washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine which has an excellent effect of preventing leakage of a washing treatment agent to the outside when a tank for storing the washing treatment agent is taken out, in the washing machine including an automatic input device for a washing treatment agent.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes an automatic input device for automatically inputting a washing treatment agent into a water tub provided in a body. The automatic input device includes: a tank storage part provided at the body; a tank for storing a washing treatment agent, and mounted detachably on the tank storage part; and a pump for pumping up the washing treatment agent from the tank. At the tank, a connection port to be connected to a suction port of the pump when being mounted to the tank storage part is provided positioned at a peripheral wall part above a tank bottom part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a washing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in a drum-type washing machine, a drawer-type detergent case is generally provided at the upper front of the main body, and the user places the required amount of detergent and fabric softener in the detergent case before starting the wash, so that they are supplied into the water tub together with the water supply during the wash operation. In recent years, in order to meet the demand for improved user convenience, in addition to the manual detergent case, it has been considered to provide an automatic dispenser that stores laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener in the tank in advance for multiple uses, and automatically dispenses the required amount from the tank into the water tub by driving a pump during the wash operation (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-74082 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned automatic dispenser, the tank for storing the laundry treatment agent is removably mounted in the tank housing, and can be removed when refilling the laundry treatment agent. When the laundry treatment agent is mounted in the tank housing, the outlet for the laundry treatment agent provided at the bottom of the tank is connected to the suction port of the pump. At this time, the outlet of the tank is provided with a check valve, which is open when the tank is mounted and closes when the tank is removed to prevent the laundry treatment agent from leaking.

[0005] However, in the above configuration, when the laundry treatment agent adheres to the check valve and sticks to it after a long period of use, or when a foreign object gets caught in the check valve, the function of the check valve is impaired, and therefore there is a risk that the laundry treatment agent remaining in the tank will leak out when the tank is removed. In view of this, a washing machine equipped with an automatic dispenser for a laundry treatment agent is provided that is excellent in preventing the laundry treatment agent from leaking to the outside when a tank that contains the laundry treatment agent is removed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The washing machine according to the embodiment includes an automatic dispenser that automatically dispenses a laundry treatment agent into a water tank provided in a main body. The automatic dispenser includes a tank storage section provided in the main body, a tank that stores the laundry treatment agent and is detachably attached to the tank storage section, and a pump that pumps the laundry treatment agent out of the tank. a residual amount notification device for detecting the liquid level of the laundry treatment agent in the tank and notifying the user when the liquid level drops to a level at which refilling is recommended; Equipped with the remaining amount indicating device has a float that swings in response to the liquid level of the laundry treatment agent in the tank, The tank has a connection port that is connected to the suction port of the pump when the tank is mounted in the tank housing portion, the connection port being located on a peripheral wall portion above the bottom of the tank. At a position higher than the liquid level at which refilling is recommended and lower than the liquid level at which the float stops It is provided. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a drum-type washing machine according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] Left side view of water supply mechanism [Diagram 3] A top view of the water supply mechanism when the storage case is pulled out. [Figure 4] Rear perspective view of detergent tank [Diagram 5] Right side cross-sectional view of detergent tank [Figure 6] A longitudinal sectional right side view of the detergent tank showing the warning level [Figure 7] Enlarged right side view of the connection port DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention applied to a drum-type washing machine will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows the appearance of a drum-type washing machine as a washing machine according to this embodiment. Here, a main body 1 constituting an outer box of the drum-type washing machine is substantially rectangular box-shaped, and a circular entrance 2 through which clothes are put in and taken out is provided at the front part of the main body 1, located at the substantially center, and a door 3 is attached so as to be able to open and close the entrance 2.

[0009] A power switch 4 and an operation panel 5 are provided on the front right part of the top surface of the main body 1. Although not shown, the operation panel 5 is provided with a start key and various operation keys for the user to set the washing operation course, etc. At this time, when executing the washing operation, the user can select and operate on the operation panel 5 whether to automatically add the washing treatment agent, i.e., detergent and fabric softener, by the automatic adding device 17 described later, or to manually add one dose of detergent and fabric softener by using the manual supply mechanism 19. The operation panel 5 is provided with a display unit 6, which, although not shown, displays the necessary information such as the washing course of the washing operation to be executed and the washing operation time. The display unit 6 also notifies the user by displaying text that the amount of detergent and fabric softener remaining in the tanks 31 and 32 described later is low.

[0010] Although not shown, a water tub that is generally cylindrical with an open front and communicates with the inlet / outlet 2 and that stores wash water is provided within the main body 1 and is elastically supported via an elastic support mechanism. A drum is provided within the water tub as a storage tub for storing clothes. This drum is cylindrical with a diameter slightly smaller than the water tub, and its rear center is connected to a drive mechanism consisting of a drum motor or the like and driven to rotate. Also provided within the main body 1 is a water supply mechanism 8 located at the upper left of the water tub for supplying water to the water tub. This water supply mechanism 8 will be described later. A drain is provided at the bottom of the water tub, and a drain pipe is connected to the drain via a drain valve.

[0011] Although not shown, a drying mechanism for circulating and supplying hot air for drying into the water tank and, ultimately, into the drum is provided within the main body 1. This drying mechanism includes a dry air circulation duct that forms an air passage outside the water tank, and a drying unit located midway through the duct that dehumidifies and heats the circulating air to generate dry air. The drying unit is configured, for example, by incorporating a heat pump and a blower in a case. Furthermore, various sensors are provided within the main body 1, such as a water level sensor that detects the water level in the water tank, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature in the drum, and a rotation sensor that detects the rotation position of the drum motor.

[0012] Here, we will describe the water supply mechanism 8, automatic insertion device 17, and manual insertion mechanism 19. As also shown in Figures 2 and 3, the water supply mechanism 8 includes a water supply valve unit 12 provided at the rear of the upper left side inside the main body 1, a water injection case 13 provided at the front of the upper left side inside the main body 1, an automatic water supply path 14 and a manual water supply path 15 connecting the water supply valve unit 12 to the water injection case 13, a water supply hose 16 for supplying water from the water injection case 13 into the water tank, and the like.

[0013] An automatic dispenser 17 is provided at the upper left side of the main body 1, together with the water supply mechanism 8, for automatically dispensing liquid detergent and fabric softener as laundry treatment agents into the water tub through the water inlet case 13. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a manual dispenser mechanism 19 is built in which, when a user pre-fills a single load of detergent (liquid, powder) and fabric softener as laundry treatment agents into a storage case 18 as a manual storage section, the detergent and fabric softener are supplied into the water tub together with the water supply.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the water supply valve unit 12 is provided with a frame 12a and a plurality of water supply valves that are electromagnetically opened and closed. In this embodiment, an automatic water supply valve 21 and a manual detergent water supply valve 22 are provided on the left and right sides of the upper part of the frame 12a (see Fig. 3), and a manual fabric softener water supply valve 20 (see Fig. 2) is provided on the lower part. As shown in Fig. 1, a connection pipe 23 is provided on the upper part of the water supply valve unit 12 so as to be exposed on the upper surface of the main body 1, and a water faucet as a water supply source is connected to this connection pipe 23. Although not shown in detail, the connection pipe 23 branches into three at the lower part and is connected to the inlets of the water supply valves 20 to 22, respectively.

[0015] The outlet of the automatic water supply valve 21 is connected to the inlet of the automatic water supply path 14. The outlet of the manual detergent water supply valve 22 is connected to the inlet of the detergent flow path of the manual water supply path 15, and the outlet of the manual fabric softener water supply valve 20 is connected to the inlet of the fabric softener flow path of the manual water supply path 15. The automatic water supply path 14 and the manual water supply path 15 will be described later. As shown in Figure 3, a bath water pump 24 for pumping up leftover bath water and the like is installed on the right side of the water supply valve unit 12.

[0016] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the water injection case 13 is made of plastic and has a rectangular box shape with an open top, and is disposed at the left end of the upper front side of the main body 1. A flow path forming member 25 constituting the manual water supply path 15 is disposed at the top opening of the water injection case 13. Although not shown in Fig. 3, the top surface of the flow path forming member 25 is covered with a lid member. The bottom of the water injection case 13 gently slopes downward toward the rear, and the tip of the water supply hose 16 is connected to the lower rear end, and the rear end of the water supply hose 16 is connected to the water supply port of the water tank (not shown). An opening is provided at the front of the water injection case 13 through which the storage case 18 is inserted and removed, and this opening faces the opening at the upper left front of the main body 1.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 3, the storage case 18 is made of plastic and has a manual detergent storage section 18a and a manual fabric softener storage section 18b, both of which are thin and open at the top and somewhat long from front to back, side by side and integrated. The manual detergent storage section 18a stores, for example, a single dose of detergent, in this case liquid detergent or powder detergent, and the manual fabric softener storage section 18b stores a single dose of fabric softener, called a softener, as needed. Although not shown in detail, the manual detergent storage section 18a has an open rear end that serves as a detergent discharge section. The manual fabric softener storage section 18b also has a so-called siphon-type discharge section.

[0018] The storage case 18 is of a so-called drawer type, which is provided in the water filling case 13 so as to be removable from the front side. At this time, as shown in Fig. 1, a front door 26 having a handle 26a is connected to the front end of the storage case 18. The storage case 18 is removable between a storage position (see Fig. 1) in which the front door 26 closes an opening at the upper left front side inside the main body 1, and a drawer position (see Fig. 3) in which the front door 26 is drawn forward from the storage position. The storage case 18 is arranged at the upper part inside the water filling case 13 in the storage position.

[0019] 3, the manual water supply path 15 extends to the right from the front of the water supply valve unit 12, extends forward to bypass the right side of the tank housing portion of the automatic dispenser 17 described below, and then bends to the left to reach the upper part of the water injection case 13. As described above, the manual water supply path 15 is configured to have two flow paths, the detergent flow path 27 and the fabric softener flow path 28, by dividing the upper surface of the plastic flow path forming member 25 by a rib.

[0020] Of these, the detergent flow path 27 has an inlet 27a connected to the outlet of the manual detergent water supply valve 22, extends to the left side of the upper part of the water injection case 13, i.e., above the manual detergent storage section 18a of the storage case 18, and has a plurality of small-diameter water spray holes 27b lined up front to back on the left and right parts. The fabric softener flow path 28 has an inlet 28a connected to the outlet of the manual fabric softener water supply valve 20, extends to the right side of the upper part of the water injection case 13, i.e., above the manual fabric softener storage section 18b of the storage case 18, and has three slightly larger water injection holes 28b lined up front to back.

[0021] The above-mentioned configuration constitutes the manual supply mechanism 19. In this manual supply mechanism 19, when the manual detergent water supply valve 22 is opened, tap water supplied from the connection pipe 23 passes through the detergent flow path 27 of the manual water supply path 15 and is sprayed in a shower-like manner from the spray holes 27b into the manual detergent storage section 18a of the storage case 18. The water supplied to the manual detergent storage section 18a flows to the bottom of the water supply case 13 while dissolving the stored detergent, and is supplied to the water tank through the water supply hose 16.

[0022] In addition, in this manual supply mechanism 19, when the manual fabric softener water supply valve 20 is opened, tap water supplied from the connection pipe 23 passes through the fabric softener flow path 28 of the manual water supply path 15 and is injected from the water injection hole 28b into the manual fabric softener storage section 18b of the storage case 18. The water supplied to the manual fabric softener storage section 18b is supplied from the water injection case 13 through the water supply hose 16 into the water tub while dissolving the stored fabric softener.

[0023] Here, the automatic dispenser 17 will be described. As shown in Figures 2, 3, etc., the automatic dispenser 17 includes a tank case 29 serving as a tank accommodating section provided on the rear side of the water injection case 13, and a pump 30 provided at the rear of the tank case 29. The tank case 29 is generally rectangular box-shaped with an open top that is somewhat long in the front-to-rear direction, and as shown in Figure 1, a detergent tank 31 and a fabric softener tank 32, both of which are rectangular boxes elongated in the front-to-rear direction, are provided inside the tank case 29 side by side so as to be removable upward, i.e., detachable.

[0024] In this case, the detergent tank 31 contains a liquid detergent that can be used for multiple washes, and the fabric softener tank 32 contains a fabric softener that can be used for multiple washes. As shown in Fig. 1, an access opening 33 corresponding to the upper surface of the tank case 29 is provided on the top surface of the main body 1, and a lid 34 for opening and closing the access opening 33 is provided. A user can refill the detergent and fabric softener by opening the lid 34 and removing the detergent tank 31 and the fabric softener tank 32 upward. The detailed configurations of the detergent tank 31 and the fabric softener tank 32 will be described later.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 3, the pump 30 has two suction ports 30a, 30b facing forward, and two discharge ports (not shown) facing downward, and is configured with a motor as a drive source. The pump 30 is configured to switch between the suction ports 30a, 30b that suck in liquid and the discharge port that discharges liquid by switching the rotation direction (current flow direction) of the motor. The two discharge ports of the pump 30 are located above the discharge part midway through the automatic water supply path 14, which will be described later.

[0026] At this time, one side of the pump 30, i.e., the left suction port 30a, is connected to the detergent tank 31 side, and the detergent in the detergent tank 31 is pumped up by the rotation of the motor in one direction and discharged from the one side, i.e., the left discharge port. The other side of the pump 30, i.e., the right suction port 30b, is connected to the fabric softener tank 32 side, and the fabric softener in the fabric softener tank 32 is pumped up by the rotation of the motor in the other direction and discharged from the other side, i.e., the right discharge port. The discharge amount of detergent and fabric softener, i.e., the amount supplied to the discharge part in the automatic water supply path 14, is controlled by the driving time of the pump 30. The connection structure between the suction ports 30a, 30b of the pump 30 and the tanks 31, 32 will also be described later.

[0027] 2 and other figures, the automatic water supply path 14 includes a first joint member 35, a second joint member 36, and a connecting hose 37 connecting them. The first joint member 35 is located at the lower portion between the water supply valve unit 12 and the tank case 29, and includes a case portion 35a that is rectangular and slightly long from side to side and thin from top to bottom, an inlet pipe 35b, and an outlet pipe portion 35c.

[0028] At this time, although not shown, the discharge port of the pump 30 is connected to the upper surface of the case part 35a, and the inside of the case part 35a into which the laundry treatment agent falls is the discharge part, and this part is the mixing space 38 in which the laundry treatment agent and water are mixed. The inlet pipe 35b is configured to extend upward from the rear end part on the right side of the upper surface of the case part 35a, and its upper end, which is the inlet end part of the automatic water supply path 14, is connected to the outlet part of the automatic water supply valve 21. The outlet pipe part 35c is provided so as to protrude forward from the front left end part of the case part 35a.

[0029] As a result, the mixing space 38 of the case 35a, which is the portion where the laundry treatment agent is discharged by the pump 30, is located at a lower position than the inlet end of the upper end of the inlet pipe 35b. In this embodiment, the outlet pipe 35c has a larger flow path diameter than the inlet pipe 35b. Although not shown in detail, the inner bottom of the case 35a is gently inclined downward toward the outlet pipe 35c at the front left side, so that all the liquid in the mixing space 38 is discharged from the outlet pipe 35c.

[0030] The second coupling member 36 is configured in an L-shape when viewed from above, and one end is connected to a connection hole provided in the lower part of the left side wall portion, which is the peripheral wall portion of the water injection case 13, and constitutes the outlet end of the automatic water supply passage 14. Although not shown, the connection hole is located lower than the storage case 18. The other end side of the second coupling member 36 is arranged facing rearward along the side wall of the water injection case 13, and as shown in FIG. 2, the outlet pipe portion 35c of the first coupling member 35 and the other end side of the second coupling member 36 are connected by the connecting hose 37. The second coupling member 36 is provided at a position slightly lower than the outlet pipe portion 35c, and the connecting hose 37 is gently inclined downward toward the front.

[0031] As a result, in the automatic water supply path 14, when the automatic water supply valve 21 is opened, tap water supplied from the connecting pipe 23 flows from the inlet pipe 35b of the first joint member 35 into the case portion 35a, i.e., the mixing space 38, and is mixed with detergent or fabric softener if they are supplied to the discharge portion. The mixed wash water is discharged from the outlet pipe portion 35c, passes through the connecting hose 37, and flows into the lower part of the water injection case 13 from the connection hole 13a through the second joint member 36. It then flows rearward below the storage case 18 and is supplied to the water tub through the water supply hose 16.

[0032] In this way, automatic dispenser 17 can supply only the required amount of detergent contained in detergent tank 31 to the discharge portion by driving pump 30, and can also supply only the required amount of fabric softener contained in fabric softener tank 32 to the discharge portion. When detergent or fabric softener is being supplied to the discharge portion by driving pump 30, and automatic water supply valve 21 is turned on to supply water to automatic water supply path 14, the water is mixed with the detergent or fabric softener at the discharge portion, dissolves the detergent or fabric softener, flows as wash water, and is supplied to the water tub through water supply case 13.

[0033] The detergent tank 31 and fabric softener tank 32 will now be described with reference to Figures 4 to 7. The detergent tank 31 and fabric softener tank 32 have the same configuration, except that they are different in width, that is, the detergent tank 31 is configured to have a slightly larger capacity than the fabric softener tank 32. Therefore, Figures 4 to 7 show the detergent tank 31 as a representative, and the following description will focus on this detergent tank 31.

[0034] The detergent tank 31 is made of, for example, plastic and is formed in a substantially rectangular box shape with the side surface close to the forward direction and a slightly narrow width dimension. As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, an opening 31a for refilling is formed at the front of the top surface of the detergent tank 31, and a lid 39 for opening and closing the opening 31a is attached so as to be able to open and close. A handle 40 for attachment and detachment is integrally provided at the upper end of the front side of the detergent tank 31. This allows the user to perform operations such as opening the lid 34 of the main body 1, grasping the handle 40 to remove the detergent tank 31 upward from the tank case 29, opening the lid 39 to refill the detergent through the opening 31a, and then closing the lid 39 to attach the detergent tank 31 to the tank case 29 again.

[0035] As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, the lower half of the rear side, which is the peripheral wall of the detergent tank 31, is provided with a bulging portion 31b that protrudes backward, and a connection port 41 is provided in a portion near the upper portion of the bulging portion 31b. When the detergent tank 31 is attached to the tank case 29, the tip of the suction port 30a of the pump 30 is relatively inserted and connected to the connection port 41. Therefore, the connection port 41 is provided at a position on the peripheral wall portion above the bottom of the detergent tank 31. Also, at this time, as shown in Fig. 6, the connection port 41 is provided at a position higher than the notification liquid level L described later. In addition, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a mesh-like filter member 53 is provided in the detergent tank 31 to prevent dust and the like contained in the detergent from being sucked in by the pump 30.

[0036] 5 to 7, a suction pipe 42 is provided in the detergent tank 31 to allow the pump 30 to suck up the detergent inside the detergent tank 31. The suction pipe 42 is configured in an inverted L-shape or T-shape, with one end connected to the connection port 41 and the other end extending toward the bottom of the detergent tank 31 and opening at the lower end near the bottom. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the suction pipe 42 is configured integrally to include a horizontal pipe section 43 extending horizontally from a tip connected to the connection port 41 toward the inside, i.e., the front, of the detergent tank 31, and a downward pipe section 44 communicating with the horizontal pipe section 43 and extending downward from the front lower surface of the horizontal pipe section 43 to the vicinity of the bottom of the detergent tank 31.

[0037] 7, the end of the horizontal pipe section 43 opposite the connection port 41, i.e., the front end, is formed as an opening 43a, and a cylindrical cap member 45 for closing the opening 43a is removably attached to the front end of the horizontal pipe section 43. In this case, the cap member 45 has a plurality of engagement holes 45a formed in its outer circumferential wall, and these engagement holes 45a engage with a plurality of claws 43b formed on the outer circumferential surface of the horizontal pipe section 43, thereby allowing the cap member 45 to be attached to the front end of the horizontal pipe section 43.

[0038] In this embodiment, a check valve 46 for preventing liquid leakage from the detergent tank 31 to the outside is incorporated inside the horizontal pipe section 43 of the suction pipe 42. A partition wall 47 having an opening 47a is provided in the horizontal pipe section 43 so as to divide the horizontal pipe section 43 into front and rear sections. The check valve 46 is configured to include a valve body 46a that moves in the front-rear direction to open and close the opening 47a, and a coil spring 48 that biases the valve body 46a backward, i.e., in the direction to close the opening 47a. The coil spring 48 is provided between the valve body 46a and the cap member 45. The valve body 46a also has a push-in pin 46b extending backward as an integral part of the valve body 46a.

[0039] As a result, when the detergent tank 31 is removed from the tank case 29, that is, when the suction port 30a of the pump 30 is not connected to the connection port 41, the spring force of the coil spring 48 presses the valve body 46a of the check valve 46 against the partition wall 47 to close the opening 47a, and communication between the horizontal pipe portion 43 and the hanging pipe portion 44. In contrast, when the detergent tank 31 is attached to the tank case 29 and the suction port 30a of the pump 30 is connected to the connection port 41, the suction port 30a pushes the push pin 46b forward, and the valve body 46a of the check valve 46 moves forward against the spring force of the coil spring 48 to open the opening 47a, thereby connecting the horizontal pipe portion 43 and the hanging pipe portion 44.

[0040] 5 and 6, a remaining amount notification device 49 is provided which detects the detergent level in the detergent tank 31 and issues a notification when the detergent level drops to a level at which refilling is recommended, i.e., notification level L. In this embodiment, the remaining amount notification device 49 is configured by providing a swing lever 50 in the detergent tank 31 and a magnetic sensor 51 at the bottom of the tank case 29. The swing lever 50 has an upper end which is rotatably supported at the upper rear end of the side wall inside the detergent tank 31, and a lower part which extends diagonally forward. A rectangular plate-shaped float portion 50a is provided integrally with the lower end of the swing lever 50, and a permanent magnet 52 is attached to the float portion 50a.

[0041] The float portion 50a functions as a float that floats on the detergent liquid surface so that the liquid level is at its center, and as a result, the swing lever 50 swings between the position shown by the solid line and the position shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 5 according to the height of the detergent liquid level in the detergent tank 31. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, when the detergent liquid level in the detergent tank 31 is equal to or higher than the liquid level L0, the swing lever 50 stops at a position where the float portion 50a contacts the front wall. When the detergent in the detergent tank 31 falls below the liquid level L0, the float portion 50a descends, and when it falls to the warning level L, which is a liquid level at which refilling of detergent is recommended, as shown in FIG. 6, the magnetic sensor 51 detects the permanent magnet 52. At this time, the detection signal of the magnetic sensor 51 is input to a control device (not shown).

[0042] As a result, the remaining amount notification device 49 detects that the detergent in the detergent tank 31 has fallen below the notification level L at which detergent refill is recommended, and in response to this detection, a notification is given to the user, for example, a display on the display unit 6 urging the user to refill the detergent. As described above, the connection port 41 is provided at a position higher than the notification level L. Although not shown or described separately, the fabric softener tank 32 also has the same configuration as the detergent tank 31, and the suction port 30b of the pump 30 is connected to the connection port 41 provided at a position higher than the notification level L of the fabric softener tank 32, and the remaining amount notification device 49 issues a notification when the level of the fabric softener in the fabric softener tank 32 falls to the notification level L.

[0043] The control device is mainly composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and controls the entire washing machine. The control device controls the water supply valves 21, 21, 22 of the water supply valve unit 12, the pump 30 of the automatic inserter 17, the drum motor, the drain valve, the drying unit, etc., based on input signals from various sensors and a control program stored in advance, according to the operation course set by the user on the operation panel 5. In this way, the washing operation consisting of the washing step, the rinsing step, and the spin-drying step, and the drying operation are automatically performed. Details of each step of the washing operation and the drying operation are well known, so they will not be described here. Also, as described above, when the control device detects that the detergent or fabric softener has fallen below the warning level L by the remaining amount warning device 49, it warns the user of the fact, i.e., displays the fact on the display unit 6.

[0044] In this embodiment, when a user starts a washing operation, the user selects on the operation panel 5 whether to automatically dispense detergent and fabric softener using the automatic dispenser 17 or to manually dispense one dose of detergent and fabric softener using the storage case 18 of the manual dispenser mechanism 19. When automatic detergent and fabric softener dispensing is selected, the control device supplies a required amount of detergent to the discharge section using the automatic dispenser 17 before starting water supply in the washing process, and then turns on the automatic water supply valve 21 to supply water. Also, before the final rinsing process, the automatic dispenser 17 supplies a required amount of fabric softener to the supply section, and then opens the automatic water supply valve 21 to supply water. The water supply is performed so that the water level in the water tub corresponds to the amount of fabric based on the result of detecting the amount of fabric in the drum.

[0045] Next, the operation and effect of the washing machine configured as above will be described. In preparation for using the automatic dispenser 17, the user places detergent in the detergent tank 31 and fabric softener in the fabric softener tank 32. To run the washing machine, the user operates the power switch 4 to turn on the power and place clothes in the drum. The user also selects an operation course using the operation panel 5. In addition, the user can select either automatic or manual dispense of the detergent and fabric softener. When the washing operation starts, the control device controls each mechanism of the washing machine to automatically execute the washing operation consisting of the well-known washing, rinsing, and spin-drying steps.

[0046] At this time, if automatic detergent dispensing is selected, the pump 30 of the automatic dispensing device 17 is controlled to suck the detergent in the detergent tank 31 through the suction port 30a before the start of water supply in the wash stroke. At this time, the suction port 30a of the pump 30 is connected, i.e. inserted, to the connection port 41 of the detergent tank 31, so that the push-in pin 46b is pushed in and the check valve 46 is opened, and the detergent is sucked up from the lower end of the hanging pipe portion 44 of the suction pipe 42 at the bottom of the detergent tank 31 and sucked through the horizontal pipe portion 43. By driving the pump 30 for a predetermined time, a required amount of detergent is supplied to the discharge portion, i.e., the mixing space 38, midway along the automatic water supply path 14.

[0047] Thereafter, when the automatic water supply valve 21 is opened, water from the water supply source is supplied to the automatic water supply path 14. At this time, the water flows from the inlet pipe 35b of the first joint member 35 into the mixing space 38 of the case portion 35a, and is mixed with the detergent supplied to the discharge portion. The mixed wash water passes through the outlet pipe portion 35c, the connecting hose 37, and the second joint member 36, and flows into the lower portion of the water injection case 13 from the connection hole 13a. The water then flows rearward under the storage case 18, and is supplied into the water tub through the water supply hose 16. Thus, the wash water in which the detergent has been dissolved is automatically supplied to the water tub, and the washing cycle is performed.

[0048] After this, the cycle proceeds, and just before the water supply for the final pre-rinse cycle, if automatic supply has been selected, the pump 30 of the automatic supply device 17 is driven in the reverse direction, and this time the fabric softener in the fabric softener tank 32 is sucked in from the suction port 30b through the suction pipe 42 in the same manner. By driving the pump 30 for a predetermined time, a required amount of fabric softener is supplied to the discharge portion, i.e., the mixing space 38, in the middle of the automatic water supply path 14. After this, the automatic water supply valve 21 is opened, and the water flowing through the automatic water supply path 14 dissolves the fabric softener in the mixing space 38, and the wash water containing the fabric softener is supplied into the water tub through the water supply case 13, and the final pre-rinse cycle is executed. After this, the spin cycle and the like are executed.

[0049] Here, as the washing operation is repeated while the automatic dispenser 17 automatically dispenses detergent and fabric softener, the detergent in the detergent tank 31 and the fabric softener in the fabric softener tank 32 gradually decrease. As described above, when the remaining amount notification device 49 detects that the detergent in the detergent tank 31 has fallen below the notification level L at which it is recommended to replenish the detergent, a display is displayed on the display unit 6 urging the user to replenish the detergent, and a notification is given to the user. Similarly, when the level of the fabric softener in the fabric softener tank 32 falls to the notification level L, a display is displayed on the display unit 6 urging the user to replenish the fabric softener.

[0050] When the user sees a notification on the display unit 6 urging the user to refill the laundry treatment agent, or when the user feels from experience that refilling is about to be required, the user performs the task of refilling the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 31, 32. Now, when the user refills the detergent tank 31 with detergent, the user opens the lid 34 on the top of the main body 1, removes the detergent tank 31 upward, opens the lid body 39, refills the detergent, and then reattaches it in the tank case 29. At this time, the connection port 41 of the detergent tank 31 is not located at the bottom of the tank 31 but on the peripheral wall above it, that is, at a relatively high position.

[0051] Therefore, even if detergent remains in the detergent tank 31 when the detergent tank 31 is removed from the tank case 29, the liquid level rarely becomes higher than the position of the connection port 41, and in most cases, the liquid level of the detergent is lower than the position of the connection port 41. This prevents the detergent from leaking out from the connection port 41. Furthermore, when the detergent tank 31 is removed from the tank case 29, the suction port 30a of the pump 30 is disconnected from the connection port 41 and the check valve 46 is in a closed state, so leakage can be prevented even more effectively. Note that the fabric softener tank 32 can also be refilled in the same manner, and similarly, the fabric softener is effectively prevented from leaking out from the connection port 41.

[0052] Thus, according to this embodiment, the connection port 41, which is the outlet for the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 31, 32 of the automatic dosing device 17, is configured to be located not at the bottom of the tanks 31, 32 but on the peripheral wall above it. As a result, according to this embodiment, in a device equipped with the automatic dosing device 17 for laundry treatment agent, the connection port 41 is located at a relatively high position, which provides an excellent effect of preventing the laundry treatment agent from leaking out when the tanks 31, 32 containing the laundry treatment agent are removed.

[0053] Particularly in this embodiment, a remaining amount notification device 49 is provided that detects the liquid level of the laundry treatment agent in the tanks 31, 32 and notifies the user when the liquid level drops to a notification level L at which replenishment is recommended, and the connection port 41 is provided at a position higher than the notification level L. As a result, the user will remove the tanks 31, 32 mostly when the liquid level of the laundry treatment agent is lower than the position of the connection port 41, and the effect of preventing the laundry treatment agent from leaking out from the connection port 41 can be further improved.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a suction pipe 42 is provided in the tanks 31, 32, one end of which is connected to the connection port 41 and the other end of which extends toward the bottom of the tanks 31, 32. This allows the pump 30 to pump up the laundry treatment agent at the bottom of the tanks 31, 32 through the suction pipe 42, even if the connection port 41 is located at a relatively high position in the tanks 31, 32. As a result, the internal volume of the tanks 31, 32 can be fully utilized.

[0055] In this embodiment, a check valve 46 is provided inside the suction pipe 42 to prevent liquid from leaking from the tanks 31, 32 to the outside. This is expected to further enhance the leakage prevention effect by the check valve 46. If leakage is prevented only by the check valve 46, the laundry treatment agent may adhere to the check valve and become stuck there over a long period of use, and the function of the check valve may be impaired if a foreign object gets caught in the check valve. However, in this embodiment, the configuration of the connection port 41 itself provides a leakage prevention effect, so the leakage prevention effect provided by the check valve 46 can be added.

[0056] In this embodiment, an opening 43a is provided on the side of the horizontal pipe section 43 of the suction pipe 42 opposite to the connection port 41, and the opening 43a is detachably closed by a cap member 45. This allows easy maintenance of the inside of the horizontal pipe section 43, specifically, repair or replacement of the check valve 46 in response to a defect such as damage to the packing, by removing the cap member 45.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the detergent tank and the fabric softener tank are configured as narrow rectangular boxes, but the shape and structure of the tanks can be modified in various ways. The connection port may be provided on the peripheral wall of the tank at the front, back, left or right. The suction pipe may be configured in various ways, and may not have a check valve. Although the detergent tank and the fabric softener tank are configured to automatically supply only the detergent or only the fabric softener as the laundry treatment agent, the remaining amount detection device may be configured to use an optical sensor, a capacitance sensor, or the like.

[0058] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the horizontal pipe section 43 is provided in a form extending horizontally, but the horizontal pipe section means a pipe in the horizontal direction, and may extend obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction. The overall configuration of the automatic dispenser is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be, for example, a piston pump used as a pump for transferring detergent, or may be a device that supplies detergent by opening and closing an electromagnetic valve. The configuration of the automatic water supply path can also be modified in various ways. In addition, in the above embodiment, the device is applied to a drum-type washing machine with a drying function, but it may also be applied to a so-called vertical-axis washing machine, or may be a washing machine without a drying function.

[0059] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] In the drawings, 1 is a main body, 8 is a water supply mechanism, 12 is a water supply valve unit, 13 is a water injection case, 14 is an automatic water supply path, 15 is a manual water supply path, 17 is an automatic dispenser, 18 is a storage case, 19 is a manual supply mechanism, 20 is a manual fabric softener water supply valve, 21 is an automatic water supply valve, 22 is a manual detergent water supply valve, 23 is a connection pipe, 29 is a tank case (tank storage section), 30 is a pump, 30a, 30b indicates a suction port, 31 is a detergent tank (tank), 32 is a fabric softener tank (tank), 33 is an inlet / outlet, 34 is a lid, 39 is a lid body, 41 is a connection port, 42 is a suction tube, 43 is a horizontal tube section, 43a is an opening, 44 is a hanging tube section, 45 is a cap member, 46 is a check valve, 49 is a remaining amount detection device, 50 is a swing lever, 50a is a float section, 51 is a magnetic sensor, and 52 is a permanent magnet.

Claims

1. A washing machine equipped with an automatic dispenser that automatically dispenses a laundry treatment agent into a water tub provided in a main body, The automatic dispenser includes a tank housing section provided in the main body, a tank for storing a laundry treatment agent and removably attached to the tank housing section, and a pump for pumping the laundry treatment agent from the tank. a residual amount notification device for detecting the liquid level of the laundry treatment agent in the tank and notifying the user when the liquid level drops to a level at which refilling is recommended; the remaining amount indicating device has a float that swings in response to the liquid level of the laundry treatment agent in the tank, The tank includes: A check valve is provided to prevent liquid from leaking from the inside of the tank to the outside. a connection port which is connected to the suction port of the pump when the tank is mounted in the tank accommodation portion is provided on a peripheral wall portion above the bottom of the tank, at a position higher than the liquid level at which refilling is recommended and at a height which is located in a lower half of the peripheral wall portion; The float stops at a position where it contacts the peripheral wall portion on the side opposite to the peripheral wall portion on the side where the connection port is provided.

2. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the tank is provided with a suction pipe having one end connected to the connection port, and the other end of the suction pipe extending toward a bottom of the tank.

3. the suction pipe includes a horizontal pipe portion extending horizontally from a tip portion connected to the connection port toward the inside of the tank, and a hanging pipe portion extending downward from the horizontal pipe portion, 3. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein an opening is provided at an end of said horizontal pipe portion opposite said connection port, and said opening is detachably closed by a cap member.

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