Clothing processing equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides a garment processing device that can accommodate more tanks while suppressing a decrease in tank capacity. [Solution] The garment processing apparatus includes a tank housing section 40 in which a housing space S1 capable of alternately housing a plurality of tanks for storing a processing agent is provided, each tank having a tank-side connection part, and the tank housing section 40 is provided with a plurality of housing-side connection parts that can be selectively connected to each of the tank-side connection parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a clothing treatment apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a washing machine that realizes an improvement in the function of a configuration related to automatic liquid agent input. The washing machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an outer tub elastically supported in a housing, a first tank that stores a liquid agent supplied to the outer tub, and a second tank that stores a liquid agent supplied to the outer tub and is arranged side by side with the first tank. The depth of the second tank is larger than the depth of the first tank along the outer periphery of the outer tub.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a clothing treatment apparatus that can attach more tanks while suppressing a decrease in the capacity of the tanks.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The clothing treatment apparatus in the present disclosure includes a tank housing portion provided with an accommodation space capable of alternately accommodating a plurality of tanks that store a treatment agent. Each of the tanks includes a tank-side connection portion, and the tank housing portion is provided with a plurality of accommodation portion-side connection portions that can be selectively connected to each of the tank-side connection portions.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to the present disclosure, more tanks can be attached while suppressing a decrease in the capacity of the tanks.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007] [Figure 1] Perspective view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of this disclosure [Figure 2] Figure 1 schematically shows a cross-section in Plane II. [Figure 3] Perspective view of the treatment agent supply unit [Figure 4] Plan view of the tank housing [Figure 5] Perspective view of the first tank [Figure 6] Perspective view of the second tank [Figure 7] A schematic diagram showing the tank housing section in a modified example. [Figure 8] A schematic diagram showing the tank housing section in a modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] (Knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors conceived of this disclosure, there was a technology in a garment processing device that detachably housed multiple tanks containing a processing agent in a tank housing section, and automatically dispensed the processing agent from the tanks to the garment to be processed. Some garment processing devices automatically dispense processing agents from tanks to garments via different routes depending on the type and application of the processing agent. In some such garment processing devices, the tank housing section is equipped with a connection section that selectively connects each of the multiple routes to each of the multiple tanks.

[0009] However, the inventors discovered a problem in that when multiple tanks and connecting parts are arranged in the tank housing, there is a risk that the capacity of each tank may become smaller. To solve this problem, they arrived at the subject matter of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure provides a garment processing apparatus that can accommodate more tanks while suppressing a decrease in tank capacity.

[0010] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary details may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily verbose and to facilitate understanding for those skilled in the art. The attached drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Embodiment 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 8. In each figure, the symbol FR indicates the front of the washing machine 1 when it is installed on the mounting surface and in normal use, the symbol UP indicates the top of the washing machine 1, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the washing machine 1. In the following description, each direction is along these directions of the washing machine 1. In the installed state of the washing machine 1, the up-down direction coincides with the vertical direction, and the front-back direction and left-right direction coincide with the horizontal direction. In the following, unless otherwise specified, "left" refers to the left side when the washing machine 1 is viewed from the front, and "right" refers to the right side when the washing machine 1 is viewed from the front.

[0012] [1-1. Structure] [1-1-1. Washing machine configuration] Figure 1 is a perspective view of washing machine 1. As shown in Figure 1, the washing machine 1 is an example of a garment processing device that can perform processes such as washing, rinsing, dewatering, drying, and wrinkle removal on garments or other items to be processed PO (Figure 2). In this embodiment, a drum-type washer-dryer is exemplified as the washing machine 1.

[0013] The casing 10 is a component that houses the various parts of the washing machine 1. The casing 10 comprises a front panel 10A that forms the front of the washing machine 1, side panels 10B and 10C that form the left and right sides respectively, a rear panel 10D that forms the rear, a top panel 10E that forms the top, and a bottom panel 10G that forms the bottom.

[0014] An opening 16 that connects the inside and outside of the housing 10 is formed in the front panel 10A. A door 17 that covers the opening 16 is attached to the front panel 10A so as to be openable and closable. A top panel opening 9 that connects the inside and outside of the housing 10 is provided in the top panel 10E. A cover 36 that covers the top panel opening 9 is attached to the top panel 10E so as to be openable and closable.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a cross-section in plane II of FIG. 1. Plane II is a plane that is orthogonal to the left-right direction and intersects the treatment agent supply unit 13 and the washing tub 11. Note that FIG. 2 schematically shows the structure of the washing machine 1, and the installation positions and dimensions of each part of the washing machine 1 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, a washing tub 11 for accommodating the object to be treated PO is provided inside the housing 10. The washing tub 11 includes an outer tub 21 and an inner tub 22. The washing tub 11 is an example of an "object accommodation section".

[0016] The outer tub 21 is a substantially cylindrical member provided with a space for storing washing water inside. The outer tub 21 may be referred to as a water tank. The outer tub 21 includes a cylindrical portion 23 and a bottom portion 24 that closes one end of the cylindrical portion 23. The central axis CA of the outer tub 21 passes through the center of the bottom portion 24 and is an axis inclined with respect to the installation surface.

[0017] In the outer tub 21, an opening 25 that connects the inside and outside of the outer tub 21 is provided at the other end of the cylindrical portion 23. The washing tub 11 is disposed inside the housing 10 at a position where the opening 25 faces the opening 16 of the housing 10. Openings 20 and 26 that connect the inside and outside of the outer tub 21 are formed in the outer tub 21. Air supply ports 28 and exhaust ports 29 that connect the inside and outside of the outer tub 21 are formed in the outer tub 21.

[0018] The inner tank 22 is a substantially cylindrical member housed inside the outer tank 21, with a space provided inside that can accommodate the material to be processed PO. The inner tank 22 is positioned so that its central axis is substantially the same as the central axis CA, and is rotatable with the central axis CA as its axis of rotation. The inner tank 22 may also be referred to as a drum. Multiple through-holes 34 are formed on the side surface of the inner tub 22. The through-holes 34 connect the inner tub 22 and the outer tub 21, allowing wash water to move between the inner tub 22 and the outer tub 21. An opening 35 is formed in the inner tub 22 at a position opposite to the opening 16 of the housing 10 and the opening 25 of the outer tub 21.

[0019] A drive motor 12 is provided in the washing tub 11. The drive motor 12 is a motor that functions as a drive unit to rotate the inner tub 22. The drive motor 12 is attached to the bottom 24 of the outer tub 21.

[0020] A heated air blowing unit 15 is provided inside the housing 10. The heated air blowing unit 15 blows hot air into the washing tub 11 to dry the material to be processed PO. The heated air blowing unit 15 comprises a heat pump device 30, a blower fan 31, and an air passage 33. The air passage 33 is formed by a tubular or duct-shaped member, with one end connected to the air intake port 28 and the other end connected to the exhaust port 29. A heat pump device 30 and a blower fan 31 are installed in the middle of the air passage 33. The heat pump device 30 includes, for example, a heating heat exchanger, a dehumidifying heat exchanger, a compressor, a throttling mechanism, and refrigerant piping. The blower fan 31 draws air from inside the washing tub 11 through the exhaust port 29 and sends the air through the heat pump device 30 towards the air intake port 28, thereby supplying air to the washing tub 11.

[0021] A water inlet 18 is formed at the top of the housing 10. The water inlet 18 is a connection port for connecting a hose that supplies water to the washing tub 11 from outside the housing 10. The water inlet 18 is connected to the washing tub 11 via the water supply pipe 37, the treatment agent supply unit 13, and the connecting pipe 27. The water supply pipe 37 connects the water inlet 18 to the treatment agent supply unit 13. The connecting pipe 27 connects the treatment agent supply unit 13 to the opening 26 of the outer tub 21. Water supplied from outside the housing 10 via the water inlet 18 is sent to the washing tub 11 after a predetermined treatment agent is added by the treatment agent supply unit 13.

[0022] A drain pipe 39 is provided at the bottom of the housing 10. One end of the drain pipe 39 is connected to the opening 20 of the outer tub 21, and the other end of the drain pipe 39 extends to the outside of the housing 10. A drain valve 19 is provided in the middle of the drain pipe 39. The drain valve 19 is a valve for draining the wash water stored in the washing tub 11 to the outside of the housing 10 through the opening 20. The opening 20 functions as a drain outlet for draining the wash water from the washing tub 11 to the outside.

[0023] A spray unit 14 is connected to the treatment agent supply unit 13. The spraying unit 14 comprises a treatment agent supply pipe 141, a pump 142, and a sprayer 143. The treatment agent supply pipe 141 forms a flow path that supplies the treatment agent contained in the treatment agent supply unit 13 to the sprayer 143, and one end is connected to the treatment agent supply unit 13. The pump 142 is provided in the middle of the treatment agent supply pipe 141, and the sprayer 143 is provided at the other end of the treatment agent supply pipe 141. The sprayer 143 is provided, for example, on the inner surface of the opening 25 of the outer tank 21.

[0024] In the spraying unit 14, the pump 142 is driven, creating negative pressure inside the treatment agent supply pipe 141, causing the treatment agent to flow in from the treatment agent supply unit 13. The sprayer 143 atomizes the treatment agent that has flowed into the treatment agent supply pipe 141 and sprays the treatment agent into the inside of the washing tub 11. The sprayer 143 may atomize the treatment agent by applying pressure to it, or it may be designed to eject a gas along with the treatment agent, and the treatment agent may atomize the gas by applying pressure to it.

[0025] Thus, the washing machine 1 of this embodiment is designed to allow the treatment agent to be directly sprayed onto the object PO to be treated. Therefore, the washing machine 1 allows the treatment agent to be applied more effectively to the object PO to be treated. Furthermore, compared to a manual sprayer, the spray unit 14 can spray the treatment agent uniformly and easily onto the object PO to be treated, and can also spray the treatment agent onto multiple objects PO simultaneously. Moreover, compared to a manual sprayer, the spray unit 14 sprays the treatment agent within the washing tub 11, thus suppressing the diffusion of the treatment agent into the space in which the washing machine 1 is installed. The spraying unit 14 is an example of the “supplying unit” of this disclosure.

[0026] [1-1-2. Configuration of the treatment agent supply unit] The treatment agent supply unit 13 is a unit that supplies a predetermined amount of treatment agent to the washing tub 11. The treatment agent supply unit 13 is located inside the housing 10, above the outer tub 21. The treatment agent supply unit 13 is positioned so that its upper part faces a cover 36 provided on the housing 10. The treatment agent supply unit 13 comprises a tank housing section 40, a water supply valve 38, and a treatment agent supply device 60. The water supply valve 38 is connected to the water supply pipe 37. The water supply valve 38 is a valve that controls the inflow of water from the water supply pipe 37.

[0027] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tank housing section 40 viewed from the front. Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of the tank housing section 40. Figure 3 shows the tank housing section 40 when the second tank 80 is housed within it. In Figure 4, the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 are shown by dashed lines. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the tank housing section 40 is a component that houses the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 inside. The first tank 70 and the second tank 80 are each detachably mounted from the tank housing section 40, and a treatment agent is contained in each of the first tank 70 and the second tank 80.

[0028] The tank housing section 40 comprises a front plate 42A forming the front, side plates 42B and 42C forming the left and right sides respectively, a rear plate 42D forming the rear, and a bottom plate 42G forming the bottom, forming an internal space S enclosed by these. The tank housing section 40 is provided with a housing opening 41 that opens the top surface of the tank housing section 40. The housing opening 41 connects the internal space S with the outside of the tank housing section 40.

[0029] The tank housing section 40 is positioned close to the top panel 10E, so that in a plan view, the housing section opening 41 overlaps with the top opening 9. Therefore, the housing section opening 41 is covered by the cover 36, and when the cover 36 is opened, the internal space S and the outside of the housing 10 are connected by the top opening 9 and the housing section opening 41. By opening the cover 36, the user can attach and detach the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 from the tank housing section 40.

[0030] The internal space S is divided into a storage space S1 and a drawer space S2. The storage space S1 is located on the rear side of the tank storage section 40 and is sized to accommodate three first tanks 70. The withdrawal space S2 is located on the front side of the tank storage section 40, that is, on the front side of the storage space S1.

[0031] Multiple rib-shaped tank guides 44 are provided on the bottom plate 42G, positioned to overlap the storage space S1. In this embodiment, two tank guides 44 are provided so that their longitudinal direction extends along the front-to-back direction. In the tank storage section 40, the side plate 42B, the two tank guides 44, and the side plate 42C are arranged along the left-to-right direction with a predetermined distance between them. The accommodation space S1 is divided into three arrangement spaces S3.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4, the rear panel 42D is provided with a plurality of through holes 45 that penetrate in the thickness direction of the rear panel 42D. Three through-holes 45 are provided in the rear plate 42D, arranged side by side along the left-right direction. Each of the through-holes 45 is positioned to overlap with each of the arrangement spaces S3 when viewed from the front-rear direction.

[0033] A treatment agent supply device 60 is attached to the rear panel 42D of the tank housing section 40. The treatment agent supply device 60 is equipped with, for example, a pump mechanism to draw out the treatment agent from the first tank 70 and the second tank 80, and to add the treatment agent to the water flowing from the water supply pipe 37. The water to which the treatment agent has been added is sent to the washing tub 11 via the connecting pipe 27 as washing water.

[0034] In this embodiment, the treatment agent supply unit 13 includes three treatment agent supply devices 60, the same number as the first tank 70. The treatment agent supply device 60 includes a supply connection section 52. The supply connection section 52 is formed in the shape of a joint such as a socket or plug having a predetermined length, and is provided with a flow path through which the treatment agent can be circulated. Each of the supply connection parts 52 is inserted into each of the insertion holes 45, and in each of the arrangement spaces S3, one end protrudes forward from the rear plate 42D along the front-rear direction by a predetermined length. The supply connection section 52 is an example of the "first connection section" and the "accommodation section side connection section".

[0035] The rear panel 42D is provided with an insertion hole 43 that penetrates through the panel in the direction of its thickness. The through-hole 43 is provided adjacent to the through-hole 45 located next to the side plate 42C, among the three through-holes 45, in the left-right direction.

[0036] A spray connection part 50 is inserted through the insertion hole 43. The spray connection part 50 is formed in the shape of a joint such as a socket or plug having a predetermined length, and is provided with a flow path through which the treatment agent can be circulated.

[0037] When the spray connection part 50 is inserted into the insertion hole 43, one end of the connection part 50 protrudes forward from the rear plate 42D along the front-rear direction by a predetermined length in the arrangement space S3 adjacent to the side plate 42C. One end of the treatment agent supply pipe 141 is connected to the other end of the spray connection section 50. When the spray connection part 50 is inserted into the insertion hole 43, it is positioned in the front-to-back direction closer to the front plate 42A than to the storage space S1. The spray connection section 50 is an example of the "second connection section" and the "housing section side connection section".

[0038] [1-1-3. Configuration of Tank 1 and Tank 2] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the first tank 70. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the second tank 80. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, both the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 are containers formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. When each of the first tanks 70 and the second tank 80 are housed in the tank housing section 40, they are placed on the bottom plate 42G of the tank housing section 40.

[0039] In this embodiment, each of the first tanks 70 contains one of the following: detergent, bleach, fabric softener, neutral detergent, etc. The second tank 80 contains, for example, a liquid wrinkle-removing agent. The wrinkle-removing agent is a treatment agent that imparts a wrinkle-removing effect to the material to be treated, PO.

[0040] Furthermore, the types of treatment agents contained in each of the first tanks 70 and the second tank 80 may be different from each other, or they may be partially or entirely the same. In addition, each of the treatment agents may be in either powder or liquid form.

[0041] The top surface of the first tank 70 is provided with an inlet that connects the inside and outside of the first tank 70, and the top surface of the second tank 80 is provided with an inlet that connects the inside and outside of the second tank 80. The user puts the treatment agent into the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 through these inlets. The inlets of the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 are closed by removable lids 90. Furthermore, the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 may be cartridge-type tanks without inlet openings.

[0042] A handle 74 is provided on the top surface of the first tank 70. The handle 74 protrudes upward from the top surface of the first tank 70, and in a plan view, its longitudinal direction extends along the front-to-back direction. A handle 84, which is substantially the same shape as the handle 74, is provided on the top surface of the second tank 80.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, the first tank 70 is housed in the three arrangement spaces S3 of the tank housing 40 such that its longitudinal direction extends along the front-to-back direction in a plan view. The three first tanks 70 are arranged side by side along the left-to-right direction. That is, the three first tanks 70 are arranged in a direction that intersects the direction in which the supply connection section 52 extends. The second tank 80 is housed in one of the three placement spaces S3, specifically the placement space S3 adjacent to the side panel 42C.

[0044] As shown in Figure 5, when the first tank 70 is housed in the storage space S1, it comprises a rear tank surface 71 facing the rear panel 42D, a front tank surface 79 facing the front panel 42A, and a bottom tank surface 77 that rests on the bottom panel 42G. In the first tank 70, the rear surface 71 and the front surface 79 are positioned opposite each other. The rear surface 71 forms the rear end of the first tank 70, and the front surface 79 forms the front end of the first tank 70.

[0045] A first tank connection portion 72 is provided on the rear surface 71 of the tank. The first tank connection portion 72 is located at the lower part of the rear surface 71 of the tank and is formed in a concave shape that is recessed into the interior of the first tank 70 along the longitudinal direction of the first tank 70 from the rear surface 71 of the tank. A communication opening 73 is provided at the front end of the first tank connection portion 72 to connect the inside and outside of the first tank 70. The first tank connection section 72 is located in a position closer to the tank bottom surface 77 than to the top surface of the first tank 70 in the vertical direction; in other words, it is located at the bottom of the first tank 70. As a result, in the washing machine 1, when the treatment agent is supplied to the treatment agent supply device 60, the residue of the treatment agent at the bottom of the first tank 70 is suppressed.

[0046] The first tank connection section 72 is equipped with a tank valve 76. The tank valve 76 is equipped with a valve body 78 that closes the communication opening 73. The valve body 78 closes the communication opening 73 by being biased from the inside of the first tank 70, for example, by a biasing member such as a spring. The first tank connection portion 72 is an example of the "first tank-side connection portion" and "tank-side connection portion" in this disclosure. The tank valve 76 is an example of the "valve" in this disclosure.

[0047] A first tank recess 91 is provided on the rear surface 71 of the tank. The first tank recess 91 is located at the bottom of the rear surface 71 of the tank and is formed in a concave shape that extends from the rear surface 71 of the tank along the longitudinal direction of the first tank 70 toward the inside of the first tank 70. The front end of the first tank recess 91 is closed off.

[0048] The first tank recess 91 is provided in a position adjacent to the first tank connection portion 72, along the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the first tank recess 91 is located to the right of the first tank connection portion 72. In addition, the locations where the first tank connection portion 72 and the first tank recess 91 are provided are not limited to the lower end of the rear surface 71 of the tank. Furthermore, the first tank recess 91 is not limited to being aligned with the first tank connection portion 72 in the left-right direction, but may be provided in a position adjacent to the first tank connection portion 72 in the vertical or diagonal direction.

[0049] As shown in Figure 6, when the second tank 80 is housed in the storage space S1, it comprises a rear tank surface 81 facing the rear panel 42D, a front tank surface 89 facing the front panel 42A, and a bottom tank surface 87 that rests on the bottom panel 42G. In the second tank 80, the rear surface 81 and the front surface 89 are positioned opposite each other. The rear surface 81 forms the rear end of the second tank 80, and the front surface 89 forms the front end of the second tank 80.

[0050] A second tank connection portion 82 is provided on the rear surface 81 of the tank. The second tank connection portion 82 is located at the lower part of the rear surface 81 of the tank and is formed in a concave shape that is recessed into the interior of the second tank 80, along the longitudinal direction of the second tank 80, from the rear surface 81 of the tank. A communication opening 83 is provided at the front end of the second tank connection portion 82 to connect the inside and outside of the second tank 80. The second tank connection portion 82 is formed in substantially the same shape as the first tank recess 91.

[0051] The second tank connection section 82 includes a tank valve 86. The tank valve 86 includes a valve body 88 that closes the communication opening 83. The valve body 88 closes the communication opening 83 by being biased from the inside of the second tank 80, for example, by a biasing member such as a spring. The second tank connection part 82 is an example of the "second tank-side connection part" and "tank-side connection part" in this disclosure. The tank valve 86 is an example of the "valve" in this disclosure.

[0052] A second tank recess 93 is provided on the rear surface 81 of the tank. The second tank recess 93 is located at the lower end of the rear surface 81 of the tank and is formed as a recess that extends from the rear surface 81 of the tank along the longitudinal direction of the second tank 80 and is recessed into the interior of the second tank 80. The front end of the second tank recess 93 is closed. The second tank recess 93 is formed in substantially the same shape as the first tank recess 91. The second tank recess 93 and the first tank recess 91 are examples of the “recesses” of this disclosure.

[0053] The second tank recess 93 is provided in a position adjacent to the second tank connection portion 82, along the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the second tank recess 93 is located to the left of the second tank connection portion 82. Furthermore, the locations where the second tank connection portion 82 and the second tank recess 93 are provided are not limited to the lower end of the rear surface 81 of the tank. Also, the second tank recess 93 is not limited to being aligned with the second tank connection portion 82 in the left-right direction, but may be provided in a position adjacent to the second tank connection portion 82 in the vertical or diagonal direction.

[0054] [1-2. Operation] The operation of washing machine 1, configured as described above, will be explained below. When the first tank 70 is placed in the installation space S3, the user slides the first tank 70 backward while it is resting on the bottom plate 42G. The first tank 70 moves while being guided by the tank guide 44 and the side plates 42B and 42C, and the supply connection part 52 is inserted into the first tank connection part 72. In this case, the valve body 78 is pressed against the tip of the supply connection part 52, and the valve body 78 moves away from the communication opening 73. As a result, the processing agent contained in the first tank 70 can flow to the supply connection part 52 through the communication opening 73. As a result, the first tank 70 is connected to the treatment agent supply unit 13.

[0055] When the first tank 70 is housed in the arrangement space S3 adjacent to the side panel 42C, the spray connection part 50 is inserted into the recess 91 of the first tank. As a result, the first tank 70 is connected to the treatment agent supply unit 13 without being obstructed by the spray connection part 50.

[0056] The second tank 80 can be housed in the arrangement space S3 adjacent to the side panel 42C. When the second tank 80 is placed in the installation space S3, the user slides the second tank 80 backward while it is resting on the bottom plate 42G. The second tank 80 moves while being guided by the tank guides 44 and 42C, and the spray connection part 50 is inserted into the second tank connection part 82. In this case, the valve body 88 is pressed against the tip of the spray connection part 50, and the valve body 88 moves away from the communication opening 83. As a result, the treatment agent contained in the second tank 80 can flow to the spray connection part 50 through the communication opening 83. As a result, the second tank 80 is connected to the treatment agent supply unit 13.

[0057] When the second tank 80 is housed in the arrangement space S3 adjacent to the side panel 42C, the supply connection part 52 is inserted through the recess 93 of the second tank. As a result, the second tank 80 is connected to the processing agent supply unit 13 without being obstructed by the supply connection part 52.

[0058] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, the washing machine 1 includes a tank housing section 40 in which a storage space S1 is provided that can alternately accommodate a first tank 70 for storing a processing agent and a second tank 80. The first tank 70 is provided with a first tank connection section 72, and the second tank 80 is provided with a second tank connection section 82. The tank housing section 40 is provided with a supply connection section 52 and a spray connection section 50 that can be selectively connected to the first tank connection section 72 and the second tank connection section 82, respectively.

[0059] As a result, in the washing machine 1, the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 can be optionally placed in a single arrangement space S3. Therefore, in the washing machine 1, both the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 can be installed while suppressing the reduction in the capacity of each of the first and second tanks 80.

[0060] As in this embodiment, the supply connection section 52 and the spray connection section 50 are both provided on the rear plate 42D of the tank housing section 40, and the supply connection section 52 and the spray connection section 50 have a protruding shape that extends into the housing space S1. The first tank 70 may be provided with a first tank recess 91, and the second tank 80 may be provided with a second tank recess 93. According to this, the first tank 70 is connected to the treatment agent supply unit 13 without being obstructed by the spray connection part 50, and the second tank 80 is connected to the treatment agent supply unit 13 without being obstructed by the supply connection part 52.

[0061] As in this embodiment, the first tank recess 91 may be provided at a position close to the bottom of the first tank 70, i.e., the tank bottom surface 77, and the second tank recess 93 may be provided at a position close to the bottom of the second tank 80, i.e., the tank bottom surface 87. According to this, in the washing machine 1, if the first tank recess 91 and the second tank recess 93 are provided in the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 respectively, resin molding becomes easier.

[0062] As in this embodiment, the washing machine may be equipped with a washing tub 11 in which the material to be treated PO is contained, a treatment agent supply device 60 may be connected to the supply connection part 52, and a spray unit 14 may be connected to the spray connection part 50. According to this, the supply connection section 52 and the spray connection section 50 each supply the treatment agent to the washing tub 11 via different paths. Therefore, the washing machine 1 can appropriately treat the material to be treated PO according to the action of the treatment agent.

[0063] As in this embodiment, the first tank connection part 72 may be equipped with a tank valve 76 that opens when the supply connection part 52 is connected and closes when the supply connection part 52 is not connected, and the second tank connection part 82 may be equipped with a tank valve 86 that opens when the spray connection part 50 is connected and closes when the spray connection part 50 is not connected. According to this, in the washing machine 1, leakage of the treatment agent is suppressed when the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 are not connected to the treatment agent supply unit 13.

[0064] (Other embodiments) As described above, Embodiment 1 has been explained as an example of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited to this and can be applied to embodiments that have been modified, replaced, added, or omitted. Furthermore, it is possible to create new embodiments by combining the components described in Embodiment 1 above. Therefore, other embodiments are illustrated below.

[0065] [1-4. Variations] Figures 7 and 8 schematically show the tank housing section 40 as viewed from the right in a modified example. In Figures 7 and 8, explanations of the same parts as in Figures 3 to 6 are omitted. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, in this modified washing machine 1, the tank housing section 40 is provided with a spray connection section 150 that is recessed outward from the rear plate 42D of the tank housing section 40. The second tank 80 is provided with a second tank connection portion 182 that protrudes outward from the rear surface 81 of the tank. The second tank connection portion 182 is formed with a length dimension L2 that allows it to be inserted into the spray connection portion 150.

[0066] The second tank connection section 182 is formed with a length dimension L2 that is shorter than the length dimension L1 of the supply connection section 52 in the front-rear direction. As a result, the second tank 80 can detach from the spray connection 150 by moving a shorter distance than the distance the first tank 70 moves when it detaches from the supply connection 52. In other words, even if the second tank 80 is equipped with a second tank connection 182, the second tank 80 is formed to be detachable from the tank housing 40 without shortening the longitudinal length of the second tank 80. Therefore, in the washing machine 1, the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 can be housed in the housing space S1 while suppressing a reduction in the capacity of the second tank 80.

[0067] In the embodiment 1 described above, the washing machine 1 is provided with three first tanks 70 and one second tank 80. However, it is not limited to this, and the number of first tanks 70 provided by the washing machine 1 may be two or fewer, or four or more. Similarly, the number of second tanks 80 provided by the washing machine 1 may be two or more. In this case, the washing machine 1 may be provided with at least one second tank 80 that contains the treatment agent sprayed by the spray unit 14, or the treatment agent sprayed by the spray unit 14 may not be contained in the second tank 80.

[0068] In the above-described embodiment 1, the first tank 70 is provided with a handle 74, and the second tank 80 is provided with a handle 84. These handles 74 and 84 may have any shape. For example, the first tank 70 and the second tank 80 may be formed without the handles 74 and 84.

[0069] In the embodiment 1 described above, the tank housing 40 is provided with a spray connection portion 50 on the rear plate 42D. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the spray connection portion 50 may be provided at any position in the tank housing 40 as long as multiple tanks can be arranged inside the tank housing 40. Similarly, the first tank 70 is provided with a first tank connection portion 72 at the lower part of the rear surface 71 of the tank. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the first tank connection portion 72 may be provided at any position in the first tank 70 as long as it can be connected to the spray connection portion 50.

[0070] In the above-described embodiment 1, the washing machine 1 is provided with a sprayer 143 connected to the first tank 70. However, the invention is not limited to this, and a supply device substantially identical to the pump 142 may be connected to the first tank 70. In other words, any device that is connected to the first tank 70 via a different route than the device connected to the second tank 80, such as the pump 142, may be connected to the first tank 70.

[0071] In the embodiment 1 described above, a drum-type washing machine was used as an example of washing machine 1, but washing machine 1 may also be a top-loading washing machine.

[0072] In the above-described embodiment 1, the washing machine 1 is said to be equipped with a heat pump device 30, but it is not limited to this, and may be equipped with a heater, for example.

[0073] In the above-described embodiment 1, a washing machine 1 was given as an example of a "clothing processing device." However, the "clothing processing device" is not limited to a washing machine 1, and may also be a dryer, a washing machine without a drying function, or a device in which clothes are placed on hangers and wrinkles can be smoothed out by shaking the placed clothes.

[0074] The embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only and may be modified, replaced, added, or omitted within the scope of the claims or equivalents thereof.

[0075] (Note) Based on the above description of embodiments, the following technologies are disclosed.

[0076] (Technical 1) A garment processing apparatus comprising a tank housing section having a storage space capable of alternately accommodating a plurality of tanks for storing a processing agent, each of the tanks having a tank-side connection section, and the tank housing section being provided with a plurality of housing-side connection sections that can be selectively connected to each of the tank-side connection sections. This allows the garment processing device to selectively arrange different tanks within its storage space. As a result, the garment processing device can install more tanks while minimizing the reduction in the capacity of each individual tank.

[0077] (Technical 2) The garment processing apparatus according to Technical 1, wherein each of the housing-side connecting portions is provided on one surface of the tank housing, at least one of the housing-side connecting portions has a projection that protrudes into the housing space, and the tank that is not connected to the housing-side connecting portion having the projection is provided with a recess that avoids the housing-side connecting portion having the projection when it is housed in the housing space, at a position that overlaps with the housing-side connecting portion having the projection. According to this, each tank is connected to the tank housing without being obstructed by the unconnected housing-side connection.

[0078] (Technical 3) The garment processing apparatus according to Technical 2, wherein the recess is provided at the bottom of the tank. According to this, in a garment processing device, if recesses are provided in each of the tanks, they can be easily formed.

[0079] (Technical 4) The garment processing apparatus according to Technical 1 or Technical 2, comprising a first tank and a second tank as the tanks, wherein the second tank has a second tank-side connection portion that protrudes from the second tank as the tank-side connection portion. This allows the garment processing device to selectively place different tanks within its storage space.

[0080] (Technical 5) The garment processing apparatus according to Technical 4, wherein the first tank is provided with a first tank-side connection as the tank-side connection, the tank housing is provided with a first connection which is the housing-side connection, the first connection has a protruding shape that projects toward the housing space, and the length dimension of the second tank-side connection is formed to be less than or equal to the length dimension of the first tank-side connection. As a result, the second tank is formed to be detachable from the tank housing without reducing the dimensions of the second tank. Therefore, in the garment processing device, the first tank and the second tank can be housed in the housing space while suppressing a reduction in the capacity of the second tank.

[0081] (Technical 6) The garment processing apparatus according to Technical 4 or Technical 5, wherein the first tank is provided with a first tank-side connection as the tank-side connection, the tank housing is provided with a first connection which is the housing-side connection, the first connection has a protruding shape that projects toward the housing space, the first connection is provided at a position close to the bottom of the tank housing, and the bottom of the second tank is provided with a recess that avoids the first connection at a position overlapping the first connection. This allows the garment processing device to selectively place different tanks within its storage space.

[0082] (Technical 7) The garment processing apparatus according to Technical 1 or Technical 2, wherein the storage unit side connection portion is each provided with a protruding shape that protrudes into the storage space, and the tank is each provided with the tank side connection portion that is recessed on the inside side of the tank. This allows the garment processing device to selectively place different tanks within its storage space.

[0083] (Technical 8) The garment processing apparatus according to Technical 1 to Technical 7, comprising a section for containing an object to be processed, and each of the connection sections on the side of the section for the section is provided with a supply section for supplying the processing agent to the object to be processed via different paths. According to this, each of the connection points on the storage section side supplies the treatment agent to the storage section for the items to be treated via different paths. Therefore, in the garment processing device, the treatment agent can be applied more appropriately to the items to be treated according to the action of the treatment agent.

[0084] (Technical 9) The garment processing apparatus according to any one of Technical 1 to Technical 8, wherein the tank-side connection is provided with a valve that is opened when the storage-side connection is connected and closed when the storage-side connection is not connected. According to this, in a garment processing device, leakage of the processing agent is suppressed when it is not connected to the tank housing. [Industrial applicability]

[0085] This disclosure is applicable to garment processing equipment that applies various types of treatment agents to clothing. Specifically, this disclosure is applicable to washing machines and clothes dryers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1. Washing machine 9 Top opening 10 cabinets 10A Front Panel 10B Side Panel 10C Side Panel 10D Rear Panel 10E Top Panel 10G Bottom Panel 11 Washing tub 12 Drive motor 13. Processing agent supply unit 14 Spray section 15 Heating and blowing section 16, 20, 25, 26, 35 aperture 17 Doors 18 Water inlet 19 Drain valve 21 Outer tank 22 Inner tank 23 Cylinder part 24 Bottom 27 Connecting pipes 28 Air supply port 29 Exhaust vent 30 Heat pump system 31 Blower fan 33 Wind path 34 Through holes 36 Cover 37 Water supply piping 38 Water supply valve 39 Drain pipe 40 Tank housing 41. Opening of the storage section 42A Front plate 42B Side plate 42C side plate 42D rear plate 42G bottom plate 43, 45 Through holes 44 Tank Guide 50 Spray connection part 52 Supply connection section 60 Treatment agent supply device 70 Tank No. 1 71, 81 Rear of the tank 72 First Tank Connection 73, 83 Communication opening 74, 84 Handle 76, 86 Tank valves 77, 87 Tank bottom 78, 88 valve bodies Front view of tanks 79 and 89 80 Tank No. 2 82, 182 Second Tank Connection 90 Lid 91 First Tank Recess 93 Second Tank Recess 141 Treatment agent supply piping 142 pumps 143 Spray machine 150 Spray connection part 171 recess CA center axis L1, L2 Length dimensions PO processed materials S interior space S1 Containment Space S2 drawer space S3 Containment Space

Claims

1. It is equipped with a tank housing section that has a storage space capable of alternately accommodating multiple tanks for storing processing agents, Each of the aforementioned tanks is equipped with a tank-side connection part, The tank housing section is provided with a plurality of housing section-side connection sections that can be selectively connected to each of the tank-side connection sections. Garment processing device.

2. Each of the aforementioned housing-side connection portions is provided on one side of the tank housing portion. At least one of the connecting portions on the housing side has a protruding shape that extends into the housing space, In the case of the tank that is not connected to the housing-side connection portion having a protruding shape, a recess is provided at a position that overlaps with the housing-side connection portion having a protruding shape when the tank is housed in the housing space, thereby avoiding the housing-side connection portion having a protruding shape. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The recess is provided at the bottom of the tank. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The tank comprises a first tank and a second tank. The second tank includes a second tank-side connection portion that protrudes from the second tank as the tank-side connection portion. A garment processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2.

5. The first tank is provided with a first tank-side connection as the tank-side connection part, The tank housing section is provided with a first connection section, which is a connection section on the housing section side. The first connecting portion has a protruding shape that extends toward the housing space, The length dimension of the second tank-side connection portion is formed to be less than or equal to the length dimension of the first tank-side connection portion. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The first tank is provided with a first tank-side connection as the tank-side connection part, The tank housing section is provided with a first connection section, which is a connection section on the housing section side. The first connecting portion has a protruding shape that extends toward the housing space, The first connection portion is provided in a position close to the bottom of the tank housing portion, The bottom of the second tank is provided with a recess that avoids the first connection portion, at a position that overlaps with the first connection portion. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 4.

7. The aforementioned connecting portion on the housing side is each provided with a protruding shape that extends into the housing space. Each of the aforementioned tanks is provided with a tank-side connection portion that is recessed on the inside of the tank. A garment processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2.

8. It is equipped with a section for containing the object to be processed, Each of the aforementioned connection sections on the storage section side is provided with a supply section that supplies the processing agent to the storage section for the object to be processed via different paths. The garment processing apparatus according to claims 1 to 3.

9. The tank-side connection is provided with a valve that opens when the housing-side connection is connected and closes when the housing-side connection is not connected. A garment processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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