washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine that can appropriately improve washing performance. [Solution] The washing machine comprises a water tank, a rotating drum, a motor, a water supply valve for opening and closing a water supply path, a detergent tank, a dispensing pump, a mixing unit for mixing water flowing through the water supply path with detergent pumped out by the dispensing pump, a spraying unit for spraying water flowing through the water supply path into the rotating drum, and a control unit for performing a washing operation including a washing process. In the washing process, the control unit controls the water supply valve and the dispensing pump to perform a spraying operation in which mixed water, which has passed through the mixing unit and flowing through the water supply path, and detergent is sprayed from the spraying unit. Before performing the spraying operation, the control unit controls the water supply valve to spray water from the spraying unit and perform a wetting operation to moisten the clothes in the rotating drum.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a technique for improving the detergency by permeating detergent throughout the laundry. In Patent Document 1, in a drum washing machine, the rotation of the washing drum tub is maintained at a speed at which the dry laundry on the inner peripheral surface of the washing drum tub is released from the rolling state and adhesion occurs due to centrifugal force, and the detergent dissolved in the washing drum tub rotating at the speed at which adhesion occurs is sprayed and permeated into the laundry.

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 prior art, the detergent is uniformly sprayed over the entire laundry to improve the detergency, but the positional relationship between the water injection port for spraying the detergent and the laundry is not considered. Therefore, in the conventional configuration, if a part of the laundry accommodated in the washing drum tub is present near the water injection port, the detergent supplied from the water injection port may be concentrated on a part of the surface of the entire laundry, resulting in insufficient washing of the entire laundry. Also, in order to appropriately improve the washing performance, it is important to dissolve the detergent widely and early and suppress the occurrence of uneven washing.

[0005] Therefore, a washing machine that can appropriately improve the washing performance is provided.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The washing machine of the embodiment includes 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 into the water tank, a detergent tank capable of storing detergent, a dispensing pump that pumps a predetermined amount of the detergent from the detergent tank onto the water supply path, a mixing section in which the water flowing through the water supply path and the detergent pumped out by the dispensing pump are mixed, a spraying section that sprays the water flowing through the water supply path into the rotating drum, and a control unit that performs a washing operation including a washing process. The control unit can, in the washing process, control the water supply valve and the dispensing pump to perform a spraying operation in which mixed water, which is water flowing through the water supply path that has passed through the mixing section and the detergent, is sprayed from the spraying section, and before performing the spraying operation, it controls the water supply valve to spray water from the spraying section to perform a wetting operation in which the clothes in the rotating drum are moistened. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing an example of a schematic configuration when a drum-type washing machine is applied to the washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] 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 3] A perspective view showing an example of a microbubble generator for a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] A cross-sectional view showing an example of a microbubble generator for a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] A flowchart showing an example of the entire washing process for a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of multiple weight categories for a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the control content of the washing process for a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of the control content of the washing process when the weight category is the first category for the washing machine according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of the control content of the washing process when the weight category is in the second weight category for the 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, the same 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 8. The washing machine 10 shown in Figure 1 is, for example, a drum-type washing machine in which the rotation axis Ra of the rotating drum 13 is oriented horizontally or inclined downward toward the rear. The washing machine 10 is equipped with a washing function and can perform a washing operation including the processes of washing, rinsing, and spinning. The washing machine 10 may also be a so-called vertical-axis washing machine in which the rotation axis Ra of the rotating drum 13 is oriented vertically. Furthermore, the washing machine 10 may also be equipped with a drying function of, for example, a heater type or a heat pump type.

[0010] The washing machine 10 comprises an outer casing 11, a water tank 12, a rotating drum 13, a motor 14, a drainage mechanism 15, a circulation mechanism 16, an operation and display device 17, and a water supply mechanism 20. In Figure 1, the side of the washing machine 10 facing the installation surface, i.e., the vertically downward side, is considered the bottom of the washing machine 10, and the side opposite the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upward side, is considered the top of the washing machine 10. The outer casing 11 is formed as a rectangular hollow box by a combination of metal materials such as stainless steel plates or resin materials. The outer casing 11 constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 10. The outer casing 11 also has an opening on its front side that connects the inside and outside of the outer casing 11, and this opening is opened and closed by a door (not shown).

[0011] Both the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13 are formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The water tank 12 is capable of storing water inside. The water tank 12 is elastically supported within the outer casing 11 by a suspension (not shown). The water tank 12 has a drain port 121 and a water inlet 122. The drain port 121 and the water inlet 122 connect the inside and outside of the water tank 12. The drain port 121 is located, for example, at the bottom of the water tank 12 and is the part that discharges water from the water tank 12 to the outside. The water inlet 122 is the part that supplies water into the water tank 12 from an external water source, such as a water supply. The water inlet 122 is located, for example, at the top of the water tank 12 and is positioned to the left of the center of the water tank 12 in the left-right direction. The water inlet 122 is positioned so that the water flowing out of the water inlet 122 strikes the outer surface of the rotating tank 13. In other words, the water that passes through the water inlet 122 is supplied between the water tank 12 and the rotating tank 13.

[0012] The rotating tub 13 is capable of holding clothes inside and is rotatably positioned within the water tank 12 around a rotation axis Ra. The rotating tub 13 is rotationally driven by a motor 14. The inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 13 is provided with several baffles (not shown). The baffles agitate and lift the clothes contained inside the rotating tub 13 when it rotates. The motor 14 is located on the outside of the bottom of the water tank 12 and rotates the rotating tub 13 relative to the water tank 12. The motor 14 is, for example, a brushless direct-drive motor with adjustable rotation speed. The centerlines of the water tank 12 and the rotating tub 13 coincide with the rotation axis Ra of the rotating tub 13. In this embodiment, the direction in which the rotation axis Ra extends coincides with the front-to-back direction of the washing machine 10.

[0013] The drainage mechanism 15 is for draining water from the water tank 12 to the outside of the washing machine 10. The drainage mechanism 15 has a drain valve 151 and a drain hose 152. The drain valve 151 is configured to be opened and closed electromagnetically. The inlet side of the drain valve 151 is connected to the drain port 121 of the water tank 12 via a connecting hose 181. One end of the drain hose 152 is connected to the drain valve 151, and the other end is led out of the washing machine 10. When the drain valve 151 is opened while water is stored in the water tank 12, the water stored in the water tank 12 is drained to the outside of the washing machine 10 through the drain hose 152. In other words, the drain valve 151 opens and closes a drainage path for draining water stored in the water tank 12 to the outside.

[0014] The circulation mechanism 16 is for refilling the tank 12 with water that has flowed out of the tank 12. The circulation mechanism 16 includes a circulation pump 161, a circulation hose 162, and a water discharge section 163. The circulation pump 161 has the function of pumping water from the tank 12. The inlet side of the circulation pump 161 is connected to the drain port 121 of the tank 12 via connecting hoses 181 and 182. The discharge side of the circulation pump 161 is connected to the water discharge section 163 via the circulation hose 162. The circulation hose 162 is made of, for example, a flexible hose. The water discharge section 163 is provided, for example, on the upper side of the tank 12 and discharges water into the tank 12.

[0015] When the circulation pump 161 is driven with the drain valve 151 closed, the circulation pump 161 pumps water from the tank 12 through the drain port 121 and refills the tank 12 through the discharge port 163. The circulation path 164 is formed by the route from the drain port 121 of the tank 12, through the circulation pump 161, and back to the tank 12 through the discharge port 163. The circulation path 164 is located outside the tank 12 and is a path for returning water that has flowed out of the tank 12 back into the tank 12. The circulation pump 161 then circulates the water in the tank 12 through the circulation path 164. The circulation pump 161 functions as a circulation unit that supplies water from the tank 12 to the circulation path 164.

[0016] The operation display device 17 is provided, for example, at the front side portion of the upper surface of the outer case 11. The operation display device 17 has a function of receiving operation inputs related to the settings and operations of the washing machine 10 from the user and presenting information related to the settings and operations of the washing machine 10 to the user by means of display, voice, etc. The operation display device 17 is constituted by, for example, a touch panel display.

[0017] The water supply mechanism 20 is for injecting water supplied from an external water source into the water tank 12. The water supply mechanism 20 includes a water injection case 21, a water injection hose 22, an automatic dosing device 23, a plurality of mixing parts 241, 242, an injection part 25, a water supply valve unit 26, a pressurized dissolution device 27, and a microbubble generator 30. The water injection case 21 is made of, for example, resin, and a space is formed inside thereof. The water injection case 21 can be formed in a hollow box shape extending along the front-rear direction of the washing machine 10. 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 12 via the water injection hose 22.

[0018] The water injection hose 22 is constituted by, for example, a bellows-shaped hose having flexibility. The water injection hose 22 is a part connecting the water injection case 21 and the inside of the water tank 12. 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 122. The water supplied into the water injection case 21 from an external water source is supplied into the water tank 12 through the water injection hose 22. Inside the water injection case 21, a treatment agent case 211 is provided. The treatment agent case 211 is formed of, for example, a resin container, and can accommodate a washing treatment agent such as detergent and finishing agent in an amount used for one washing operation. The treatment agent case 211 is, for example, detachably accommodated in the water injection case 21. The washing treatment agent put into the treatment agent case 211 is mixed with the water supplied from the external water source flowing into the water injection case 21 in the water injection case 21, and then supplied into the water tank 12 and the rotary tub 13.

[0019] The automatic dispensing device 23 is capable of storing the amount of laundry detergent used for multiple wash cycles and has the function of automatically dispensing the required amount of laundry detergent into the water tank 12 as the wash cycle progresses. Water supplied from an external water source is mixed with the laundry detergent supplied from the automatic dispensing device 23 in the mixing units 241 and 242, and then supplied into the water tank 12. The automatic dispensing device 23 includes, for example, a detergent tank 231, a finishing agent tank 232, and a dispensing pump 233. The detergent tank 231 and the finishing agent tank 232 function as detergent tanks. The detergent tank 231 is for storing the amount of liquid detergent used for multiple wash cycles. The finishing agent tank 232 is for storing the amount of liquid finishing agent used for multiple wash cycles. The dispensing pump 233 is, for example, a piston pump and has the function of individually pumping a predetermined amount of laundry detergent from each tank 231 and 232 and supplying them to the mixing units 241 and 242, respectively.

[0020] The mixing units 241 and 242 are configured, for example, as containers capable of storing a certain amount of laundry detergent. Water supplied from an external water source is also supplied to the mixing units 241 and 242. Hereinafter, the mixing unit 241 may be referred to as the detergent mixing unit 241, and the mixing unit 242 may be referred to as the finishing agent mixing unit 242. The detergent mixing unit 241 temporarily holds the detergent that has been dispensed from the detergent tank 231 by the dispensing pump 233 until the next water supply begins. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a check valve 234 is provided between the dispensing pump 233 and the detergent mixing unit 241. The check valve 234 has the function of allowing liquid to pass from the dispensing pump 233 to the detergent mixing unit 241, but blocking liquid from the detergent mixing unit 241 to the dispensing pump 233. This prevents water supplied to the detergent mixing unit 241 from flowing into the input pump 233 side when water pressure from the tap is applied to the waterway connected to the detergent mixing unit 241. Hereafter, the input pump 233 used when drawing detergent from the detergent mixing unit 241 may be referred to as the detergent input pump 233.

[0021] The finishing agent mixing unit 242 temporarily holds the finishing agent that has been introduced from the finishing agent tank 232 by the pump 233 until the next water supply begins. The finishing agent introduced into the finishing agent mixing unit 242 is mixed with water supplied from an external water source within the finishing agent mixing unit 242 and then supplied to the water tank 12 via the water supply case 21. The detergent mixing unit 241 may also serve as the finishing agent mixing unit 242. In other words, the finishing agent sucked from the finishing agent tank 232 by the pump 233 may be introduced into the detergent mixing unit 241.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the spray unit 25 is located downstream of the detergent mixing unit 241 and is connected to the detergent mixing unit 241 via a water supply hose 28. In other words, one end of the water supply hose 28 is connected to the detergent mixing unit 241 and the other end is connected to the spray unit 25. The mixed water, which is a mixture of detergent introduced into the detergent mixing unit 241 and water supplied to the detergent mixing unit 241 from an external water source, is supplied to the spray unit 25 through the water supply hose 28. The spray unit 25 is configured either integrally with or separately from the water supply hose 28 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 28, or a slit hole that is long in the diffusion direction. The spray unit 25 uses, for example, the water pressure from an external water source, such as a tap water source, to spray the mixed water of detergent and water in a shower-like manner. 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.

[0023] The spray unit 25 is located outside the rotating tank 13, in a position overlooking the inside of the rotating tank 13 from above. The spray unit 25 is located, for example, around the inner circumferential surface of the water tank 12, above the rotation axis Ra. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the spray unit 25 is located at a position circumferentially offset from directly above the rotation axis Ra, for example, offset to the left in a front view. The water sprayed from the spray unit 25 is sprayed directly toward the clothes inside the rotating tank 13. For example, detergent initially introduced from the input pump 233 into the detergent mixing unit 241 is then dissolved and mixed with water supplied to the detergent mixing unit 241 from an external water source, and then directly supplied to the dry clothes inside the water tank 12 and rotating tank 13 before water is added via the spray unit 25, which can spray widely in a shower-like manner due to the water pressure. Note that the spray unit 25 may be configured to be located directly above the rotation axis Ra. In other words, the spray unit 25 may be located in a position that includes the center of the water tank 12 in the left-right direction.

[0024] The water supply valve unit 26 has the function of individually opening and closing multiple water supply routes R1, R2, and R3 that lead from an external water source to the water tank 12 via the water supply mechanism 20. The water supply valve unit 26 is configured as a multi-unit type having, for example, multiple water supply valves 261, 262, and 263, and includes a main water supply valve 261, a sub-water supply valve 262, and a shower water supply valve 263. Each of the water supply valves 261, 262, and 263 is an electromagnetically operated on-off valve for liquids. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 is equipped with a main water supply route R1, a sub-water supply route R2, and a shower water supply route R3. Each of the water supply routes R1, R2, and R3 is a route that supplies water from an external water source to the water tank 12. Each of the water supply routes R1, R2, and R3 is a route that leads from the water supply valve unit 26 to the water tank 12 via a different route. The main water supply valve 261 opens and closes the main water supply path R1. The sub-water supply valve 262 opens and closes the sub-water supply path R2. The shower water supply valve 263 opens and closes the shower water supply path R3. The shower water supply valve 263 functions as a water supply valve, and the shower water supply path R3 functions as a water supply path.

[0025] Each of the water supply routes R1, R2, and R3 has the function of supplying water containing mainly nano-order microbubbles, specifically ultrafine bubbles, generated by passing through the microbubble generator 30, to the water tank 12 using tap water pressure. The main water supply route R1 is a route from the main water supply valve 261 to the water tank 12 via the microbubble generator 30, the treatment agent case 211, and the finishing agent mixing unit 242. The main water supply route R1 branches downstream of the microbubble generator 30, and after passing through the treatment agent case 211 or the finishing agent mixing unit 242, the two routes merge inside the water filling case 21. In other words, the main water supply route R1 has the function of supplying the laundry treatment agent put into the treatment agent case 211 to the water tank 12, and also has the function of supplying the finishing agent in the finishing agent tank 232 that has been put into the finishing agent mixing unit 242, through the inside of the water filling case 21 to the water tank 12.

[0026] The sub-water supply route R2 is a path from the sub-water supply valve 262 through the pressurized dissolution device 27, the microbubble generator 30, and the water supply case 21 to the water tank 12. In this case, the sub-water supply route R2 has the function of supplying microbubble water, which is water supplied from an external water source with microbubbles added, to the water tank 12. Microbubble water means that the concentration of microbubbles generated among the fine bubbles contained in the water is greater than the concentration of fine bubbles belonging to other orders, such as nano-order or milli-order. The sub-water supply route R2 functions as a microbubble water supply route.

[0027] In this embodiment, the sub-water supply path R2 is configured as a path that reaches the water tank 12 without passing through the treatment agent case 211 within the water injection case 21, as shown in Figure 2. For example, when a laundry treatment agent is put into the treatment agent case 211 and water flows simultaneously from the main water supply path R1 and the sub-water supply path R2, the water flowing through the main water supply path R1 and the sub-water supply path R2 is mixed within the water injection case 21 before being supplied to the water tank 12. The water inlet 122 constitutes the outlet for the main water supply path R1 and the sub-water supply path R2. In other words, the main water supply path R1 and the sub-water supply path R2 are paths that supply water from an external water source between the water tank 12 and the rotating tub 13 via the water inlet 122.

[0028] The shower water supply path R3 is a path that goes from the shower water supply valve 263 through the microbubble generator 30, the detergent mixing unit 241, and the spray unit 25 to the water tank 12. The spray unit 25 constitutes the outlet of the shower water supply path R3. The mixed water supplied to the spray unit 25 contains detergent and microbubble water. Furthermore, when the shower water supply valve 263 is opened while no detergent has been added to the detergent mixing unit 241, the spray unit 25 sprays detergent-free microbubble water in a shower-like manner using the water pressure from the tap.

[0029] The pressurized dissolution device 27 is located on the sub-water supply path R2, between the sub-water supply valve 262 and the microbubble generator 30. The pressurized dissolution device 27 is composed of a container-shaped member that is airtight, watertight, and pressure-resistant. The pressurized dissolution device 27 pressurizes water supplied from an external water source with the pressure of that water to dissolve the air component. The pressurized dissolution device 27 has a well-known configuration, so a detailed explanation will be omitted, but for example, the flow path area of ​​the inlet into the pressurized dissolution device 27 is larger than the flow path area of ​​the outlet from which water flows out of the pressurized dissolution device 27. Therefore, the amount of water flowing into the pressurized dissolution device 27 is greater than the amount of water flowing out of the pressurized dissolution device 27, so that the water inside the pressurized dissolution device 27 can be pressurized using only the water pressure. The pressurized dissolution device 27 then pressurizes the water and increases the internal pressure, making it easier to dissolve the air inside the pressurized dissolution device 27 into the water stored inside the pressurized dissolution device 27. As a result, the pressurized dissolution device 27 can supply water to the downstream side of the pressurized dissolution device 27 that contains a larger amount of dissolved air compared to ordinary water that does not pass through the pressurized dissolution device 27.

[0030] 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.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the microbubble generator 30 is located downstream of each water supply valve 261, 262, and 263, and is installed 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, for example, 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 3, 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.

[0032] 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 in from the outside to the inside of the main body 40. Water that has passed through the water supply valves 261, 262, and 263 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 from the inside to the outside of the main body 40. 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.

[0033] The flow path 43 includes 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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 4, 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.

[0036] The impact section 50 is composed of, for example, a plurality of rod-shaped protrusions 51, such as three, 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 three radial sections 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, forming 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.

[0037] 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. The shear force acting on this high-speed flow as it collides with the impact section 50, 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, subdivides the flow into microbubbles. As a result, the microbubble generator 30 generates a large amount of microbubbles from the air dissolved in the water passing through it, supplying microbubble water containing a larger amount of microbubbles than before it passed through the microbubble generator 30. Furthermore, the microbubble generator 30 can dramatically improve the amount of microbubbles generated by increasing the amount of air dissolved in the water passing through it using the pressurized dissolution device 27.

[0038] In this embodiment, the microbubble generator 30 is located on the shower water supply path R3. Therefore, using the water that has passed through the shower water supply path R3, microbubble water containing ultrafine bubbles can be sprayed onto the clothes in the rotating tub 13 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.

[0039] The operation of the washing machine 10 is controlled by the control unit 60 shown in Figure 5. 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 10. The washing machine 10 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 13. The weight detection unit 61 can measure the load acting on the motor 14 by measuring the current flowing to the motor 14 when the rotating tub 13 is rotated, and can detect the weight of the clothes contained in the rotating tub 13 based on that load.

[0040] The rotational speed detection unit 62 has the function of detecting the rotational speed of the rotating tank 13. The rotational speed detection unit 62 is composed of, for example, an encoder, and detects the rotational speed of the rotating tank 13 by measuring the rotational speed of the motor 14. The water level detection unit 63 has the function of detecting the water level in the water tank 12. 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 rotational speed detection unit 62, and the water level detection unit 63 are input to the control unit 60.

[0041] The motor 14, drain valve 151, circulation pump 161, operation display device 17, input pump 233, main water supply valve 261, sub water supply valve 262, and shower water supply valve 263 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 10 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 14, drain valve 151, circulation pump 161, operation display device 17, input pump 233, main water supply valve 261, sub water supply valve 262, and shower water supply valve 263 to execute the operation.

[0042] The control unit 60 controls the opening and closing of the main water supply valve 261 or the shower water supply valve 263 based on the settings for an automatic dispensing mode, in which detergent is supplied to the water tank 12 by the automatic dispensing device 23, and a manual dispensing mode, in which the user manually puts detergent into the processing agent case 211 and supplies it to the water tank 12. The user can set either the automatic dispensing mode or the manual dispensing mode by making an input operation to the operation display device 17, for example, before starting the washing operation. When the automatic dispensing mode is set, the control unit 60 opens the shower water supply valve 263 and the main water supply valve 261 during the period when detergent is supplied to the water tank 12. On the other hand, when the manual dispensing mode is set, the control unit 60 opens the main water supply valve 261 and closes the shower water supply valve 263 during the period when detergent is supplied to the water tank 12.

[0043] When the user inputs an operation to the operation display device 17 and the washing operation is started, the control unit 60 starts the flow shown in Figure 6 (start). First, the control unit 60 detects the weight of the clothes in the rotating tub 13 (step S11). Upon weight detection, the motor 14 is driven and the drain valve 151 is driven, opening the drain path. When the control unit 60 detects the weight of the clothes in the rotating tub 13, it classifies the detected weight of the clothes into one of several weight categories. As shown in Figure 7, there are two weight categories: the first category and the second category. The first category is for clothes that weigh less than a predetermined weight, for example, 7 kg, i.e., when the weight of the clothes is standard or light, and the load on the motor 14 is relatively low. The second category is for clothes that weigh 7 kg or more, i.e., when the weight of the clothes is heavy, and the load on the motor 14 is relatively high.

[0044] Next, the control unit 60 uses the operation display device 17 to display information about the operation, such as the amount of water supplied and the amount of detergent added during the washing process (step S12). The amount of water supplied and the amount of detergent added during the washing process are determined, for example, based on the weight of the clothes detected by the weight detection unit 61. After that, 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.

[0045] In the washing process, as shown in Figure 8, drainage is performed after a wetting period and a water supply period, followed by a washing period. In Figure 8, 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 before the washing period, and is the period during which water is supplied to the water tank 12 from the main water supply route R1 and the shower water supply route R3 until a predetermined water level is reached.

[0046] During the water supply period, for example, the main water supply valve 261 is kept open at all times, and water is continuously supplied to the water tank 12 via the main water supply path R1. During a portion of the water supply period, water may be supplied from the main water supply path R1, or water may be supplied from the sub-water supply path R2 in conjunction with the water supply from the main water supply path R1. Also, during the water supply period, the motor 14 can be driven at all times to agitate the clothes in the rotating tub 13. During the water supply period, the motor 14 is not limited to being driven at all times; it may also be driven intermittently, that is, the motor 14 alternates between operating and stopping. During the washing period, the circulation pump 161 and the motor 14 are driven, and water is supplied from the circulation path 164 and the clothes in the rotating tub 13 are agitated. The period during which the circulation pump 161 is driven corresponds to the circulation period, and the period during which the motor 14 is driven corresponds to the agitation period. When draining, the drain valve 151 is driven by the control unit 60 to open the drain path.

[0047] During the water supply period, the control unit 60 controls the shower water supply valve 263 and the input pump 233 to perform a spraying operation in which a mixture of detergent and microbubble water containing ultrafine bubbles is sprayed from the spraying unit 25. In the spraying operation, the control unit 60 alternately performs the operation of driving the input pump 233 to supply detergent from the detergent tank 231 to the mixing unit 241, and the operation of opening the shower water supply valve 263 to supply microbubble water to the mixing unit 241 and, consequently, the spraying unit 25, by tap water pressure. In other words, in the spraying operation, the control unit 60 does not perform the operation of supplying detergent to the mixing unit 241 and the operation of supplying microbubble water to the mixing unit 241 simultaneously. This control operation and the function of the check valve 234 prevent problems such as the detergent not being supplied from the detergent tank 231 via the input pump 233 due to being pushed back by the water pressure of the microbubble water supplied to the mixing unit 241, i.e., the tap water pressure.

[0048] The spraying action, by creating a shower-like effect, allows water to penetrate deep into the fibers of the clothing, which is expected to be effective from the early or middle stages of the water supply period. In other words, the spraying action provides a cleaning effect equivalent to soaking the clothes in the wash water. Furthermore, if the spraying action is performed during the water supply period, which is earlier than the washing period in the washing process where the clothes in the rotating tub 13 are agitated, the time required for the subsequent washing period can be shortened compared to when the spraying action is not performed. In addition, during the washing process, the spraying action allows the mixed water of detergent and water to come into contact with the clothes in a shower-like manner from a low water level in the water tank 12 from the main water supply path R1, allowing a higher concentration of detergent water to be supplied directly to the clothes over a wide area and penetrate deep into the fibers. This results in a significant improvement in cleaning performance during the subsequent agitation of the clothes in the rotating tub 13 during the washing period.

[0049] Furthermore, the control unit 60 can perform the spraying operation multiple times during the water supply period. 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 12 via the shower water supply path R3. In the examples of Figures 8 and 9, the number of spraying operations is set to three, alternating between detergent injection by the injection pump 233 and water supply from the spraying unit 25, but it is not limited to this. Multiple spraying operations can reduce the amount injected each time, and the mixing unit 241 can be made smaller. In addition, by mixing a predetermined amount of detergent with fine-bubble water in the mixing unit 241 and dividing it before putting it into the water tank 12, the mixture of detergent and fine-bubble water can be applied more uniformly to the clothes in the agitated rotating tank 13 over a wider area by changing the injection point.

[0050] Furthermore, the control unit 60 may set the number of spray operations to be higher when the weight category is category 2 than when it is category 1. This makes it easier to distribute the detergent evenly throughout the clothes by increasing the number of spray operations when there are many clothes in the rotating tub 13. Also, the time for which the shower water supply valve 263 is opened during multiple spray operations may be the same or different.

[0051] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, a wetting period is provided as a preliminary step before the water supply period in the washing process. The wetting period is the period during which the wetting operation is performed by the control unit 60. The wetting operation may be performed for the entire duration of the wetting period or for only a portion of it. The wetting operation is the operation of controlling the shower water supply valve 263 to spray water from the spray unit 25 before the spray operation is performed, thereby moistening the clothes in the rotating tub 13. In other words, during the wetting operation, the control unit 60 does not drive the detergent supply pump 233 for dispensing detergent, but instead sprays only fine-bubble water from the spray unit 25. The amount of water supplied from the spray unit 25 during the wetting operation can be, for example, an amount sufficient to reduce the volume of the inner part of the clothes and cause them to sink when wet.

[0052] In this way, by soaking the clothes with water before the spraying operation, the clothes located near the spraying unit 25 are submerged, creating space for the mixed water sprayed from the spraying unit 25 to reach the top and inside of the clothes. Therefore, during the spraying operation, the mixed water containing detergent can be evenly distributed throughout the clothes. Furthermore, when the mixed water is sprayed into the water poured into the rotating tub 13 by the wetting operation, the detergent contained in the mixed water can dissolve widely and quickly in the water in the rotating tub 13 and the water that has soaked into the clothes, thereby suppressing uneven washing and improving washing performance. Note that the amount of water supplied from the spraying unit 25 during the wetting operation may be just enough to allow the water to soak into the clothes and diffuse onto the surface of the clothes.

[0053] The control unit 60 can open the main water supply valve 261 and supply water from the main water supply path R1 while the wetting operation is being performed. This increases the amount of water supplied to the water tank 12 per unit time during the wetting operation, thereby shortening the water supply time required for the washing process.

[0054] Furthermore, the control unit 60 can drive the motor 14 to perform an agitation operation to stir the clothes in the rotating tub 13 while the wetting operation is being performed. In other words, the control unit 60 can perform the agitation operation while the clothes in the rotating tub 13 are saturated with water from the wetting operation. This allows the entire garment to be wet quickly, and by pressing the water-soaked garment against the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tub 13, it becomes easier to create space in the radial center of the rotating tub 13.

[0055] Furthermore, the rotational speed of the rotating tank 13 during the stirring operation can be set to a speed at which the clothes inside the rotating tank 13 remain attached to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tank 13 while it rotates. In this case, the rotational speed of the motor 14 during the stirring operation is set to a range exceeding, for example, 90 rpm. This makes it easier for water to spread from the inside to the outside of the clothes attached to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tank 13. As a result, it becomes easier to form a space in the radial center of the rotating tank 13, and mixed water can be effectively supplied to this space during the spraying operation.

[0056] Furthermore, the rotation speed of the rotating tank 13 during the agitation operation may be set to a rotation speed at which the clothes in the rotating tank 13 stick to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tank 13, are lifted, and then fall due to gravity. In this case, the rotation speed of the motor 14 during the agitation operation is set to, for example, a range of 45 rpm to 90 rpm. This allows the clothes in the rotating tank 13 to be lifted and agitated appropriately during the wetting operation. Therefore, by effectively changing the position of the clothes facing the spray unit 25, the clothes can be evenly wet before the spray operation is performed. Note that during the wetting operation, the motor 14 is not limited to being driven continuously; the motor 14 may be driven intermittently, that is, the motor 14 may alternate between operating and stopping.

[0057] According to the embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 comprises a water tank 12, a rotating drum 13, a motor 14, a shower water supply valve 263, a detergent tank 231, a dispensing pump 233, a detergent mixing unit 241, a spray unit 25, and a control unit 60. The rotating drum 13 is provided in the water tank 12 and is rotatable around a rotation axis Ra. The motor 14 rotates the rotating drum 13. The shower water supply valve 263 is connected to an external water source and opens and closes a shower water supply path R3 that supplies water from the external water source into the water tank 12. The detergent tank 231 is capable of storing detergent. The dispensing pump 233 pumps a predetermined amount of detergent from the detergent tank 231 onto the shower water supply path R3. The detergent mixing unit 241 mixes the water flowing through the shower water supply path R3 with the detergent pumped out by the dispensing pump 233. The spray unit 25 sprays water flowing through the shower water supply path R3 into the rotating tub 13. The control unit 60 performs a washing operation, including the washing process.

[0058] Furthermore, during the washing process, the control unit 60 controls the shower water supply valve 263 and the input pump 233 to perform a spraying operation in which the mixed water, which is a mixture of water and detergent that has passed through the detergent mixing unit 241 and flowed through the shower water supply path R3, is sprayed from the spray unit 25. In addition, before performing the spraying operation, the control unit 60 controls the shower water supply valve 263 to spray water from the spray unit 25 to perform a wetting operation in which the clothes in the rotating tub 13 are moistened.

[0059] According to this, by wetting the clothes in advance through the wetting operation to reduce their volume and allow them to sink before the detergent comes into contact with them, a space is created around the spray unit 25 and above the clothes, allowing the mixed water from the spray unit 25 to reach all the clothes in the rotating tub 13. Furthermore, when the mixed water is sprayed through the spray operation onto the water poured into the rotating tub 13 and the water soaked into the clothes through the wetting operation, the detergent contained in the mixed water can dissolve widely and quickly in the water in the rotating tub 13 and the water soaked into the clothes, suppressing uneven washing and improving washing performance. As a result, washing performance can be appropriately improved.

[0060] Furthermore, during the wetting and spraying operations, water or a mixed water is sprayed into the rotating tub 13 from the spraying unit 25, which is a common supply port, making it possible to ensure that the way the water or mixed water hits the clothes in the rotating tub 13 is substantially the same. As a result, the detergent can be effectively penetrated by the spraying operation into the clothes that have been loosened by the wetting operation, further suppressing the occurrence of uneven washing.

[0061] The control unit 60, after wetting the clothes in the rotating tub 13 to absorb moisture, drives the motor 14 to perform an agitation operation to stir the clothes in the rotating tub 13. This agitation reduces the volume of the clothes in the rotating tub 13, making them easier to sink. Furthermore, by using the wetting operation and the agitation operation in combination, the entire contents of the rotating tub 13 can be wetted.

[0062] The rotational speed of the rotating tank 13 during the agitation operation is such that the clothes inside the rotating tank 13 remain attached to the inner circumferential wall of the tank while rotating. This allows water to easily spread from the inside to the outside of the clothes attached to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tank 13. Furthermore, because a space can be formed in the central part of the clothes inside the rotating tank 13, the mixed water can be effectively sprayed when the spraying operation is performed. As a result, the washing performance can be further improved.

[0063] The rotational speed of the rotating tank 13 during the agitation operation is the speed at which the clothes inside the rotating tank 13 stick to the inner circumferential wall of the rotating tank 13, are lifted, and then fall due to gravity. This allows for the clothes inside the rotating tank 13 to be loosened and replaced, thereby enabling efficient wetting of all the clothes inside the rotating tank 13 during the wetting operation.

[0064] The washing machine 10 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 12 and the rotating drum 13. The control unit 60 opens the main water supply valve 261 to supply water from the main water supply path R1 during the wetting operation. This increases the amount of water supplied to the water tank 12 per unit time during the wetting operation, thereby shortening the water supply time required for the washing process. This makes it possible to improve washing performance while suppressing the prolongation of the operating time.

[0065] The control unit 60 drives the motor 14 to agitate the clothes in the rotating tub 13 while the spraying operation, which is performed after the wetting operation, is being carried out. This promotes the replacement of the clothes in the rotating tub 13 through agitation, allowing the mixed water to come into even contact with all the clothes in the rotating tub 13. This further improves the washing performance.

[0066] The washing machine 10 is further equipped with a microbubble generator 30. The microbubble generator 30 is located downstream of the shower water supply valve 263 and generates microbubble water by incorporating microbubbles into the water passing through it. As a result, the penetrating power of the microbubble water into the fibers allows the detergent components contained in the mixed water to reach deeper into the fibers, thereby achieving high cleaning performance.

[0067] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. In this embodiment, the control content executed by the control unit 60 in the washing process differs from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, in this embodiment, the control unit 60 determines whether or not to perform a wetting operation based on the weight of the clothes detected by the weight detection unit 61. As shown in Figure 9, the control unit 60 can be configured not to perform a wetting operation before the water supply period of the washing process when the weight category is the first category. In this way, when the weight of the clothes is relatively light, the operating time can be optimized by not providing a wetting period in the washing process, and the decrease in detergent concentration in the fabric of the clothes can be taken into consideration, so that an appropriate washing operation can be expected.

[0068] As shown in Figure 9, if no wetting period is provided in the washing process, the control unit 60 can perform the operation of adding detergent to the first mixing unit 241 in the washing process in a step prior to the water supply process. This allows for early addition and mixing of detergent to the water supplied to the water tank 12 from the shower water supply path R3, which contains ultrafine bubbles, when the water supply process begins. Furthermore, in the initial stages of the water supply process, before the detergent-free water supplied from the main water supply path R1 penetrates the fibers of the clothing, the mixed water containing the ultrafine bubbles and detergent is sprayed onto the clothing at high speed, combined with its mechanical force, thereby effectively delivering the detergent components deep into the fibers. Note that when the weight category is category 1, the control unit 60 may perform the wetting operation with a small amount of water for a shorter period of time compared to when the weight category is category 2.

[0069] On the other hand, if the weight category is Category 2 and the rotating tub 13 is packed full of clothes, making it difficult to move, and the spraying operation is performed with dry clothes positioned near the spraying unit 25, the mixed water sprayed from the spraying unit 25 may only reach a portion of the clothes in front of it, leaving the rest of the clothes uncleaned, potentially resulting in insufficient cleaning. Furthermore, even if the clothes in the rotating tub 13 are agitated simultaneously with the spraying operation, the mixed water will concentrate on a portion of the front surface of the clothes, making it difficult to achieve a proper cleaning effect on the entire garment.

[0070] Therefore, if the weight category is the second category, the control unit 60 can perform a wetting operation before the water supply period of the washing process. In this case, the execution time of the wetting operation can be set by, for example, the opening time of the shower water supply valve 263 which has been set in advance, or the time until the detected weight increases by a predetermined percentage, for example, about 30% of the weight of the dry clothes as detected by the weight detection unit 61.

[0071] Here, if the weight of the clothes in the rotating tub 13 exceeds a predetermined amount, that is, if a large amount of clothes are contained in the rotating tub 13, even if a mixture of detergent and water is sprayed from the spray unit 25, the mixture will come into contact with some of the clothes near the spray unit 25. In this case, it becomes difficult to obtain the cleaning effect obtained by spraying the mixture onto the clothes via the spray unit 25 for all the clothes in the rotating tub 13. Therefore, when the weight of the clothes in the rotating tub 13 exceeds a predetermined amount, the clothes are pre-wet by a wetting operation before the detergent comes into contact with the clothes, reducing their volume and causing them to sink. This creates space near the spray unit 25, allowing the mixture from the spray unit 25 to reach all the clothes in the rotating tub 13. This allows for an appropriate improvement in cleaning performance.

[0072] In the embodiments described above, a configuration was described in which a microbubble generator 30 is provided in each water supply path R1, R2, and R3, and a pressurized dissolution device 27 is provided in the sub-water supply path R2. However, the washing machine 10 may also adopt a configuration in which a microbubble generator 30 is not provided in each water supply path R1, R2, and R3, and a pressurized dissolution device 27 is not provided in the sub-water supply path R2. In other words, the water supplied from each water supply path R1, R2, and R3 is not limited to microbubble water containing ultrafine bubbles, but may also be ordinary tap water.

[0073] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples only 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]

[0074] 10...Washing machine, 12...Water tank, 13...Rotating drum, 14...Motor, 231...Detergent tank, 233...Dispensing pump, 241...Detergent mixing unit (mixing unit), 25...Spray unit, 263...Shower water supply valve (water supply valve), 60...Control unit, R3...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 into the water tank, A detergent tank capable of storing detergent, An input pump that pumps a predetermined amount of the detergent from the detergent tank onto the water supply path, A mixing section in which the water flowing through the water supply path and the detergent pumped out by the input pump are mixed, A spray unit that sprays water flowing through the water supply path into the inside of the rotating tank, It comprises a control unit that performs a washing operation including a washing process, The control unit, In the washing process, the water supply valve and the input pump are controlled to perform a spraying operation in which the mixed water, which has passed through the mixing section and flows through the water supply path, and the detergent are mixed and sprayed from the spraying section. Before performing the aforementioned spraying operation, the water supply valve is controlled to spray water from the spraying unit to perform a wetting operation in which the clothes in the rotating tank are moistened. washing machine.

2. The rotating tank is equipped with a weight detection unit that detects the weight of the clothing stored inside, The control unit executes the wetting operation when the weight of the clothing detected by the weight detection unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. The washing machine according to claim 1.

3. The control unit, having made the clothes in the rotating tank moist by the wetting operation, drives the motor to perform an agitation operation to agitate the clothes in the rotating tank. The washing machine according to claim 1.

4. The rotational speed of the rotating tank during the stirring operation is such that the clothes inside the rotating tank remain attached to the inner circumferential wall while rotating. The washing machine according to claim 3.

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

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 opens the main water supply valve and supplies water from the main water supply path while the wetting operation is being performed. The washing machine according to claim 1.

7. The control unit drives the motor to agitate the clothes in the rotating tank while the spraying operation, which is performed after the wetting operation, The washing machine according to claim 1.

8. The system further includes a microbubble generator provided downstream of the water supply valve, which generates microbubbled water by incorporating microbubbles into the water passing through it. A washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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