Liquid dispensing device

Abstract

The present invention provides a liquid dispensing device that can improve the visibility of the liquid level in a configuration in which a transparent window is provided on the front of the tank for storing the liquid. [Solution] The dispensing device 10 comprises a liquid tank 21 for storing liquid and a device body 70 to which the liquid tank 21 is attached. The liquid tank 21 has a container body 40 for storing liquid, and a transparent window 46 is provided on the front part 41 of the container body 40. A first visibility-enhancing section X1 is provided around the container body 40 to improve the visibility of the liquid through the transparent window 46 by irradiating external light into the container body 40, and a second visibility-enhancing section X2 is provided inside the container body 40 to improve the visibility of the liquid through the transparent window 46 by reflecting external light within the container body 40.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid agent input device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a washing machine equipped with an automatic liquid agent input device is known. The automatic input device sucks the liquid agent stored in the liquid agent tank by a pump and sends it to the manual liquid agent input section. In the washing machine described in Patent Document 1, the automatic input device is provided behind the upper frame of the housing. A box-shaped tank body formed of a transparent material is covered with a decorative panel. A transparent window is provided in a portion exposed from the decorative panel. A scale display is engraved on the transparent window, and the user can check the remaining amount of detergent or the like.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described conventional liquid agent input device, although a transparent window and a scale display are provided on the tank body, it may be difficult to visually recognize the liquid amount depending on the installation environment, such as when the surrounding is dark. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid agent input device capable of improving the visibility of the liquid level in a configuration in which a transparent window is provided on the front surface of a tank for storing a liquid agent.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] [1] One aspect of the present disclosure is a liquid dispensing device comprising at least one liquid tank for storing a liquid, and a device body to which the liquid tank is attached, wherein the liquid tank has a container body for storing a liquid, the front of the container body is provided with a transparent window exposed to the front side of the device body, and a visibility-enhancing section is provided around or inside the container body to improve the visibility of the liquid through the transparent window by irradiating external light into the container body or reflecting external light inside the container body.

[0006] [1] According to the liquid dispensing device, a visibility-enhancing section is provided around the container body or inside the container body. The visibility-enhancing section allows ambient light to shine into the container body, making the inside of the container body brighter and improving the visibility of the liquid through the transparent window. Alternatively, ambient light is reflected inside the container body, making the inside of the container body brighter and improving the visibility of the liquid through the transparent window. Therefore, the user can easily see the liquid level. In this way, the visibility of the liquid level through the transparent window can be improved compared to conventional liquid tanks.

[0007] [2] In the liquid dispensing device described in [1] above, the visibility enhancement section may have an external light irradiation path or an external light reflecting section near the back of the transparent window. With this configuration, the area near the back of the transparent window becomes brighter, further improving the visibility of the liquid surface. Regardless of the position (height) of the liquid surface, the user can always easily see the liquid surface.

[0008] [3] In the liquid dispensing device described in [1] or [2] above, the visibility enhancement unit includes a light-emitting unit located above the container body when the liquid tank is attached to the device body, and the light emitted from the light-emitting unit as ambient light may be irradiated into the container body. With this configuration, since the light emitted from the light-emitting unit is irradiated into the container body, good visibility of the liquid level can be obtained regardless of the installation conditions of the device (such as the darkness of the surroundings).

[0009] [4] In the liquid dispensing device described in [3] above, the visibility-enhancing unit may further include a reflecting unit positioned directly above the upper edge of the transparent window in the container body, which reflects the light emitted from the light-emitting unit and illuminates the back side of the transparent window. With this configuration, the light-emitting unit and the reflecting unit can be positioned on the upper side of the container body, making the layout easy. Since the reflecting unit is positioned directly above the upper edge of the transparent window, the emitted light can be reliably introduced into the container body.

[0010] [5] In any one of the liquid dispensing devices described in [1] to [4] above, the visibility enhancement section may include a reflector located inside the container body on the back side of the transparent window. This configuration allows for improved visibility of the liquid surface by utilizing ambient light.

[0011] [6] In the liquid dispensing device described in [5] above, a pair of left and right projections are provided on the back of the front part of the container body at positions corresponding to the left and right ends of the transparent window, and a pair of left and right vertical ribs extending vertically are provided on the front of the reflector outside the left and right projections, and the projections may be fitted between the vertical ribs. With this configuration, since the projections provided at positions corresponding to the left and right ends of the transparent window are fitted between the vertical ribs of the reflector, light present on the back side of the transparent window is less likely to leak to the outside of the vertical ribs. As a result, light can be efficiently focused between the vertical ribs, and the visibility of the liquid surface can be further improved. Regardless of the position (height) of the liquid surface, the user can always easily see the liquid surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, the visibility of the liquid level through a transparent window can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a washing machine to which a liquid dispensing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the washing machine in Figure 1 with the top lid open. [Figure 3]FIG. 3 is a piping system diagram of the liquid agent injection device in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the liquid agent injection device in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid agent tank and a light-emitting unit which is an example of a visibility improvement part. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the liquid agent tank. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the liquid agent tank. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the container body. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective sectional view of the container body seen from the rear. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the front panel seen from the back. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective sectional view of the liquid agent injection device. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the liquid agent injection device and is a view showing an enlarged main part. [[ID=2九]] [Figure 13] FIG. 13(a) is a view showing an example of visual recognition of a transparent window in the liquid agent injection device according to the embodiment, and FIG. 13(b) is a view showing an example of visual recognition of a transparent window in a conventional liquid agent injection device. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a liquid agent tank and a light-emitting unit which is another example of a visibility improvement part. [Figure 15] FIG. 15(a) is a view showing an example of visual recognition of a transparent window in the liquid agent injection device according to the first modification example, and FIG. 13(b) is a view showing an example of visual recognition of a transparent window in the liquid agent injection device according to the second modification example.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same elements, and duplicate descriptions are omitted. The dimensional ratios in the drawings do not necessarily match those in the description. [[ID=4五]]

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the basic configuration of the washing machine 1 to which the liquid agent input device according to an embodiment is applied will be described. In the following description, the X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction orthogonal to each other shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be used to describe the washing machine 1. The X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction correspond to the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and height direction (or up-down direction or vertical direction) in the installed state of the washing machine 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Terms indicating directions such as "front", "rear", "up", "down", "left", and "right" are terms based on the installed state of the washing machine 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the washing machine 1 is, for example, a vertical washing machine. The washing machine 1 includes a housing 2. The housing 2 constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 1. The housing 2 has a hollow body portion 2a with an open upper surface and a lower surface. An outer tub 5a and an inner tub (or washing tub) 5b are arranged inside the body portion 2a. The upper surface of the body portion 2a is covered with an upper panel portion 2b, and a pedestal 2c is attached to the lower surface of the body portion 2a. When viewed from the Z-direction, the shape of the body portion 2a is square (rectangular or square).

[0017] A laundry loading opening 2e is formed in the top panel 2b. The loading opening 2e is located above the inner tub 5b housed in the casing 2 and is covered by the top lid 3. The top lid 3 is attached to the top panel 2b so as to be able to be opened and closed. The top lid 3 rotates around a pivot axis L1 that extends in the left-right direction at the rear end of the top panel 2b. As shown in Figure 1, the top lid 3 has a rectangular plate-shaped rear lid 3a that is rotatably attached to the rear end of the top panel 2b, and a rectangular plate-shaped front lid 3b that is foldably connected to the front end of the rear lid 3a. The rear lid 3a is connected to the top panel 2b via a rotation axis mechanism including a damper and is rotatable relative to the top panel 2b around the pivot axis L1. The front lid 3b is connected to the rear lid 3a via a hinge structure and is foldable relative to the rear lid 3a around a folding axis L2. The folding axis L2 is parallel to the rotation axis L1 and moves above the input opening 2e in accordance with the rotation of the rear cover 3a. In the direction of the folding axis L2, the length (width) of the front cover 3b is equal to the length (width) of the rear cover 3a. In the extending direction of each plate-like member perpendicular to the folding axis L2, the length of the front cover 3b is shorter than the length of the rear cover 3a (see Figure 2).

[0018] When the top lid 3 is closed (see Figure 1), the rear lid 3a and the front lid 3b are aligned front to back at the same inclination, forming a single flat top lid 3 that covers the input opening 2e. The top lid 3 is inclined, for example, to become lower towards the front. The rear lid 3a is provided with a transparent section 3c, allowing visibility of the interior even when the top lid 3 is closed. The front lid 3b has a handle section 3d for opening and closing the top lid 3. When the front lid 3b is lifted by the user, the rear lid 3a rotates around the pivot axis L1 and the front lid 3b folds around the folding axis L2 simultaneously, opening the top lid 3. As shown in Figure 2, the top lid 3 maintains its fully open position when the rear lid 3a is stopped by a stopper mechanism at a predetermined rotational position (a slightly rearward-tilted position). In this position, the front cover 3b hangs down so as to overlap the rear cover 3a. The closing operation of the top cover 3 is performed in the reverse order of the opening operation described above, by the user pulling the front cover 3b forward with their hand.

[0019] A panel-shaped control unit 4, elongated in the left-right direction (Y direction), is provided at the rear end of the top panel 2b. The control unit 4 has an inclined surface equal to that of the closed top lid 3 (see Figure 1) and is positioned within a range where the user can operate it by hand while visually observing it. The control unit 4 is equipped with several buttons for operating the washing machine 1. The control unit 4 can fit into the opening 3e (see Figure 2) between a pair of arm sections 3f located at the left and right rear of the rear lid 3a, and does not interfere with the opening and closing operation of the top lid 3. Even when the top lid 3 is fully open, the control unit 4 is exposed between the hanging front lid 3b and the loading opening 2e and can be operated by the user. In other words, the control unit 4 can be operated whether the top lid 3 is closed or open.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the outer tub 5a has a bottomed cylindrical shape. The outer tub 5a is, for example, a tub made of resin. The outer tub 5a is elastically suspended from the housing 2 by a plurality (for example, four) of suspension rods having vibration damping devices. The outer tub 5a is configured to be supplied with a washing liquid through a water supply channel provided in the housing 2, and to be able to discharge the washing liquid from the outer tub 5a through a drainage channel provided in the housing 2. In this specification, "washing liquid" means a liquid corresponding to each process of the laundry, such as the washing process and the rinsing process. Therefore, in the washing process, the washing liquid may be a liquid containing a liquid agent such as detergent, and in the rinsing process, the washing liquid may be water or a liquid containing a liquid agent such as fabric softener.

[0021] The inner tub 5b has a bottomed cylindrical shape. The inner tub 5b is smaller than the outer tub 5a and is positioned inside the outer tub 5a, coaxially with the outer tub 5a. The inner tub 5b is rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the Z direction. The inner tub 5b is, for example, a metal tub. The inner tub 5b is a tub for washing or dewatering laundry placed inside it. Multiple through holes are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the inner tub 5b. This allows laundry liquid to flow between the outer tub 5a and the inner tub 5b. A rotating blade 6, also called a pulsator, is rotatably mounted at the bottom of the inner tub 5b.

[0022] A motor (not shown) is housed inside the casing 2 to rotate the inner tub 5b and the rotor blade 6. The motor is located at the bottom of the outer tub 5a. The motor 7 generates power (torque) to drive the inner tub 5b and the rotor blade 6, causing them to rotate. For example, in the washing and rinsing processes, the motor transmits the power only to the rotor blade 6 to rotate only the rotor blade 6, and in the dewatering process, it transmits the power to both the rotor blade 6 and the inner tub 5b to rotate the rotor blade 6 and the inner tub 5b together.

[0023] The washing machine 1 is equipped with a dispensing device (liquid dispensing device) 10 for dispensing processing liquid into the inner tub 5b. As shown in Figure 2, the dispensing device 10 is incorporated (mounted) in the upper rear part of the housing 2 such that the front part of the dispensing device 10 is exposed when the top lid 3 is open. Figure 3 is a piping diagram of the dispensing device 10. The dispensing device 10 includes, for example, three water supply pipes, namely the main water supply pipe 11 and auxiliary water supply pipes 12 and 13, which are connected to a water supply source 9 (such as a tap for tap water) outside the washing machine 1. The main water supply pipe 11 is provided with, for example, a first water supply valve V1 and an injection nozzle 14. The auxiliary water supply pipes 12 and 13 are provided with a second water supply valve V2 and a third water supply valve V3, respectively. The first water supply valve V1, the second water supply valve V2, and the third water supply valve V3 are each known automatic valves. The opening and closing operations of the first water supply valve V1, the second water supply valve V2, and the third water supply valve V3 are controlled by the control unit 30. The supply device 10 is also called an automatic supply device.

[0024] The dispensing device 10 is equipped with a water inlet 25 for dispensing the processing liquid into the inner tank 5b. The water inlet 25 is positioned above the inner tank 5b. Inside the water inlet 25 is a manual container 24 for manually dispensing liquid or powdered agents. The manual container 24 includes, for example, a detergent container 26 and a fabric softener container 27 connected to the auxiliary water supply pipe 12 and auxiliary water supply pipe 13, respectively. The dispensing device 10 also has a bath water pump 28 for drawing water from the bathtub. Priming water is supplied to the bath water pump 28 through piping branched from the auxiliary water supply pipe 12. A drain pipe 29 is connected to the bottom of the outer tank 5a, and a drain valve Vb is provided in the drain pipe 29. The opening and closing operation of the drain valve Vb is controlled by the control unit 30.

[0025] The dispensing device 10 comprises, for example, three processing liquid supply units connected to the main water supply pipe 11: a detergent supply unit 20A, a custom agent supply unit 20B, and a fabric softener supply unit 20C. The detergent supply unit 20A has a detergent tank 21A for storing detergent and a first pump unit 22A. The custom agent supply unit 20B has a custom agent tank 21B for storing custom agents and a second pump unit 22B. The fabric softener supply unit 20C has a fabric softener tank 21C for storing fabric softener and a third pump unit 22C. Each of the first pump unit 22A, the second pump unit 22B, and the third pump unit 22C injects the various liquid agents into the main water supply pipe 11 and mixes them with water. Through this operation, the dispensing device 10 dispenses the processing liquid containing the various liquid agents into the inner tank 5b.

[0026] In the dispensing device 10 of this embodiment, three liquid tanks are provided to store three types of liquids. Of the three types of liquids, the custom agent is a desired liquid selected by the user. The custom agent can be selected by the user from four options, for example, a different type of detergent than the detergent stored in detergent tank 21A, a different type of fabric softener than the fabric softener stored in fabric softener tank 21C, bleach, or delicate laundry detergent. The custom agent tank 21B is an optional setting tank that allows the user to select the desired liquid.

[0027] A control unit 30 (see Figure 3) that controls the operation of each part of the washing machine 1 is installed at an appropriate location in the upper part of the housing 2. The dispensing device 10 is controlled by the control unit 30 and dispenses at least one of the detergents, custom detergents, and fabric softeners at a predetermined timing according to the operating course selected by the user and the settings of the liquids to be used by the user.

[0028] The detergent tank 21A, the custom additive tank 21B, and the fabric softener tank 21C are each detachable by the user when the washing machine 1 is stopped. The structure of these liquid tanks and the characteristic configuration around them will be described below. As shown in Figure 4, the detergent tank 21A, the custom additive tank 21B, and the fabric softener tank 21C are each installed in a predetermined position on the main body 70 of the device. Each liquid tank has a unique shape to prevent the user from installing them in the wrong position, but the structure of these liquid tanks is basically the same. Each liquid tank may have the same capacity and size, for example, but they may be made to have different sizes to prevent insertion errors (misinsertion). In the following description, each of these liquid tanks will simply be referred to as "liquid tank 21".

[0029] The dispensing device 10 of this embodiment allows the liquid level (liquid volume) of the liquid stored in the liquid tank 21 to be visually observed. In particular, although the environment in which the washing machine 1 is installed varies, various measures have been taken to improve the visibility of the liquid level. For example, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the dispensing device 10 is equipped with an LED unit 80 that extends horizontally from the front of the upper wall 71 of the device body 70. The dispensing device 10 improves the visibility of the liquid level through the transparent window 46 by irradiating light into the liquid tank 21.

[0030] The structure of the liquid tank 21 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 10. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the liquid tank 21 has a container body 40 for storing liquid, a front panel 50 attached to the front of the container body 40, and a lid plate 57 that closes the opening on the top surface of the container body 40. The container body 40 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes a front part 41, a rear part 42, a pair of left and right side parts 43, and a bottom part 45 (see Figure 7). The upper end of the rectangular cylindrical body formed by the front part 41, the rear part 42, and the pair of side parts 43 is open. The lid plate 57 is fitted into this opening. By opening the opening / closing lid 58, which is attached slightly forward of the lid plate 57, the user can pour a predetermined liquid into the container body 40.

[0031] The front portion 41 of the container body 40 is provided with a transparent window 46 that extends vertically, for example, in the center in the left-right direction. The container body 40 is, for example, a single-piece molded product. The entire container body 40 is made of a transparent resin material, but an opaque front panel 50 is attached to cover the front portion 41. The front panel 50 is, for example, slightly larger than the front portion 41 of the container body 40. The transparent window 46 (see also Figure 8), which protrudes slightly forward from the front portion 41, is fitted into an opening 52 formed in the surface plate 51 of the front panel 50. As shown in Figure 6, the surface of the transparent window 46 and the front surface of the surface plate 51 are substantially flush, and only the transparent window 46 is exposed on the front side of the device body 70.

[0032] Multiple scale markings 47 are arranged at equal intervals on the surface of the transparent window 46 in the vertical direction (the direction of the depth of the stored liquid). The user can roughly see the height of the liquid level inside the container body 40 through the transparent window 46, thereby determining the amount of liquid. A detachable handle 49 is provided on the bottom surface of the container body 40, which can be held (or hooked) by the user when attaching or detaching the front part 41. In addition, as shown in Figure 7, a foreign matter removal section 44 for removing foreign matter from the liquid is provided at the rear of the bottom part 45 of the container body 40. A liquid guide section 48 is provided for injecting the liquid into the main water supply pipe 11.

[0033] The liquid tank 21 has a mechanism to improve visibility in addition to the LED unit 80. As shown in Figure 5, the liquid tank 21 has a reflector 60 that slides downward from an opening on the top surface of the container body 40 and is installed inside the container body 40. The reflector 60 is made of, for example, a white or white-ish resin material. The reflector 60 may also be made of a metal material or a glass material.

[0034] The reflector 60 extends vertically and horizontally (i.e., along the YZ plane) near the back of the front portion 41. The reflector 60 includes a main plate 61 extending along the YZ plane, an upper plate portion 62 projecting forward from the upper end of the main plate 61, and a pair of side plate portions 63 extending along the XZ plane from the left and right lower ends of the main plate 61. The main plate 61 faces the front portion 41 of the container body 40 at a predetermined distance. A central plate portion 66 is provided in the center of the main plate 61 in the left-right direction, facing the back surface of the transparent window 46. The central plate portion 66 protrudes forward from the main plate 61 and is substantially flush with the upper plate portion 62. The central plate portion 66 is located near the back surface of the transparent window 46. "Nearby" with respect to the front portion 41 or the transparent window 46 means, for example, that the distance in the front-to-back direction (X direction) from the front portion 41 or the transparent window 46 is about one-quarter of the front-to-back length of the container body 40 or less. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the reflector 60 is fixed at a position where the distance from the front portion 41 is about one-eighth of the front-to-back length of the container body 40. From another viewpoint, the reflector 60 is positioned at least in front of (closer to the front portion 41 of) the front end position of the opening / closing lid 58.

[0035] To describe the fixing structure of the reflector 60 in more detail, as shown in Figure 9, a pair of left and right projections 41b are provided on the back side (inner surface side) of the front portion 41 of the container body 40, at positions corresponding to the left and right ends of the transparent window 46. These projections 41b are plate pieces extending along the XZ plane. The upper ends of the pair of projections 41b are connected by a rectangular plate-shaped flat portion 41a that extends along the XY plane at the upper end of the front portion 41. That is, the flat portion 41a and the pair of projections 41b form a U-shaped structure that is open downwards (in other words, towards the area of ​​the transparent window 46). The flat portion 41a and the projections 41b are also made of transparent material. As described above, the container body 40, which is a single-piece molded product, is made of a transparent resin material overall, but the container body 40 does not need to be a single-piece molded product. Each part of the container body 40 may be made from different materials. In that case, at least the flat portion 41a and the transparent window 46 are transparent. In this specification, the term "transparent" means that visible light is transmitted, and includes not only complete transparency but also semi-transparency.

[0036] Furthermore, a pair of retaining ribs 43b are formed on the two side portions 43 of the container body 40, which protrude inward (in the Y direction) and extend in the vertical direction (in the Z direction).

[0037] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, the reflector 60 has a pair of left and right vertical ribs 64 extending vertically on the front surface of the main plate 61. The spacing between the vertical ribs 64 is slightly greater than the maximum width in the left-right direction when the pair of protrusions 41b are viewed as a whole (see Figure 9). Also, as shown in Figure 5, the total width of the reflector 60 in the left-right direction, that is, the distance from the right side surface of the right side plate portion 63 to the left side surface of the left side plate portion 63 provided at the lower end of the reflector 60, is slightly smaller than the spacing between the pair of side portions 43. Furthermore, the length of each side portion 63 in the front-rear direction is slightly smaller than the distance between the back surface of the front portion 41 and the retaining rib 43b (see Figure 9). With the above configuration, the pair of vertical ribs 64 are positioned on the outside in the left-right direction of the protrusions 41b. The pair of side portions 63 are positioned inside the region enclosed by the front portion 41, the retaining rib 43b, and the side portions 43.

[0038] As shown in Figure 5, when the reflector 60 is inserted downward from the top of the container body 40, the vertical ribs 64 are guided by the projections 41b. The side plate portion 63 fits between the front portion 41 and the retaining rib 43b, and the projections 41b fit between the vertical ribs 64. When the reflector 60 is fully inserted, the lower end of the reflector 60 abuts against the bottom portion 45, and the upper end of the reflector 60 is within the height range of the retaining rib 43b (see Figure 8). As shown in Figure 8, a flat plate portion 41a is exposed between the upper ends of the pair of vertical ribs 64, and a pair of upper openings 41c are formed on both the left and right sides of the flat plate portion 41a. The pair of projections 41b are located outside the left and right ends of the transparent window 46 and are provided only near the top of the transparent window 46 (shorter than the vertical ribs 64 in the vertical direction). The projections 41b are formed to the minimum size necessary to perform the required guiding function (guiding function of the vertical ribs 64).

[0039] Furthermore, the left and right vertical ribs 64 are positioned further outward in the lateral direction than the left and right edges of the transparent window 46. As a result, the end faces of the vertical ribs 64 do not intrude into the transparent window 46, and the entire (overall width) of the transparent window 46 is illuminated. Consequently, the visibility of the liquid surface is further improved.

[0040] Even when the reflector 60 is installed inside the container body 40, as shown in Figure 5, the reflector 60 has a pair of upper liquid passage holes 68 and a pair of lower liquid passage holes 69 on the left and right sides, so the liquid level S of the liquid agent in the storage space A of the container body 40 is uniform (horizontal) (see Figure 7). In other words, the height of the liquid level S visible through the transparent window 46 reflects the amount of liquid agent stored in the container body 40.

[0041] As shown in Figure 7, with the reflector 60 and the front panel 50 attached to the container body 40, a rectangular parallelepiped upper space 56 is formed above the flat plate portion 41a. The front panel 50 is made of an opaque material, but as shown in Figure 10, a notch 53c is formed in the left-right center of the top wall portion 53 of the front panel 50, and a retractable wall portion 55 is provided below the notch 53c. Also, as shown in Figure 5, a notch 59a is formed in the left-right center of the front wall portion 59 of the lid plate 57. With the above configuration, as shown in Figure 7, on the back side of the upper end portion 51a of the front panel 50, in the left-right center, at a position protruding above the container body 40, spaces are formed between the notch 53c and notch 59a, the upper space 56, and the retractable wall portion 55, where there are no walls. Furthermore, the left and right cover surfaces 54 of the front panel 50 (see Figure 10) cover the left and right upper openings 41c (see Figure 8) formed at the front end of the container body 40, thereby suppressing evaporation of the liquid from the container body 40.

[0042] Next, the mounting structure of the LED unit 80 will be described with reference to Figures 4, 5, 11, and 12. As shown in Figure 4, the LED unit 80 is located on the rear side of the upper end 51a of the front panel 50 and extends in the left-right direction when each liquid tank 21 is installed. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, three white LEDs 82 are built into the retaining bar 81 which extends in the left-right direction. More specifically, a long, narrow rectangular substrate 83 is inserted into the rear space inside the hollow retaining bar 81. Both ends of the retaining bar 81 in the left-right direction are sealed with caps 84 (see Figure 5). Three LEDs 82 (chip LEDs) are mounted on the front of the substrate 83. The front of the retaining bar 81 (i.e., the surface facing the upper space 56 and the inclined reflective surface 73b of the protruding reflector 73, which will be described later) is transparent. Each LED 82 may be positioned slightly below the center of the holding bar 81 in the vertical direction, or it may be positioned in the center in the vertical direction. Each LED 82 is positioned at the center of each liquid tank in the left-right direction (corresponding to the transparent window 46). Each of the three LEDs 82 is located behind the notches 53c and 59a (see Figures 4 and 7) formed on the rear side of the upper end 51a of each liquid tank 21.

[0043] As shown in Figures 4, 11, and 12, three protruding reflectors 73 are formed at the front end of the upper wall 71 of the main body of the device 70. When the liquid tank 21 is pushed in backward and attached to the main body of the device 70, each protruding reflector 73 fits into the notches 53c and 59a of each liquid tank 21 and is positioned within the upper space 56. As shown in Figure 12, the inclined reflective surface 73b of the protruding reflector 73 is located in front of the LED 82, and the space below the inclined reflective surface 73b consists only of a transparent flat plate portion 41a, with no other walls present. The inclined reflective surface 73b is at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the XY plane, forming the irradiation path P shown by the dashed line in Figure 12. The irradiation path P passes through the transparent flat plate portion 41a and through the vicinity of the back of the transparent window 46 (the front of the central plate portion 66) in the vertical direction. When the LED 82 emits light, the liquid on the front of the central plate 66 is brightly illuminated, and the combined effect of the light emitted from the LED 82 and the reflection effect of the reflective surface 66a of the central plate 66 results in high visibility of the liquid surface S through the transparent window 46. The reflective surface 66a of the central plate 66 is also the reflective surface R of the external light present outside the container body 40. Since the emitted light is irradiated along the irradiation path P that extends vertically on the back side of the transparent window 46, the visibility of the liquid surface S is high regardless of its position (height).

[0044] Each LED 82 is controlled to emit light by the control unit 30 (see Figure 3). In this embodiment, when the washing machine 1 is turned on or the start button is pressed, the LED 82 emits light only for at least one of the three liquid tanks 21 that is actually used to dispense liquid according to the operating course selected by the user. The LED 82 may emit light in a steady or blinking manner. By looking at the dispensing device 10 through the transparent section 3c (or with the top lid 3 open), the user can clearly see which liquid will be used (dispensed) in the liquid tank 21 for the course in which the operation is about to begin.

[0045] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4, 5, and 12, the LED unit 80 is a first visibility-enhancing unit X1 provided above (around) the container body 40, which illuminates the inside of the container body 40 with light emitted from the LED 82. The reflector 60 is a second visibility-enhancing unit X2 that reflects ambient light, including the light emitted from the LED 82, inside the container body 40. The first visibility-enhancing unit X1 and the second visibility-enhancing unit X2 improve the visibility of the liquid through the transparent window 46.

[0046] According to the dispensing device 10 of this embodiment, a first visibility-enhancing section X1 and a second visibility-enhancing section X2 are provided around and inside the container body 40. The first visibility-enhancing section X1 and the second visibility-enhancing section X2 allow ambient light to irradiate the inside of the container body 40, making the inside of the container body 40 brighter and improving the visibility of the liquid through the transparent window 46. Alternatively, ambient light is reflected inside the container body 40, making the inside of the container body 40 brighter and improving the visibility of the liquid through the transparent window 46. Therefore, the user can easily see the liquid level S. Figure 13(a) shows an example of visibility of the transparent window in the liquid dispensing device according to the embodiment, and Figure 13(b) shows an example of visibility of the transparent window in a conventional liquid dispensing device. In Figure 13(b), the inside is very dark and it is difficult to see the liquid level, but in Figure 13(a), the position of the liquid level can be clearly seen. In this way, the visibility of the liquid level through the transparent window 46 can be improved compared to conventional liquid tanks.

[0047] The first visibility-enhancing section X1 and the second visibility-enhancing section X2 have an illumination path P and an illumination-reflecting section R near the back of the transparent window 46. As a result, the area near the back of the transparent window 46 becomes brighter, further improving the visibility of the liquid surface S. In addition, since the illumination path P and the reflection section R extend long in the vertical direction, the user can always easily see the liquid surface S regardless of its position (height).

[0048] The first visibility-enhancing unit X1 includes an LED 82 located above the container body 40 when the liquid tank 21 is mounted on the device body 70, and illuminates the inside of the container body 40 with light emitted from the LED 82 as ambient light. As a result, good visibility of the liquid level can be obtained regardless of the installation conditions of the device (such as ambient darkness).

[0049] The first visibility-enhancing section X1 further includes a protruding reflector 73 positioned directly above the upper end of the transparent window 46 in the container body 40, which reflects the light emitted from the LED 82 and illuminates the back side of the transparent window 46. The LED 82 and the protruding reflector 73 can be positioned on the upper side of the container body 40, making the layout easy. Since the protruding reflector 73 is positioned directly above the upper end of the transparent window 46, the emitted light can be reliably introduced into the container body.

[0050] The second visibility-enhancing section X2 includes a reflector 60 located inside the container body 40 and on the back side of the transparent window 46. This allows for improved visibility of the liquid surface S by utilizing the surrounding light.

[0051] Furthermore, since the protrusions 41b provided at positions corresponding to the left and right ends of the transparent window 46 are fitted between the vertical ribs 64 of the reflector 60, light passing through the irradiation path P is less likely to leak to the outside of the vertical ribs 64. As a result, the light can be efficiently focused between the vertical ribs 64 (see Figures 5, 8, 9, and 12), further improving the visibility of the liquid surface S. Because the vertical ribs 64 extend long in the vertical direction, the user can always easily see the liquid surface regardless of the position (height) of the liquid surface S. More effective irradiation is possible with low-power light from the LED 82, making it effective from an energy-saving standpoint. In addition, the ambient light incident through the transparent window 46 is less likely to diffuse due to the presence of the vertical ribs 64, and as a result, the reflective part R (reflective surface 66a) becomes brighter.

[0052] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, as shown in Figure 14, instead of the three LEDs 82 attached to the retaining bar 81, an LED unit 80A consisting of a bullet-shaped LED 82A and a retainer 83A that holds it may be applied. In that case, three LEDs 82A and three retainers 83A are provided. The configuration of the light-emitting part can also be appropriately adopted from other known configurations.

[0053] A light-emitting section, which serves to improve visibility, may be provided on the bottom side of the transparent window 46 of the container body 40. In that case, the bottom portion 45 is made of a transparent material.

[0054] The reflector 60 may be located on the rear side of the front portion 41 (transparent window 46) and positioned behind the position shown in the above embodiment. For example, the reflector 60 may be fixed at a position where its distance from the front portion 41 is about half the length of the container body 40 in the front-to-back direction.

[0055] Furthermore, the first visibility-enhancing section X1 may be provided only, and the second visibility-enhancing section X2, i.e., the reflector 60, may be omitted. Figure 15(a) shows an example of visibility of the transparent window in this configuration. In this way, even if the reflector 60 is omitted, the position of the liquid surface can be clearly seen by the light emitted from the LED 82. Moreover, the second visibility-enhancing section X2 may be provided only, and the first visibility-enhancing section X1, i.e., the LED 82 (LED unit 80), may be omitted. Figure 15(b) shows an example of visibility of the transparent window in this configuration. In this way, even if the LED 82 is omitted, the position of the liquid surface can be clearly seen by the reflection of ambient light by the reflector 60.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to top-loading washing machines, but may also be applied to front-loading washing machines. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0057] 1...Washing machine, 10...Dispensing device (liquid dispenser), 21...Liquid tank, 21A...Detergent tank, 21B...Custom agent tank, 21C...Fabric softener tank, 30...Control unit, 40...Container body, 41...Front section, 41b...Protruding piece, 46...Transparent window, 60...Reflector, 66...Central plate section, 66a...Reflective surface, 64...Vertical rib, 70...Device body, 73...Protruding reflector (reflector), 73b...Inclined reflective surface, 80, 80A...LED unit, 82, 82A...LED (light-emitting part), A...Storage space, P...Irradiation path, R...Reflective part, S...Liquid surface, X1...First visibility improvement section, X2...Second visibility improvement section.

Claims

1. A liquid tank for storing the liquid, A liquid dispensing device comprising: a device body to which the liquid tank is attached, The liquid tank has a container body for storing the liquid, and the front of the container body is provided with a transparent window that is exposed to the front side of the device body. A liquid dispensing device is provided with a visibility-enhancing section around the container body or inside the container body that improves the visibility of the liquid through the transparent window by irradiating external light into the container body or reflecting the external light within the container body.

2. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the visibility-enhancing part has an irradiation path for external light or a reflection part for external light near the back surface of the transparent window.

3. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the visibility-enhancing unit includes a light-emitting unit located above the container body when the liquid tank is attached to the device body, and irradiates the container body with light emitted from the light-emitting unit as ambient light.

4. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 3, wherein the visibility-enhancing part is positioned directly above the upper end of the transparent window in the container body and further includes a reflecting part that reflects the light emitted from the light-emitting part and irradiates the back side of the transparent window.

5. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the visibility-enhancing section includes a reflector plate located inside the container body and on the back side of the transparent window.

6. On the back of the front portion of the container body, a pair of left and right projections are provided at positions corresponding to the left and right ends of the transparent window. The front surface of the reflector is provided with a pair of left and right vertical ribs extending vertically on the outer side of the projection in the left-right direction, The liquid dispensing device according to claim 5, wherein the protruding piece is fitted between the longitudinal ribs.

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