixing holes 141a and 143a are formed in the first fixing portion 141 and the second fixing portion 143, respectively. Fixing devices (not shown) are fixed to the fixing holes 141a and 143a, and multiple cables extending from a control means provided at the bottom of the outer casing to a vibration detection means (3D sensor) provided above the storage tank are fixed together via the fixing devices (not shown).

[0025] The rear end of the bottom plate portion 131 is provided with receiving portions 140. The receiving portions 140 are provided at both ends and the center portion. The receiving portions 140 are provided with positioning restriction holes 140a. When the upper structure 110 and the lower support 130 are connected, a rear support portion 126 provided on the upper structure 110 is fastened to the receiving portion 140. When the upper structure 110 and the lower support 130 are connected, the side plate portions 114 of the upper structure 110 fit inside the lower support 130. In other words, the top surface of the decorative plate unit 100 is formed by the top plate portion 111 of the upper structure 110, and the side and bottom surfaces of the decorative plate unit 100 are formed by the side plate portions 135 and bottom plate portion 131 of the lower support 130.

[0026] [1-1-3. Plaque unit placement] FIG. 9 is a top view of the front part of the outer box 10. FIG. A decorative plate unit 100 (see FIG. 4) is attached to the front of the outer box 10. The decorative plate unit 100 has an operation display area 200 having an operation unit 118 made up of buttons and a display panel 117 made up of LEDs and a liquid crystal panel, and the operation unit 118 and the display panel 117 are connected to a control board 116 by a wiring cable (not shown).

[0027] FIG. 10 shows the mounting structure of the decorative plate unit 100. Decorative plate unit 100 includes a control board 116, which is sandwiched between upper structure 110 and lower support 130. A membrane sheet 150 is disposed on the upper part of upper structure 110. An operating unit 118 is supported on upper structure 110, and pressing down operating unit 118 allows input to control board 116, which in turn allows input to a control device (not shown) of washing machine 1.

[0028] A front panel support part 30 extending inward of the outer box 10 is provided at the upper front part of the front panel 21. A reinforcing plate support part 82 that is bent horizontally is formed at the upper end of a reinforcing plate 80 that reinforces the outer box 10. The front panel support part 30 is provided at a position higher than the reinforcing plate support part 82 at the upper end of the reinforcing plate 80. The front panel support part 30 protrudes inward from the front panel 21 in a direction perpendicular to the front panel 21.

[0029] The lower support body 130 has a first support piece 132 extending upward from its front end. A first protruding piece 133 that protrudes toward the front panel 21 is formed on the upper part of the first support piece 132, at a position slightly below the upper end of the first support piece 132.

[0030] The first protrusion 133 is placed on the front panel support part 30 of the front panel 21, and the upper structure 110 is placed over it. As shown in Figure 11, a fitting claw 120 is formed in the front part of the upper structure 110, and a fitting hole 30a into which the fitting claw 120 fits is formed in the front panel support part 30 at the front of the front panel 21. The front part of the decorative plate unit 100 is fixed to the front panel support part 30 at the front of the front panel 21 by a so-called snap fit, in which the fitting claw 120 engages with the fitting hole 30a.

[0031] A retaining rib 121 extending downward is formed on the front portion of the upper structure 110. When the front portion of the decorative plate unit 100 is attached to the front panel support portion 30 of the front panel 21 by so-called snap fitting, a so-called labyrinth structure is formed by the retaining rib 121 and the protrusion 134 of the first support piece 132, which prevents insects and the like from entering from outside.

[0032] 10, the receiving portion 140 provided on the lower support body 130 is placed on the reinforcing plate-side supporting portion 82 of the reinforcing plate 80. The upper structure 110 is provided with a third support piece 136 that extends downward from the rear end, bends at the lower end, and extends horizontally. The third support piece 136 is fastened to the reinforcing plate 80 with screws 101, sandwiching the receiving portion 140 therebetween.

[0033] FIG. 11 shows the mounting structure of the side of the decorative plate unit. Although not shown, a plurality of front panel support parts 30 are provided on the left and right sides of the front panel 21, each having substantially the same configuration as the front panel support parts 30 (see FIG. 10) at the front of the decorative plate unit. Firing holes 30a are provided in the front panel support parts 30. As shown in FIG. 6, second fitting claws 123 that fit into the fitting holes 30a are provided on the left and right sides of the upper structure 110. As shown in FIG. 12, the left and right sides of the decorative plate unit 100 are fixed to the front panel support parts 30 on the left and right sides of the front panel 21 by a so-called snap fit, in which the second fitting claws 123 engage with the fitting holes 30a, in the same way as the front part.

[0034] 13 and 14 are enlarged views of the rear of the upper structure 110 of FIG. 13 and 14, the outer box upper plate 55 is provided with a downwardly extending front-rear restricting rib 60 and a vertical restricting rib 61. A substantially V-shaped front-rear position restricting rib 125A (position restricting rib 125) is formed at the rear of the upper structure 110. A step portion 125a of the front-rear position restricting rib 125A abuts against the front-rear restricting rib 60, thereby preventing the outer box upper plate 55 from shifting forward or backward.

[0035] 14, the outer box upper plate 55 is provided with a vertical regulation rib 61 having a protruding end 61a at its lower end. In addition, a downward protrusion 62 is provided at the front end of the outer box upper plate 55. A substantially L-shaped vertical position regulation rib 125B (position regulation rib 125) is formed at the rear of the upper structure 110. The vertical position regulation rib 125B engages above the protruding end 61a of the vertical regulation rib 61 and below the protrusion 62 of the outer box upper plate 55, thereby preventing the outer box upper plate 55 from shifting up and down.

[0036] [1-1-4. Front panel fitting structure] Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing the fitting structure 40 of the washing machine 1. Fig. 16 is an enlarged view of the left front part of the washing machine 1. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the washing machine 1 of this embodiment has an engaging structure 40 consisting of an engaging portion 22 provided on the front panel 21, an engaging hole 18 provided on the outer box left panel 16 (outer box side panel), and a notch 83 provided on the reinforcing panel 80, whereby the front panel 21 and the outer box left panel 16 are engaged with each other to form the outer box 10. The front panel 21 is made of resin.

[0037] The fitting structure 40 is provided on both the left and right sides of the washing machine 1. Since this fitting structure 40 is symmetrical, the description of the fitting structure 40 on the right side of the washing machine 1 will be omitted, and the fitting structure 40 on the left side of the washing machine 1 will be described.

[0038] Both ends of the front panel 21 are bent backward to form a front portion 21a and a side portion 21b. A fitting portion 22 is provided at a corner 21c formed by the front portion 21a and the side portion 21b, and extends in the front-to-rear direction of the side portion 21b. The fitting portion 22 is provided below the front panel support portion 30.

[0039] The fitting portion 22 includes a beam portion 23 that supports the side surface portion 21b, and a support portion 24 that abuts against the left support portion 82b of the reinforcing plate 80 at the rear end of the beam portion 23 and fits into the left plate 16 of the outer box.

[0040] The beam portion 23 has its front end and left end joined to the front plate 21 and extends rearward and downward at an incline. As shown in Figure 16, the support column 24 is formed so that the lower end surface 24a is flat. The support column 24 is supported by the left support portion 82b of the reinforcing plate 80. A mating claw (corresponding to the convex portion) 25 is provided at the rear end of the support column 24. The lower end of the mating claw 25 extends downward from the lower end surface 24a of the support column 24. The mating claw 25 is inserted into and mated with a mating hole (corresponding to the concave portion) 18 (described later), and the front panel 21 mates with the left panel 16 of the outer box. This restricts the position of the front panel 21 in the front-rear and left-right directions, and the front panel 21 is fixed to the left panel 16 of the outer box.

[0041] In this embodiment, the fitting portion 22 provided on the front panel 21 improves the rigidity of the outer box 10, and also fixes the positions of the front panel 21 and the outer box left panel 16, thereby stabilizing the gap in appearance.

[0042] 15, an ejection hole 26 is formed in the front portion of the fitting claw 25. By providing such an ejection hole 26, when manufacturing the front panel 21 by cast molding or the like, it becomes easy to release the molded product of the front panel 21 from the mold, and the manufacturing of the front panel 21 becomes easier.

[0043] The left panel 16 of the outer box has its upper end and front end bent toward the inside of the outer box 10 to form an upper flange 16a and a front flange 16b. The front flange 16b is fixed to the reinforcing plate 80 by screws 101 that are inserted in the front-rear direction. The upper flange 16a has a fitting hole 18 at its front end. A fitting claw 25 is inserted into the fitting hole 18 and engages with it. By providing the fitting hole 18 at the front end of the upper flange 16a in this way, the front plate 21 and the side plate of the outer box can be fitted together in a close position, thereby suppressing misalignment between the front plate 21 and the side plate of the outer box. This improves the rigidity of the outer box 10 and also suppresses the occurrence of external gaps in the outer box 10.

[0044] 15, in this embodiment, a second fitting structure 41 is provided below the fitting structure 40. The second fitting structure 41 is a fitting structure formed by a fitting portion 42 and fitting holes 19 provided in the front flange 16b and the reinforcing plate 80.

[0045] The fitting portion 42 includes a second beam portion 43 that supports the side surface portion 21b, and a second fitting claw 44 formed by cutting out the rear end of the second beam portion 43. The second fitting claw 44 is inserted into and positioned in fitting holes 19 provided in the reinforcing plate 80 and the front flange 16b. This restricts the position of the front panel 21 in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions, and the front panel 21 is fixed to the reinforcing plate 80. In other words, the cutout surface 44a comes into contact with the front side and the left and right sides of the reinforcing plate 80, thereby restricting rearward displacement of the front panel 21 and displacement in the width direction of the outer box 10, and restricting the position of the front panel 21.

[0046] The shape of the second fitting claw 44 can be changed as desired. For example, it is possible to provide a claw portion that extends downward like the fitting claw 25. When such a claw portion is provided, the claw portion can be hooked onto the rear side of the front flange 16b, thereby preventing the front panel 21 from shifting forward.

[0047] Although not shown, a plurality of second fitting structures 41 are provided at positions below the fitting structure 40 on the front panel 21. In this embodiment, four second fitting structures 41 are provided above and four second fitting structures 41 are provided below the side surface portion 21b. Similarly to the fitting structure 40, the second fitting structures 41 in this embodiment are provided symmetrically.

[0048] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the left outer box plate 16 and the reinforcing plate 80. As shown in FIG. A notch 80a for avoiding contact with upper flange 16a is formed in left support portion 82b of reinforcing plate 80. Notch 80a is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and is formed by cutting out the left end portion of left support portion 82b from the rear side of washing machine 1. As a result, a space S is formed in reinforcing plate 80 in a top view.

[0049] The front end of the left outer box plate 16 is positioned within the space S when viewed from above, and the reinforcing plate 80 and the left outer box plate 16 are arranged with a gap S1 so that they do not come into contact with each other. The left support portion 82b of the reinforcing plate 80 has a support receiving portion 82b1 that abuts against the lower end surface 24a of the support column 24. The support receiving portion 82b1 and the space S are formed on the same straight line in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the fitting claw 25, the fitting hole 18, and the left support portion 82b of the reinforcing plate 80 are arranged on a straight line.

[0050] In this embodiment, the left support portion 82b of the reinforcing plate 80 is disposed so as to be above the upper flange 16a of the left outer box plate 16 in a side view.

[0051] 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 16. As shown in FIG. 18, fitting claw 25 in this embodiment is formed in a generally convex shape when viewed from above. Fitting claw 25 is positioned to the front left of fitting hole 18. In other words, distance L1 from left end 18L of fitting hole 18 to left end 25L of fitting claw 25 is shorter than distance L2 from right end 18R of fitting hole 18 to right end 25R of fitting claw 25. As a result, when a load is applied from the top surface of washing machine 1, left end 18L of fitting hole 18 and left end 25L of fitting claw 25 come into contact with each other, thereby preventing the washing machine 1 from shifting outward in the width direction.

[0052] Furthermore, in the front-to-rear direction, distance L3 from front end 18F of fitting hole 18 to front end 25F of fitting claw 25 is shorter than distance L4 from rear end 18B of fitting hole 18 to rear end 25B of fitting claw 25. As a result, by ensuring distance L4 between rear end 18B of fitting hole 18 and rear end 25B of fitting claw 25, the ease of assembling front panel 21 to left panel 16 is improved, and when a load is applied from the top surface of washing machine 1, front end 18F of fitting hole 18 and front end 25F of fitting claw 25 come into contact, which prevents front panel 21 from shifting toward the front of washing machine 1 and creating a gap between front panel 21 and left panel 16 of the outer box.

[0053] In this way, the engagement claws 25 and engagement holes 18 come into contact in response to the load, thereby regulating the position of the front panel 21 relative to the left panel 16 of the outer box, and the load can be borne by the metal left panel 16 of the outer box, thereby preventing external gaps from occurring even when a load is applied.

[0054] When mating claws 25 are mated with mating holes 18, a slight gap is created around mating claws 25, so front plate 21 is connected to outer box left plate 16 (corresponding to the outer box side plate and the part located behind the front plate and made of a different material from the front plate) in a slightly movable manner. This makes it possible to suppress misalignment between front plate 21 and outer box left plate 16 (corresponding to the outer box side plate and the part located behind the front plate and made of a different material from the front plate) while allowing slight movement of front plate 21 due to vibrations and the like that accompany operation of washing machine 1.

[0055] The left end 18L of the fitting hole 18 may be in contact with the left end 25L of the fitting claw 25. Similarly, the front end 18F of the fitting hole 18 may be in contact with the front end 25F of the fitting claw 25. In other words, it is sufficient that the distance in the direction in which it is desired to restrict the shifting of the front panel 21 is shorter than the opposing distance.

[0056] As described above, the reinforcing plate 80 has the notch 80a to form the space S. By forming the reinforcing plate 80 in this manner, the left panel 16 of the outer box can be positioned closer to the front while maintaining the rigidity provided by the reinforcing plate 80. That is, the length in the front-to-rear direction of the fitting portion 22 provided on the front panel 21 can be shortened. By shortening the length of the fitting portion 22 in this manner, it is possible to prevent the fitting portion 22 from bending when a strong force is applied to the fitting portion 22. That is, the load on the fitting portion 22 can be reduced, and the reinforcing plate 80 can support the load from the top surface of the washing machine 1, thereby improving the strength of the outer box 10.

[0057] In this embodiment, the strength of the reinforcing plate 80 is greater than that of the outer box side plates. Furthermore, the outer box side plates and the reinforcing plate 80 are arranged so that, in a side view, the reinforcing plate support portion 82 is located above the upper flange 16a of the outer box left plate 16. This arrangement ensures that when a load is applied from above the outer box 10, the stronger reinforcing plate support portion 82 receives the load first, followed by the upper flange 16a. This prevents misalignment between the front plate 21 and the outer box side plates, while stably supporting loads from above due to user operation, etc. Furthermore, the decorative plate unit 100 can be made smaller and arranged more compactly.

[0058] [1-2. Effects, etc.] The assembly and installation of the plaque unit 100 will now be described. The decorative plate unit 100 is assembled by accommodating the control board 116 in the box-shaped lower support 130 and fitting the protrusion 131b of the lower support 130 into the recess 113 of the upper structure 110. At this time, the rear support 126 provided on the upper structure 110 is fastened to the receiving portion 140 of the lower support 130. After assembling the decorative plate unit 100, the rear of the decorative plate unit 100 is supported at the reinforcing plate side support portion 82 of the reinforcing plate 80, while the engaging claw 120 of the upper structure 110 provided at the front of the decorative plate unit 100 and the second engaging claw 123 of the upper structure 110 provided at the side of the decorative plate unit 100 are fixed to the front plate side support portion 30 of the front plate 21. Next, the front part of the outer box upper plate 55 is fitted into the position restricting rib 125 provided at the rear part of the upper structure 110 of the decorative plate unit 100.

[0059] After the decorative plate unit 100 is attached to the washing machine 1, the user presses the operating unit 118 provided on the decorative plate unit 100 at the top of the washing machine 1 to set or operate the washing machine 1. At this time, the load exerted by the user pressing the operating unit 118 also applies a load to the decorative plate unit 100. The decorative plate unit 100, which is made of resin or the like, tends to deform due to the load from the user, but because the lower part is supported by the reinforcing plate 80, deformation of the decorative plate unit 100 is suppressed. This stabilizes the pressing force of the operating unit 118 provided on the decorative plate unit 100.

[0060] When a load is applied to the decorative plate unit 100 or the outer box upper plate 55, the fitting claws 25 and the fitting holes 18 come into contact in response to the load, thereby restricting the position of the front plate 21 relative to the outer box left plate 16. Because the load can be supported by the metal outer box left plate 16, the occurrence of external gaps is suppressed even when a load is applied.

[0061] The fitting portion 22 extending from the corner portion 21c of the front panel 21 is formed by joining the front end and the left end to the front panel. As a result, when a user applies a load to the upper portion of the washing machine, for example, to the decorative plate unit 100, the load can be received by the front panel support portion 30 and the fitting portion 22, as well as by the reinforcing plate 80 supporting the support portion 24 of the fitting portion 22.

[0062] In this way, the load from above washing machine 1 is not supported only by front panel 21 made of low-strength resin, but also by reinforcing plate 80, which is a high-strength metal sheet, through fitting portion 22. This improves the rigidity of outer box 10, and prevents deformation of outer box 10 even when a load is applied from above washing machine 1.

[0063] Furthermore, when a user applies force to side surface portion 21b of front panel 21, in other words, when the user applies force from the outside in the width direction of washing machine 1, beam portion 23 of fitting portion 22 acts as a reinforcing member for side surface portion 21b of front panel 21. This improves the rigidity of outer box 10, and prevents deformation of outer box 10 even when force is applied from the outside in the left-right direction of washing machine 1.

[0064] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, washing machine 1 is a washing machine 1 that has outer box 10 that contains a storage tub, and outer box 10 includes front panel 21 that forms at least a part of the front surface of outer box 10, and outer box side panels (outer box left panel 16, outer box right panel 17), and front panel 21 is fitted to the outer box side panels (outer box left panel 16, outer box right panel 17). As a result, the front panel 21 is fitted to a component that is part of the outer box 10 and is located behind the front panel 21, thereby suppressing misalignment between the front panel 21 and the component located behind the front panel 21. As a result, the rigidity of the outer box 10 can be improved and the occurrence of external gaps in the outer box 10 can be suppressed.

[0065] The outer box 10 includes a reinforcing plate 80 that is provided behind the front plate 21 and connects and reinforces the front ends of the left and right outer box side plates (outer box left plate 16, outer box right plate 17), and a decorative plate unit 100 that forms at least a part of the top surface of the outer box 10, and the reinforcing plate 80 includes a reinforcing plate side support portion 82 that is formed by bending the upper part, and the decorative plate unit 100 is placed on the reinforcing plate side support portion 82. As a result, when a user applies a load from above to the decorative plate unit 100 by operating the washing machine 1, the load can be received by the reinforcing plate 80 via the reinforcing plate support part 82. Therefore, the load from above due to the user's operation can be received while suppressing misalignment between the front plate 21 and the outer box side plates (outer box left plate 16, outer box right plate 17).

[0066] The outer box side plates (outer box left plate 16, outer box right plate 17) include upper flanges 16a formed by bending the upper portions, and the reinforcing plate side support portion 82 has greater strength than the upper flange 16a and is located at a higher position than the upper flange 16a. As a result, the reinforcing plate side support portion 82 is located higher than the upper flange 16a, so when a load is applied from above the outer box 10, the stronger reinforcing plate side support portion 82 bears the load first, and then the upper flange 16a bears the load. Therefore, it is possible to stably bear a load from above due to user operation, etc., while suppressing misalignment between the front panel 21 and the outer box side panels (outer box left panel 16, outer box right panel 17).

[0067] The front panel 21 includes a front portion 21a and a side portion 21b that bends backward from the side of the front portion 21a, and the side portion 21b has an engaging portion 22 including an engaging claw 25 that engages with the upper flange 16a, and the upper flange 16a has an engaging hole 18 that engages with the engaging claw 25, and the engaging hole 18 is formed at the front end of the upper flange 16a. As a result, the front panel 21 and the outer box side panels (outer box left panel 16, outer box right panel 17) are fitted together at positions close to each other in the front-to-rear direction, thereby preventing misalignment between the front panel 21 and the outer box side panels (outer box left panel 16, outer box right panel 17). This improves the rigidity of the outer box 10 and prevents gaps from appearing on the outside of the outer box 10.

[0068] The mating claws 25, mating holes 18, and reinforcing plate side support portion 82 are arranged in a straight line in the left-right direction when viewed from the top of the outer box 10, and a notch 80a is provided at the end of the reinforcing plate side support portion 82, so that the reinforcing plate side support portion 82 and the upper flange 16a do not overlap in the vertical direction. As a result, by providing the notch 80a at the end of the reinforcing-plate-side support portion 82, the outer box side plates (outer box left plate 16, outer box right plate 17) can be moved toward the front plate 21 by the amount of the notch 80a. Therefore, the front plate 21 and the outer box side plates (outer box left plate 16, outer box right plate 17) are fitted together at positions closer in the front-to-rear direction, thereby suppressing misalignment between the front plate 21 and the outer box side plates (outer box left plate 16, outer box right plate 17). This improves the rigidity of the outer box 10 and suppresses the occurrence of external gaps in the outer box 10.

[0069] (Other embodiments) As described above, the above-described embodiments have been described as examples disclosed in the present application. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to these, and can be applied to embodiments in which modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. are made. Furthermore, it is also possible to combine the components described in the above-described embodiments to create new embodiments. Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0070] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the position of the front plate 21 is restricted by the front plate 21 and the outer box side plates. However, the combination of position restriction is not limited to this. For example, by providing a fitting hole in the reinforcing plate 80, the position of the front plate 21 can be restricted by the front plate 21 and the reinforcing plate 80, or by providing a fitting hole in the upper reinforcing member 70, the position of the front plate can be restricted by the front plate 21 and the upper reinforcing member 70. In other words, it is sufficient that the position of the fitting claws 25 of the front plate 21 can be restricted by a component located behind the front plate. In other words, as long as the occurrence of an external gap can be suppressed, the position of the fitting hole is not particularly limited.

[0071] In the above-described embodiment, the reinforcing plate side support portion 82 is positioned higher than the upper flange 16a of the outer box side plate, so that the load received from the top surface of the washing machine 1 is supported by the reinforcing plate 80. However, the load-bearing structure is not limited to this. For example, by making the reinforcing-plate-side support portion 82 and the upper flange 16a of the outer box side plate the same height, the lower end surface 24a of the support column 24 can be supported by the reinforcing-plate-side support portion 82 and the outer box side plate, and the load acting from the top surface of the washing machine 1 can be distributed and supported. That is, the outer box side plate includes an upper flange 16a formed by bending the upper part, and the reinforcing plate side support part 82 is provided at the same height as the upper flange 16a. When a load is applied from above to the outer box 10, the load is distributed and received by the reinforcing plate support portion 82 and the upper flange 16a. As a result, it is possible to stably receive a load from above due to user operation, etc., while suppressing misalignment between the front plate 21 and the outer box side plates.

[0072] In the above-described embodiment, the fitting portion 22 is inclined downward and rearward. However, the configuration of the fitting portion 22 is not limited to this. In other words, the fitting portion 22 may be formed so as to be horizontal with respect to the installation surface.

[0073] In the above-described embodiment, the reinforcing-plate-side supporting portion 82 supports the support pillars 24 of the fitting portion 22, that is, the reinforcing-plate-side supporting portion 82 abuts against the support pillars 24 of the fitting portion 22. However, the reinforcing-plate-side supporting portion 82 and the support pillars 24 do not have to abut against each other. For example, the support pillar 24 may be arranged so as to be floating relative to the reinforcing plate side support part 82, i.e., so as to form a gap, and when a load is applied to the top surface of the washing machine, the support pillar 24 receives the load and lowers, thereby coming into contact with the reinforcing plate side support part 82 and receiving the load.

[0074] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the technology of the present disclosure, and various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc. may be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.

[0075] (Addendum) The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques.

[0076] (Technology 1) A clothing processing device having an outer box containing a storage tub, the outer box including a front panel that forms at least a part of the front surface of the outer box, and a component that is disposed behind the front panel and is made of a material different from that of the front panel, the front panel being fitted to the component. This allows the front panel to fit onto a part of the outer box that is located behind the front panel, thereby preventing misalignment between the front panel and the part behind it, improving the rigidity of the outer box and preventing gaps from appearing on the outside of the outer box.

[0077] (Technology 2) The clothing processing device according to Technology 1, wherein the part is a side panel of the outer box that constitutes either the left or right side of the outer box. This prevents misalignment between the front panel and the side panels of the outer box, thereby improving the rigidity of the outer box and preventing gaps from appearing on the outside of the outer box.

[0078] (Technology 3) The outer box includes a reinforcing plate that is located behind the front plate and connects and reinforces the front ends of the left and right outer box side plates, and a decorative plate unit that forms at least a part of the upper surface of the outer box, the reinforcing plate includes a reinforcing plate side support part that is formed by folding the upper part, and the decorative plate unit is placed on the reinforcing plate side support part, in a clothing processing device described in Technology 1 or 2. This allows the reinforcing plate to receive the load from above when the user operates the clothing processing device, etc., via the reinforcing plate support portion, preventing misalignment between the front plate and the side plates of the outer box while receiving the load from above when the user operates the device.

[0079] (Technology 4) A clothing processing device described in Technology 3, wherein the outer box side plate includes an upper flange formed by folding the upper part, and the reinforcing plate side support portion is positioned at a height equal to or higher than the upper flange. This means that when a load is applied from above to the outer casing, the load is received by the support part on the reinforcing plate and the upper flange, distributing the load from the top of the washing machine. This prevents misalignment between the front panel and the side panels of the outer casing, while stably receiving loads from above caused by user operation, etc.

[0080] (Technology 5) A clothing processing device according to Technology 4, wherein the front panel includes a front portion and a side portion that folds backward from the side portion of the front portion, the side portion having a fitting portion including a convex portion that fits into the upper flange, the upper flange having a recess that fits into the convex portion, and the recess is formed at the front end of the upper flange. This allows the front panel and the side panels of the outer box to fit together at positions close to each other in the front-to-rear direction, preventing misalignment between the front panel and the side panels of the outer box, improving the rigidity of the outer box and preventing gaps from appearing on the outside of the outer box.

[0081] (Technology 6) A clothing processing device described in Technology 5, in which the convex portion, the concave portion, and the reinforcing plate side support portion are arranged in a straight line in the left-right direction when viewed from above the outer box, and a notch is provided at the end of the reinforcing plate side support portion, so that the reinforcing plate side support portion and the upper flange do not overlap in the vertical direction. By providing a notch at the end of the reinforcing-plate support section, the side panels of the outer box can be moved toward the front panel by the amount of the notch. Since the front panel and the side panels of the outer box are fitted together at a position closer to each other in the front-to-rear direction, misalignment between the front panel and the side panels of the outer box is suppressed. This improves the rigidity of the outer box and suppresses the occurrence of external gaps in the outer box. [Industrial Applicability]

[0082] The present disclosure is applicable to a washing machine that has a decorative plate unit on the top surface of the washing machine body. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 Washing machine (clothing treatment device) 10 outer box 16 Left panel of outer box 16a Upper flange 17 Right panel of outer box 18 Fitting hole (recess) 21 Front panel 21a Front section 21b Side part 22 Fitting part 25 mating claw (protrusion) 80 Reinforcement plate 80a notch 82 Reinforcement plate side support part 100 Plaque Units

Claims

1. A clothing treatment device having an outer box containing a storage tub, The outer box includes a front panel that forms at least a part of a front surface of the outer box, and a component that is disposed behind the front panel and is formed of a material different from that of the front panel, The front panel is fitted to the part. Clothes treatment device.

2. The part is an outer box side plate that constitutes one of the left and right surfaces of the outer box. The clothing treatment device according to claim 1 .

3. The outer box includes a reinforcing plate that is provided behind the front plate and connects and reinforces front ends of the left and right outer box side plates, and a decorative plate unit that forms at least a part of an upper surface of the outer box, the reinforcing plate includes a reinforcing plate side support portion formed by bending an upper portion thereof, The decorative plate unit is placed on the reinforcing plate side support portion. The clothing treatment device according to claim 2 .

4. The outer box side plate includes an upper flange formed by bending an upper portion thereof, The reinforcing plate side support portion is provided at a position equal to or higher than the height of the upper flange. The clothing treatment device according to claim 3 .

5. The front panel includes a front portion and a side portion that is bent rearward from a side portion of the front portion, the side surface portion includes a fitting portion including a protrusion that fits into the upper flange, the upper flange has a recess that fits into the protrusion, The recess is formed in the front end of the upper flange. The clothing treatment device according to claim 4.

6. the protrusions, the recesses, and the reinforcing-plate-side support portions are arranged linearly in the left-right direction when viewed from above the outer box, A notch is provided at an end of the reinforcing plate side support portion, The reinforcing plate side support portion and the upper flange do not overlap in the vertical direction. The clothing treatment device according to claim 5.

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