washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine that can improve washing performance. [Solution] The washing machine comprises a water tank, a rotating drum provided inside the water tank and rotatable around a rotation axis, a motor that rotates the rotating drum, a water supply valve connected to an external water source and opening and closing a water supply path that supplies water from the external water source to the water tank, a microbubble generator provided downstream of the water supply valve and generating microbubble water by incorporating ultrafine bubbles, mainly ultrafine bubbles, into the water passing through it, a spray unit provided downstream of the microbubble generator and spraying microbubble water into the rotating drum from above the rotation axis, and a control unit that performs a washing operation including a rinsing process, wherein the control unit can perform a shower operation in the rinsing process by controlling the water supply valve to spray microbubble water from the spray unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to washing machines.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a technique for improving cleaning performance by using fine bubble water containing fine bubbles such as microbubbles and ultrafine bubbles called fine bubbles in a washing machine is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a fine bubble generator is provided in the middle of a circulation path that circulates water in a water tank by driving a circulation pump, so that a large number of fine bubbles are contained in the washing water. And in Patent Document 1, in the rinsing step, it is intended to obtain cleaning performance by spraying water on the laundry through the circulation path.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the conventional technology, after water is pre-supplied to a predetermined water level in the water tank, when the circulation pump is driven to circulate the water in the water tank and return the water to the water tank, water containing fine bubbles is sprayed. In such a configuration, for example, in the rinsing step, the rinsing effect by spraying water containing fine bubbles cannot be obtained unless waiting until the water reaches the predetermined water level and the circulation pump can be driven after starting the water supply. Therefore, in the conventional configuration, it is difficult to obtain the rinsing effect by spraying water from the early stage immediately after starting the water supply within a predetermined operation time, and there is room for improvement in improving the cleaning performance including the rinsing effect.

[0005] Therefore, a washing machine capable of improving cleaning performance is provided.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The washing machine of the embodiment comprises a water tank, a rotating drum provided in the water tank and rotatable around a rotation axis, a motor that rotates the rotating drum, a water supply valve connected to an external water source and opening and closing a water supply path that supplies water from the external water source to the water tank, a microbubble generator provided downstream of the water supply valve and generating microbubble water by incorporating ultrafine bubbles, mainly ultrafine bubbles, into the water passing through it, a spray unit provided downstream of the microbubble generator and spraying the microbubble water into the rotating drum from above the rotation axis, and a control unit that performs a washing operation including a rinsing process, wherein the control unit can perform a shower operation in the rinsing process by controlling the water supply valve to spray the microbubble water from the spray unit. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing an example of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic front view showing an example of the positional relationship between the water tank, the rotating drum, and the spray unit of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram shows an example of the water supply path from an external water source for the washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] A perspective view showing an example of a microbubble generator for a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] A cross-sectional view showing an example of a microbubble generator for a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] Block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] A flowchart showing an example of the entire washing process for a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the control content during the washing operation of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows another example of the control content during the rinsing process for the washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of the control content during the rinsing process for a washing machine according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Several embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0009] (First Embodiment) First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. The washing machine 1 shown in Figure 1 is, for example, a drum-type clothes dryer in which the rotation axis Ra of the rotating drum 14 is horizontal or inclined downward toward the rear. The washing machine 1 is equipped with a washing function and can perform a washing operation including the processes of washing, rinsing, and spinning. The washing machine 1 may also be equipped with a drying function of, for example, a heater type or a heat pump type.

[0010] The washing machine 1 comprises an outer casing 11, a door 12, a water tank 13, a rotating drum 14, a motor 15, a drainage mechanism 16, a circulation mechanism 17, an operation panel 18, and a water supply device 20. In Figure 1, the side of the washing machine 1 facing the installation surface, i.e., the vertically downward side, is considered the bottom of the washing machine 1, and the side opposite the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upward side, is considered the top of the washing machine 1. Also, the left side of Figure 1, i.e., the side of the door 12 relative to the outer casing 11, is considered the front of the washing machine 1, and the right side of Figure 1, i.e., the side opposite the door 12 relative to the outer casing 11, is considered the rear of the washing machine 1.

[0011] The outer casing 11 is formed as a rectangular hollow box by a combination of materials such as stainless steel plates or resin. The outer casing 11 constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 1. The outer casing 11 also has an opening 111 on its front side that connects the inside and outside of the outer casing 11. The door 12 is provided on the front side of the outer casing 11 and opens and closes the opening 111. With the door 12 open, the user can put clothes in and take them out of the rotating tub 14 through the opening 111.

[0012] Both the water tank 13 and the rotating tank 14 are formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The water tank 13 is capable of storing water inside. The water tank 13 is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown) located within the outer casing 11. The water tank 13 has a drain port 131 and a water inlet 132. The drain port 131 and the water inlet 132 communicate the inside and outside of the water tank 13. The drain port 131 is located, for example, at the bottom of the water tank 13 and is the part that discharges water from the water tank 13 to the outside. The water inlet 132 is the part that supplies water into the water tank 13 from an external water source, such as a water supply. The water inlet 132 is located, for example, in the upper rear part of the water tank 13, and is positioned to the left of the center of the water tank 13 in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 2, the water inlet 132 is positioned so that the water flowing out of the water inlet 132 strikes the outer surface of the rotating tank 14. In other words, the water that passes through the water inlet 132 is supplied between the water tank 13 and the rotating tank 14.

[0013] The rotating tub 14 is capable of holding clothes inside and is rotatably positioned within the water tank 13 around a rotation axis Ra. The rotating tub 14 is rotationally driven by a motor 15. The rotating tub 14 also has baffles (not shown). Multiple baffles are provided on the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 14 and have the function of agitating and stirring the clothes contained inside the rotating tub 14 when the tub 14 rotates. The motor 15 is located on the outside of the bottom of the water tank 13 and has the function of rotationally driving the rotating tub 14 relative to the water tank 13. The motor 15 is, for example, a brushless direct-drive motor with a variable rotation speed. The center line between the water tank 13 and the rotating tub 14 coincides with the rotation axis Ra of the rotating tub 14. In this embodiment, the direction in which the rotation axis Ra extends coincides with the front-to-back direction of the washing machine 1.

[0014] The drainage mechanism 16 is for discharging the water in the water tank 13 to the outside of the washing machine 1. The drainage mechanism 16 can be configured to have a drain valve 161 and a drain hose 162. The drain valve 161 is configured to be electromagnetically opened and closed. The inflow side of the drain valve 161 is connected to the drain port 131 of the water tank 13 via a connection hose 191. One end of the drain hose 162 is connected to the drain valve 161, and the other end is drawn out to the outside of the washing machine 1. When the drain valve 161 is opened in a state where water is stored in the water tank 13, the water stored in the water tank 13 is discharged to the outside of the washing machine 1 through the drain hose 162. That is, the drain valve 161 opens and closes a drainage path for draining the water stored in the water tank 13 to the outside.

[0015] The circulation mechanism 17 has a function of refilling the water flowing out from the water tank 13 back into the water tank 13. The circulation mechanism 17 has a circulation pump 171, a circulation hose 172, and a water discharge part 173. The circulation pump 171 has a function of pumping up the water in the water tank 13. The inflow side of the circulation pump 171 is connected to the drain port 131 of the water tank 13 via connection hoses 191 and 192. The discharge side of the circulation pump 171 is connected to the water discharge part 173 via the circulation hose 172. The circulation hose 172 is composed of, for example, a flexible hose. The water discharge part 173 is provided, for example, at the upper part of the water tank 13 and discharges water toward the inside of the water tank 13.

[0016] When the circulation pump 171 is driven in a state where the drain valve 161 is closed, the circulation pump 171 pumps up the water in the water tank 13 through the drain port 131 and refills the water back into the water tank 13 from the water discharge part 173. A circulation path 174 is formed by a path from the drain port 131 of the water tank 13, passing through the circulation pump 171, and then returning to the water tank 13 from the water discharge part 173. The circulation path 174 is provided outside the water tank 13 and is a path for returning the water flowing out from the water tank 13 back into the water tank 13. Then, the circulation pump 171 circulates the water in the water tank 13 through the circulation path 174.

[0017] The operation panel 18 is provided, for example, at the front side portion of the upper surface of the outer box 11. The operation panel 18 has a function of receiving operation inputs related to the settings and operations of the washing machine 1 from the user and presenting information related to the settings and operations of the washing machine 1 to the user by means such as display or voice. The operation panel 18 is constituted by, for example, a touch panel display.

[0018] The water supply device 20 is for injecting water supplied from an external water source into the water tank 13. The water supply device 20 has a water injection case 21, a water injection hose 22, a detergent tank 23, a feed pump 24, a jetting part 25, a water supply valve unit 26, and a fine bubble generator 30. The water injection case 21 is made of, for example, resin and has a space formed inside. The water injection case 21 can be formed in a hollow box shape extending along the front-back direction of the washing machine 1. The water injection case 21 has a function of receiving water supplied from an external water source and supplying the water into the water tank 13 via the water injection hose 22.

[0019] The water injection hose 22 is constituted by, for example, a flexible hose. The water injection hose 22 is a part connecting the water injection case 21 and the inside of the water tank 13. One end of the water injection hose 22 is connected to the water injection case 21, and the other end is connected to the water injection port 132. The water supplied into the water injection case 21 from an external water source is supplied into the water tank 13 through the water injection hose 22.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, a treatment agent case 211 is provided inside the water injection case 21. The treatment agent case 211 is constituted by, for example, a resin container and is configured to be able to accommodate a washing treatment agent such as detergent or finishing agent in an amount used for one washing operation inside. The treatment agent case 211 is, for example, detachably accommodated inside the water injection case 21. When a washing treatment agent is put into the treatment agent case 211 in a state where the treatment agent case 211 is accommodated inside the water injection case 21, the water supplied from the external water source flowing into the water injection case 21 and the washing treatment agent are mixed inside the water injection case 21, and then supplied into the water tank 13 and the rotary tub 14.

[0021] The detergent tank 23 is made of, for example, resin and is configured to store the amount of liquid detergent needed for multiple wash cycles. The washing machine 1 may also be equipped with a finishing agent tank for storing the amount of liquid finishing agent needed for multiple wash cycles. The dispensing pump 24, together with the detergent tank 23, constitutes an automatic dispensing mechanism for automatically supplying detergent to the water tank 13 and the rotating drum 14 during operation. The dispensing pump 24 is, for example, a piston pump and has the function of individually pumping a predetermined amount of detergent from the detergent tank 23 and dispensing it into a mixing unit 201 provided inside or outside the water filling case 21. In this embodiment, the mixing unit 201 is provided inside the water filling case 21.

[0022] The mixing unit 201 is configured, for example, as a container capable of storing a certain amount of detergent internally. Water supplied from an external water source is also supplied to the mixing unit 201. Therefore, the detergent initially introduced into the mixing unit 201 from the input pump 24 is dissolved and mixed within the mixing unit 201 with the water supplied to the mixing unit 201 from the external water source, and then can be directly supplied to dry clothes in the water tank 13 and rotating tank 14 before water is supplied via the spray unit 25, which can spray widely in a shower-like manner using the water pressure. The mixing unit 201 functions as a storage chamber where the detergent introduced by the input pump 24 temporarily remains until the next water supply begins. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, a check valve 202 is provided between the input pump 24 and the mixing unit 201. The check valve 202 has the function of allowing liquid to pass from the input pump 24 to the mixing unit 201, but blocking liquid from the mixing unit 201 to the input pump 24. This prevents water supplied to the mixing unit 201 from flowing into the input pump 24 side when water pressure is applied to the water channel connected to the mixing unit 201.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the spray unit 25 is located downstream of the mixing unit 201 and is connected to the mixing unit 201 via a water supply hose 27. The spray unit 25 is configured either integrally with or separately from the water supply hose 27 by a nozzle having one or more small holes at its outlet that are sufficiently smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the water channel of the water supply hose 27. In other words, one end of the water supply hose 27 is connected to the mixing unit 201 and the other end is connected to the spray unit 25. The mixed water, which is a mixture of detergent put into the mixing unit 201 and water supplied to the mixing unit 201 from an external water source, is supplied to the spray unit 25 through the water supply hose 27. The spray unit 25 is used to spray the mixed water of detergent and water onto the clothes inside the water tank 13 and the rotating tank 14 in a shower-like manner, for example, by utilizing the water pressure from a tap water source, which is an external water source. Shower-like is synonymous with spray-like, and means a state in which water with water pressure from a tap water source is dispersed and ejected. The spray unit 25 is located outside the rotating tank 14, facing the inside of the rotating tank 14 from above. The spray unit 25 is located, for example, around the inner circumferential surface of the water tank 13, above the rotation axis Ra. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the spray unit 25 is located directly above the rotation axis Ra. That is, the spray unit 25 is located in a position that includes the center of the water tank 13 in the left-right direction. The water sprayed from the spray unit 25 is sprayed towards the clothes rotating inside the rotating tank 14.

[0024] The water supply valve unit 26 has the function of individually opening and closing multiple water supply routes R1 and R2 that lead from an external water source to the water tank 13 via the water supply device 20. The water supply valve unit 26 is configured as a multi-unit type having, for example, multiple water supply valves 261 and 262, and includes a main water supply valve 261 and a shower water supply valve 262. Each water supply valve 261 and 262 is an electromagnetically operated on-off valve for liquids. As shown in Figure 1, the washing machine 1 is equipped with a main water supply route R1 and a shower water supply route R2. Both the main water supply route R1 and the shower water supply route R2 are routes that supply water from an external water source to the water tank 13. Each water supply route R1 and R2 flows into the water filling case 21 from the water supply valve unit 26 via different routes, and then passes through the water filling case 21 to reach the water tank 13. The main water supply valve 261 opens and closes the main water supply route R1. The shower water supply valve 262 opens and closes the shower water supply path R2. The shower water supply valve 262 functions as a water supply valve, and the shower water supply path R2 functions as a water supply path.

[0025] The main water supply path R1 is a path from the main water supply valve 261 through the microbubble generator 30 and the treatment agent case 211 to the water tank 13. The water inlet 132 constitutes the outlet of the main water supply path R1. In other words, the main water supply path R1 is a path that supplies water from an external water source between the water tank 13 and the rotating tank 14 via the water inlet 132. The shower water supply path R2 is a path from the shower water supply valve 262 through the microbubble generator 30, the mixing unit 201, and the spray unit 25 to the water tank 13. The spray unit 25 constitutes the outlet of the shower water supply path R2. The main water supply path R1 and the shower water supply path R2 have the function of supplying water containing microbubbles, mainly nano-order microbubbles, specifically ultrafine bubbles, generated by passing through the microbubble generator 30, to the water tank 13 using tap water pressure. That is, the mixed water supplied to the spray unit 25 contains detergent and water containing microbubbles. Furthermore, when the shower water supply valve 262 is opened while no detergent has been added to the mixing unit 201, the spray unit 25 sprays detergent-free fine-bubble water into the water tank 13 and the rotating tank 14 in a shower-like manner using tap water pressure. Note that the main water supply path R1 may be configured without the fine-bubble generator 30.

[0026] The microbubble generator 30 has the function of generating microbubbles containing ultrafine bubbles in a liquid, such as water supplied from an external water source, as the liquid passes through the inside of the microbubble generator 30. Ultrafine bubbles are bubbles with a particle size of 50 nm to less than 1,000 nm. Because of their small particle size, ultrafine bubbles can penetrate even into intricate parts, such as deep within the fibers of clothing, and can exhibit a cleaning effect that can remove dirt from objects that cannot be completely removed by other microbubbles, such as microbubbles, which have a larger particle size than ultrafine bubbles, due to their low penetration ability. In addition, ultrafine bubbles have the properties of having a nano-order particle size, low buoyancy, and high hydrophobicity, making them difficult to dissolve in water, resulting in a long residence time in liquids.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the microbubble generator 30 is located downstream of each water supply valve 261, 262 and outside the water injection case 21. The microbubble generator 30 is made of synthetic resin, for example, and has a diameter and overall length of several millimeters to several tens of millimeters, specifically a maximum diameter of about 15 mm and a length of about 10 mm. As shown in Figure 4, the microbubble generator 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a flange, for example. The microbubble generator 30 has a main body 40 and an impact part 50. The main body 40 is located on the upstream side of the microbubble generator 30.

[0028] The main body 40 is formed in a cylindrical shape, for example, with a step on its outer surface. The main body 40 has an inlet 41, an outlet 42, and a flow path 43. The inlet 41 and outlet 42 are formed in a cylindrical shape, for example. The inlet 41 is the part through which water flows into the main body 40 from the outside. Water that has passed through the water supply valves 261 and 262 from an external water source is introduced into the main body 40 through the inlet 41. The outlet 42 is the part through which water flows out of the main body 40 from the inside to the outside. The inner diameter of the outlet 42 is smaller than the inner diameter of the inlet 41. The flow path 43 is provided inside the main body 40, connects the inlet 41 and the outlet 42, and allows liquid to pass through.

[0029] The flow path 43 is composed of a constricted section 431 and a straight section 432. The constricted section 431 and the straight section 432 are provided around the entire circumference of the inner circumferential surface of the main body 40. The constricted section 431 is provided on the inlet side, i.e., the upstream side, of the main body 40. The constricted section 431 is connected to the inlet section 41 and is provided between the inlet section 41 and the outlet section 42. The constricted section 431 is formed so as to gradually decrease the cross-sectional area, i.e., the inner diameter, of the flow path 43 from the inlet section 41 to the middle portion in the direction extending from the main body 40. In this embodiment, the constricted section 431 is formed in the shape of a so-called truncated cone tapered tube, which continuously and gradually decreases the cross-sectional area, i.e., the inner diameter, of the flow path 43. The constricted section 431 may also be configured to gradually decrease the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 43 in a step-like manner.

[0030] The straight section 432 is located downstream of the constricted section 431. The straight section 432 is connected to the outlet section 42. The straight section 432 is formed in a cylindrical, so-called straight tube shape, in which the inner diameter does not change, that is, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 43, i.e., the area through which liquid can pass, does not change. The inner diameter of the straight section 432 is set to be approximately the same as the minimum inner diameter of the constricted section 431.

[0031] The impact section 50 is designed to generate fine bubbles in the liquid passing through the flow path 43 by locally reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 43. The ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the impact section 50 to the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 43 can be set to approximately 25% to 45%. As shown in Figure 5, the impact section 50 is located near the downstream end of the main body 40, with at least a portion of it provided in the straight section 432. The impact section 50 is formed integrally with the main body 40, for example, by injection molding of a synthetic resin material. The impact section 50 is not limited to being integrated with the main body 40; it may also be constructed as a separate part.

[0032] The impact section 50 is composed of, for example, three rod-shaped protrusions 51, which protrude into the flow path 43 from the inner circumferential surface of the outlet section 42 and the straight section 432. In this case, the impact section 50 divides the flow path 43 into multiple sections, in this case three, radially with respect to the center of the flow path 43 along the direction in which the liquid flows. Each protrusion 51 is connected at its tip and integrated into a roughly Y-shape. The area of ​​the gap formed between each protrusion 51 becomes the minimum cross-sectional area through which water can pass in the microbubble generator 30. Note that there can be four or more protrusions 51.

[0033] When water flows upstream of the microbubble generator 30, the flow path cross-sectional area is narrowed in the throttling section 431, which is formed to gradually decrease its inner diameter. Based on Bernoulli's principle of fluid dynamics, this increases the flow velocity and generates cavitation due to the reduced pressure. As this high-speed flow collides with the impact section 50, the shear force acting on it and the negative pressure generated in the negative pressure region, for example, below -1.0 MPa, formed near the downstream end face of the impact section 50, create fine bubbles that are further subdivided. As a result, the microbubble generator 30 generates a large amount of dissolved air as microbubbles from the water passing through it, and can supply microbubbled water containing a larger amount of microbubbles than before it passed through the microbubble generator 30.

[0034] In this embodiment, the microbubble generator 30 is installed on the shower water supply path R2. Therefore, using the water that has passed through the shower water supply path R2, microbubble water containing ultrafine bubbles can be sprayed onto the clothes in the rotating tub 14 at an appropriate time during the washing operation. This is expected to improve the washing effect, such as removing relatively small dirt particles attached to intricately interwoven fibers of the laundry.

[0035] The operation of the washing machine 1 is controlled by the control unit 60 shown in Figure 6. The control unit 60 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having memory areas such as a CPU, ROM, RAM, and rewritable flash memory, and controls the operation of the entire washing machine 1. The washing machine 1 also includes a weight detection unit 61, a rotation speed detection unit 62, and a water level detection unit 63. The weight detection unit 61 has the function of detecting the weight of the clothes contained in the rotating tub 14. The weight detection unit 61 can measure the load acting on the motor 15 by measuring the current flowing to the motor 15 when the rotating tub 14 is rotated, and can detect the weight of the clothes contained in the rotating tub 14 based on that load.

[0036] The rotation speed detection unit 62 has the function of detecting the rotation speed of the rotating tank 14. The rotation speed detection unit 62 is composed of, for example, an encoder, and detects the rotation speed of the rotating tank 14 by measuring the rotation speed of the motor 15. The water level detection unit 63 has the function of detecting the water level in the water tank 13. The water level detection unit 63 is composed of, for example, a water level sensor or a pressure sensor. Detection signals from the weight detection unit 61, the rotation speed detection unit 62, and the water level detection unit 63 are input to the control unit 60.

[0037] The motor 15, drain valve 161, circulation pump 171, operation panel 18, input pump 24, main water supply valve 261, and shower water supply valve 262 are electrically connected to the control unit 60 and operate under control from the control unit 60. The memory area of ​​the control unit 60 stores a control program for controlling the washing machine 1 and executing its operation. Each process of the control unit 60 is realized by the CPU executing the control program. The control unit 60 receives detection signals from various detection units 61 to 63 and, based on the control program, controls the operation of the motor 15, drain valve 161, circulation pump 171, operation panel 18, input pump 24, main water supply valve 261, and shower water supply valve 262 to execute the operation.

[0038] When the user initiates a washing operation via the control panel 18, the control unit 60 starts the flow shown in Figure 7 (start). First, the control unit 60 detects the weight of the clothes in the rotating tub 14 (step S11). Next, the control unit 60 uses the control panel 18 to display information about the operation, such as the amount of water to be supplied and the amount of detergent to be added during the washing process (step S12). The amount of water to be supplied and the amount of detergent to be added during the washing process are determined, for example, based on the weight of the clothes detected by the weight detection unit 61. Subsequently, the control unit 60 sequentially executes the washing process (step S13) to wash the clothes, the rinsing process (step S14) to rinse the clothes, and the dewatering process (step S15) to dewater the clothes.

[0039] In the washing process, as shown in Figure 8, drainage occurs after the water supply period and washing period. In Figure 8 and other figures, the parts driven by the control unit 60, i.e., the parts that are operating, are shown in black, and the parts not driven by the control unit 60, i.e., the parts that are stopped, are shown in white. The water supply period in the washing process is a period set at the beginning of the washing process, during which water is supplied to the water tank 13 from the main water supply path R1 and the shower water supply path R2 until a predetermined water level is reached. During the water supply period of the washing process, the control unit 60 can control the shower water supply valve 262 and the input pump 24 to perform a spray operation in which a mixture of detergent and microbubble water containing ultrafine bubbles is sprayed from the spray unit 25.

[0040] During the spraying operation, the control unit 60 alternately performs the operation of driving the input pump 24 to dispense detergent from the detergent tank 23 to the mixing unit 201, and the operation of opening the shower water supply valve 262 to supply fine-bubble water to the mixing unit 201 using tap water pressure. In other words, during the spraying operation, the control unit 60 does not perform the operation of dispensing detergent to the mixing unit 201 and the operation of supplying fine-bubble water to the mixing unit 201 simultaneously. This control operation and the function of the check valve 202 prevent problems such as the detergent not being supplied from the detergent tank 23 via the input pump 24 due to being pushed back by the water pressure of the fine-bubble water supplied to the mixing unit 201, i.e., the tap water pressure. As shown in Figure 8, the control unit 60 performs the operation of dispensing detergent to the mixing unit 201 for the first time in the washing process at the same time as displaying the amount of detergent, which is the operation content, on the operation panel 18 before the washing process. This allows for early addition and mixing of detergent to the water supplied to the tank 13 from the shower water supply path R2, which simultaneously starts supplying water from the main water supply valve 261 when the washing process begins. Furthermore, in the early stages of the washing process, before the fibers of the clothes are soaked by the detergent-free water supplied from the main water supply path R1 filling the space between the tank 13 and the rotating tub 14, the mixed water containing the ultrafine bubbles and detergent can be effectively delivered deep into the fibers by spraying it onto the clothes as a shower with high-speed water supply, combined with the mechanical force of the water.

[0041] Then, as described above, the control unit 60 sprays mixed water from the spray unit 25 in a shower-like manner onto the clothes in the rotating tub 14, which are dry due to the water supplied from an external water source. By spraying the mixed water, which is a mixture of detergent and fine-bubble water, onto the dry clothes in this way, the detergent and fine-bubble water can be effectively impregnated into the clothes. This improves the degree of cleaning and shortens the time required for the washing process. In addition, during the water supply period of the washing process, for example, the main water supply valve 261 is kept open at all times, and water is constantly supplied to the water tank 13 via the main water supply path R1. This allows for rapid water supply to the water tank 13.

[0042] Furthermore, the control unit 60 can perform the spraying operation multiple times during the water supply period of the washing process. That is, the control unit 60 divides a predetermined amount of detergent according to the weight of the clothes and puts it into the water tank 13 via the shower water supply path R2. In this embodiment, the number of spraying operations is set to three, alternating between detergent input by the input pump 24 and water supply from the spraying unit 25, but is not limited to this. Multiple spraying operations can reduce the amount added per spray, and the mixing unit 201 can be made smaller. In addition, by mixing a predetermined amount of detergent with fine-bubble water in the mixing unit 201 and dividing it before putting it into the water tank 13, the mixture of detergent and fine-bubble water can be applied more uniformly to the clothes in the agitated rotating tank 14. The time for which the shower water supply valve 262 is open during multiple spraying operations can be set to, for example, about 20 seconds.

[0043] The control unit 60 can change the time the shower water supply valve 262 is opened during multiple spraying operations. In this case, the control unit 60 can set the time the shower water supply valve 262 is opened during the final spraying operation to be longer than during the previous spraying operations. This allows the detergent absorbed by the clothes positioned opposite the spraying unit 25 to be released back onto the clothes, thus ensuring that the detergent is distributed throughout the rotating tub 14. Furthermore, the end time of the final spraying operation is set to be before the end of the water supply period of the washing process. This prevents the detergent absorbed into the clothes in the rotating tub 14 from becoming diluted.

[0044] Furthermore, during the water supply period of the washing process, the motor 15 can be driven continuously to agitate the clothes in the rotating tub 14. This allows the mixed water to penetrate the clothes evenly. In this embodiment, since the mixed water contains microbubble water including ultrafine bubbles, a high concentration of detergent can penetrate into the inside of the clothes more quickly and efficiently. Therefore, the washing performance can be improved. Also, during the water supply period of the washing process, the motor 15 can be driven simultaneously with the water supply via the shower water supply path R2 to rotate the rotating tub 14. This allows the clothes to be agitated at the same time that the mixed water comes into contact with the clothes in the rotating tub 14. This makes it possible to obtain a washing effect during the water supply period of the washing process.

[0045] Furthermore, the rotation speed of the rotating tub 14 during the water supply period of the washing process is set to a rotation speed at which the clothes inside the rotating tub 14 stick to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 14, are lifted, and then fall due to gravity. In this case, the rotation speed of the rotating tub 14 during the water supply period of the washing process is set to a range of, for example, 40 to 60 rpm. This allows the clothes inside the rotating tub 14 to be lifted and agitated appropriately during the water supply period of the washing process. Therefore, the cleaning performance can be effectively improved by combining the spraying action and the agitation of the clothes. Note that during the water supply period, the motor 15 is not limited to being driven continuously; it may also be driven intermittently, that is, the motor 15 alternates between operating and stopping.

[0046] During the washing cycle, the circulation pump 171 and motor 15 are driven to supply water from the circulation path 174 and agitate the clothes in the rotating tub 14. In other words, during the washing process, water is supplied to the water tank 13 from the shower water supply path R2, followed by water supply from the circulation path 174. This allows a soaking-like state to be created for a certain period of time after the clothes are sprayed with highly concentrated mixed water from the spray unit 25 through the shower water supply path R2. This prevents the detergent that has soaked into the clothes in the rotating tub 14 from being diluted too quickly. As a result, the degree of cleaning for the clothes can be improved. When draining the water from the washing process, the drain valve 161 is driven by the control unit 60 to open the drainage path.

[0047] In the rinsing process, the intermediate dewatering, water supply period, rinsing period, and drainage are considered as one set, and multiple sets, for example two sets, are repeated. During the intermediate dewatering, the motor 15 is driven to dewater the clothes in the rotating tub 14, and the control unit 60 drives the drain valve 161 to open the drainage path. During the water supply period of the rinsing process, water is supplied to the water tank 13 from the main water supply path R1 and the shower water supply path R2 until a predetermined water level is reached. In other words, during the water supply period of the rinsing process, the control unit 60 can control the shower water supply valve 262 to perform a shower operation in which fine bubble water is sprayed from the spray unit 25. As a result, compared to, for example, spraying tap water onto the clothes, the ultrafine bubbles contained in the fine bubble water are delivered deep into the fibers, and detergent components remaining deep in the fibers can be efficiently discharged, thereby improving rinsing performance. Then, while the shower operation is being performed, the control unit 60 opens the main water supply valve 261 to supply water to the water tank 13 from the main water supply path R1.

[0048] As shown in Figure 8, during the water supply period of the rinsing process, for example, the main water supply valve 261 and the shower water supply valve 262 are kept open at all times, and water is constantly supplied to the water tank 13 via the main water supply path R1 and the shower water supply path R2. In other words, during the water supply period of the rinsing process, the clothes that are stuck to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 14 by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotating tub 14 during intermediate dewatering are simultaneously showered with fine bubble water sprayed from the spray unit 25 at the same time as water is supplied from the main water supply path R1. This allows fine bubble water containing ultrafine bubbles, which provides a higher rinsing effect than simply spraying ordinary water such as tap water onto the clothes stuck to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 14, to be evenly applied to the rotating clothes. Furthermore, the fine bubble water can be penetrated deep into the fibers from the start of the rinsing process, even before the circulation pump 171 starts operating, to efficiently obtain a rinsing effect, and the rinsing time can be extended as much as possible.

[0049] Furthermore, during the water supply period of the rinsing process, the circulation pump 171 and motor 15 are driven to supply water from the circulation path 174 and agitate the clothes in the rotating tub 14. That is, the control unit 60 performs an operation that includes an agitation operation, which involves driving the motor 15 to rotate the rotating tub 14 while the shower operation is being performed. The operation includes a stop operation, which involves stopping the motor 15 to stop the rotation of the rotating tub 14. In this embodiment, the control unit 60 performs the agitation operation at the same time as the start of the shower operation. In other words, during the water supply period of the rinsing process, the motor 15 can be driven to rotate the rotating tub 14 at the same time as the water is supplied via the shower water supply path R2. This allows the clothes in the rotating tub 14 to be agitated at the same time that the fine bubble water comes into contact with them. This makes it possible to obtain a rinsing effect during the water supply period of the rinsing process.

[0050] Furthermore, during the agitation operation, the rotating tank 14 rotates in either the forward or reverse direction. The rotational speed of the rotating tank 14 during the agitation operation is the rotational speed at which the clothes inside the rotating tank 14 stick to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tank 14, are lifted up, and then fall due to gravity. In this case, the rotational speed of the rotating tank 14 during the agitation operation is set to a range of, for example, 120 rpm or less. In this case, the rotational speed of the rotating tank 14 during the water supply period of the rinsing process is set to be lower than the rotational speed of the rotating tank 14 during intermediate dewatering. The circulation pump 171 is driven during the water supply period of the rinsing process after a certain period of time has elapsed since the main water supply path R1 and the shower water supply path R2 were opened. This is to prevent the circulation pump 171 from running dry by driving the circulation pump 171 after the water tank 13 has been filled to a certain water level or higher.

[0051] As shown in the example in Figure 9, the control unit 60 can be configured to repeatedly alternate between forward and reverse rotation of the rotating tank 14 during the stirring operation. In the example in Figure 9, the control unit 60 repeatedly alternates between forward and reverse rotation of the rotating tank 14 during the shower operation. The order of rotation of the rotating tank 14 may also be reverse and forward. Furthermore, the number of times the rotation direction of the rotating tank 14 is switched can be arbitrarily set according to the duration of the water supply period.

[0052] During the rinsing period, for example, the rotating tub 14 is rotated while water is stored in the water tank 13. During the rinsing period, the rotating tub 14 may be rotated while water is being supplied and drained. Also, if fabric softener is added to the processing agent case 211 as a finishing agent, the fabric softener is supplied to the water tank 13 during the second rinsing period. When draining water during the rinsing process, the control unit 60 drives the drain valve 161 to open the drainage path. In the dewatering process, the motor 15 is driven to dewater the clothes in the rotating tub 14, and the control unit 60 drives the drain valve 161 to open the drainage path.

[0053] According to the embodiment described above, the washing machine 1 comprises a water tank 13, a rotating drum 14, a motor 15, a shower water supply valve 262, a microbubble generator 30, a spray unit 25, and a control unit 60. The rotating drum 14 is provided inside the water tank 13 and is rotatable around a rotation axis Ra. The motor 15 rotates the rotating drum 14. The shower water supply valve 262 is connected to an external water source and opens and closes a shower water supply path R2 that supplies water from the external water source (in this case, a tap) into the water tank 13 using tap water pressure. The microbubble generator 30 is provided downstream of the shower water supply valve 262 and generates microbubble water by incorporating ultrafine bubbles, mainly ultrafine bubbles, into the water passing through it. The spray unit 25 is provided downstream of the microbubble generator 30 and sprays microbubble water into the rotating drum 14 from above the rotation axis Ra using tap water pressure from the tap water source. The control unit 60 performs a washing operation including a rinsing process. Furthermore, the control unit 60 can perform a shower operation during the rinsing process by controlling the shower water supply valve 262 to spray fine bubble water from the spray unit 25.

[0054] According to this, for example, if a microbubble generator 30 is installed on a circulation path 174 that circulates water in a tank 13, and microbubble water is injected into the tank 13 via the circulation path 174, the effect of the injection cannot be obtained until the water level in the tank 13 reaches a level at which the circulation path 174 can function. In contrast, with a shower operation using water from an external water source such as a tap, the shower spray of microbubble water can be performed from the start of water supply in the rinsing process, so the rinsing effect can be obtained for a longer period of time within the execution period of the rinsing process. This makes it possible to improve cleaning performance, including rinsing performance.

[0055] The control unit 60 performs an operation that includes an agitation operation, which involves driving the motor 15 to rotate the rotating tub 14 while the shower operation is in progress. This allows the fine bubble water sprayed from the spray unit 25 to come into even contact with the entire surface of the clothes in the rotating tub 14. This further improves rinsing performance.

[0056] Furthermore, the rotation speed of the rotating tub 14 during the agitation operation is the rotation speed at which the clothes inside the rotating tub 14 stick to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 14, are lifted, and then fall due to gravity. This allows the clothes inside the rotating tub 14 to be loosened while the fine bubble water sprayed from the spray unit 25 can be made to come into uniform contact with the clothes. Therefore, rinsing performance can be improved.

[0057] The control unit 60 alternately rotates the rotating tank 14 in the forward and reverse directions during the stirring operation. This makes it easier to loosen clothes that are stuck to the inner wall of the rotating tank 14. As a result, the fine bubble water sprayed from the spray unit 25 can come into even contact with the clothes, thereby improving rinsing performance.

[0058] The washing machine 1 is further equipped with a main water supply valve 261 that opens and closes a main water supply path R1 that supplies water from an external water source between the water tank 13 and the rotating drum 14. The control unit 60 opens the main water supply valve 261 during the execution of the shower operation to supply water from the main water supply path R1 into the water tank 13. This increases the amount of water supplied to the water tank 13 per unit of time, thereby shortening the water supply time. This makes it possible to improve rinsing performance while suppressing the prolongation of the operating time.

[0059] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the content of the operation during the water supply period of the rinsing process. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the control unit 60 performed only the stirring operation during the water supply period of the rinsing process, whereas in this second embodiment, the control unit 60 performs both the stirring operation and the stopping operation during the water supply period of the rinsing process. In this case, as shown in Figure 10, the control unit 60 repeatedly and alternately performs the stirring operation and the stopping operation while the shower operation is being performed.

[0060] This second embodiment provides the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, by performing agitation and stopping operations during the shower operation, it becomes easier to loosen clothes that are stuck to the inner wall of the rotating tub 14. This allows the fine bubble water sprayed from the spray unit 25 to come into even contact with the clothes. Therefore, rinsing performance can be further improved.

[0061] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1...Washing machine, 13...Water tank, 14...Rotating drum, 15...Motor, 25...Spray unit, 262...Shower water supply valve (water supply valve), 30...Microbubble generator, 60...Control unit, R2...Shower water supply path (water supply path)

Claims

1. A fish tank and A rotating tank provided within the aforementioned water tank and capable of rotating around a rotation axis, A motor that rotates the aforementioned rotating tank, A water supply valve that is connected to an external water source and opens and closes a water supply path that supplies water from the external water source to the water tank, A microbubble generator is provided downstream of the water supply valve and generates microbubbles by incorporating ultrafine bubbles, mainly ultrafine bubbles, into the water passing through it, thereby generating microbubble water. An injection unit is provided downstream of the microbubble generator and injects the microbubble water into the rotating tank from above the rotating shaft, It includes a control unit that performs a washing operation including a rinsing process, The control unit is capable of performing a shower operation in the rinsing process by controlling the water supply valve to spray the fine bubble water from the spray unit. washing machine.

2. The control unit performs an operation that includes a stirring operation, which involves driving the motor to rotate the rotating tank, while the shower operation is being performed. The washing machine according to claim 1.

3. The rotation speed of the rotating tank in the aforementioned stirring operation is the rotation speed at which the clothes inside the rotating tank stick to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tank, are lifted up, and then fall due to gravity. The washing machine according to claim 2.

4. The control unit repeatedly alternates between forward and reverse rotation of the rotating tank during the stirring operation. The washing machine according to claim 2.

5. The aforementioned operating operation includes a stopping operation that stops the rotation of the rotating tank. The washing machine according to claim 2.

6. The system further includes a main water supply valve that opens and closes a main water supply path that supplies water from the external water source between the water tank and the rotating tank, The control unit, while the shower operation is in progress, opens the main water supply valve to supply water into the water tank from the main water supply path. The washing machine according to claim 1.

Images