washing machine

Abstract

To prevent backflow of laundry treatment agent to the water supply valve side in a machine equipped with an automatic laundry treatment agent dispenser. [Solution] The washing machine is equipped with a water tub, a water supply mechanism that supplies water from a water supply source to the water tub through a water inlet case, and an automatic dispenser that has a pump that draws laundry treatment agent from the tank and supplies the laundry treatment agent together with water to the water inlet case through the automatic water supply path when the automatic water supply valve is opened.The automatic water supply path of the automatic dispenser has an inlet end connected to the outlet end of the automatic water supply valve and an outlet end connected to the water inlet case, and a pump-operated discharge portion for discharging laundry treatment agent is located midway along the automatic water supply path, with the discharge portion located at a lower position than the inlet end.

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] International Publication No. 2019 / 039140 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional automatic dispensers, detergent and fabric softener are directly dispensed into the water passage extending from the outlet of the automatic water supply valve. If detergent or fabric softener remains in the water passage, the detergent or fabric softener may enter the water supply valve side as water flows back, causing deterioration of the packing. In view of the above, a washing machine equipped with an automatic dispenser for laundry treatment agents is provided that is capable of preventing the laundry treatment agents from flowing back toward the water supply valve. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The washing machine according to the embodiment includes a water tank provided in a main body for storing wash water, a water supply mechanism having at least an automatic water supply valve for supplying water from a water supply source to the water tank, a tank for storing a laundry treatment agent, and a pump for pumping a required amount of the laundry treatment agent from the tank, and an automatic dispenser for supplying the laundry treatment agent together with water through an automatic water supply path by opening the automatic water supply valve, the automatic water supply path of the automatic dispenser having a mixing space in which the laundry treatment agent and the water are mixed, and the mixing space has a discharge port for discharging the laundry treatment agent into the mixing space. and an inlet pipe for introducing water into the mixing space. and an inner bottom portion that is inclined downward toward an outlet pipe portion through which the laundry treatment agent in the mixing space is discharged. The outlet includes a first outlet and a second outlet that is connected to the mixing space closer to the outlet pipe portion than the first outlet. The laundry treatment agent and the water are not mixed on the inlet pipe side of the first discharge port, but are mixed on the outlet pipe side of the first discharge port. . [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [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 the water supply mechanism [Diagram 3] A top view of the water supply mechanism when the storage case is pulled out. [Figure 4] A perspective view from the right showing the water injection case in a broken state [Diagram 5] Longitudinal rear view of the automatic inserting device [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first joint member portion; [Figure 7] Block diagram showing electrical configuration [Figure 8] A time chart showing the on / off control state of each water supply valve when water supply starts when manual addition of laundry treatment agent is set DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] 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.

[0008] 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 in detail, 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 washing treatment agents, i.e., detergent and fabric softener, using an automatic adding device 17 described later, or to manually add one dose of detergent and fabric softener using a manual supply mechanism 19. The operation panel 5 is provided with a display unit 6. Although not shown in the figure, the display unit 6 displays necessary information such as the washing course of the washing operation to be executed and the washing operation time.

[0009] 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 7 (shown only in FIG. 7) and other components for rotation. A water supply mechanism 8 is provided within the main body 1, 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 9 (shown only in FIG. 7).

[0010] Although not shown, a drying mechanism for circulating and supplying hot air for drying into the water tub and, by extension, 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 tub, and a drying unit 10 (only shown in FIG. 7) located midway through the duct that dehumidifies and heats the circulating air to generate dry air. The drying unit 10 is configured, for example, by incorporating a heat pump and a blower in a case. Furthermore, various sensors 11 (only shown in FIG. 7) such as a water level sensor that detects the water level in the water tub, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature in the drum, and a rotation sensor that detects the rotation position of the drum motor 7 are also provided within the main body 1.

[0011] Here, we will describe the water supply mechanism 8, automatic insertion device 17, and manual insertion mechanism 19. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, etc., 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, etc.

[0012] 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, 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, supplies the detergent and fabric softener into the water tub together with the water supply.

[0013] 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 open and close electromagnetically. 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 port 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 port 23. Although not shown in detail, the connection port 23 branches into three at the lower part and is connected to the inlets of the water supply valves 20 to 22, respectively.

[0014] 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.

[0015] 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. As shown in Fig. 4, the bottom of the water injection case 13 is gently inclined 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 the opening faces the opening at the upper left front of the main body 1.

[0016] 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 slightly long in the front-rear direction, side by side and integrated. The manual detergent storage section 18a stores, for example, a single dose of detergent, i.e., 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. As shown in Fig. 4, the manual detergent storage section 18a has an open rear end portion that serves as a detergent discharge section. Although not shown in detail, the manual fabric softener storage section 18b has a so-called siphon-type discharge section.

[0017] 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, 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, etc.) in which the front door 26 closes an opening at the upper left front side inside the main body 1, and a pull-out position (see FIG. 3) in which the front door 26 is pulled forward from the storage position. As shown in FIG. 4, the storage case 18 is arranged at the upper part inside the water filling case 13 in the storage position.

[0018] 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 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] The above 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 port 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.

[0021] In addition, in this manual supply mechanism 19, when the manual softener water supply valve 20 is opened, tap water supplied from the connection port 23 passes through the softener flow path 28 of the manual water supply path 15 and is injected from the water injection hole 28b into the manual softener storage section 18b of the storage case 18. The water supplied to the manual 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 softener.

[0022] Now, a description will be given of the automatic dispenser 17. As shown in Figures 2, 3, etc., the automatic dispenser 17 is equipped with a tank case 29 provided on the rear side of the water filling case 13, and a pump 30 provided at the rear of the tank case 29. The tank case 29 is in the shape of a box that is open at the top and 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 that are elongated in the front-to-rear direction, are provided inside the tank case 29 side by side on the left and right so that they can be removed upward.

[0023] 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 that corresponds to the upper surface of the tank case 29 is provided on the top surface of the main body 1, and a lid 34 is provided for opening and closing the access opening 33. 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.

[0024] The pump 30 has two suction ports 30a, 30b (see FIG. 6) facing forward, and two discharge ports 30c, 30d (see FIG. 5) 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 ports 30c, 30d that discharge liquid by switching the rotation direction (current flow direction) of the motor. As shown in FIG. 5, the two discharge ports 30c, 30d of the pump 30 are located above the discharge portion midway through the automatic water supply path 14 described later.

[0025] 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 rotation of the motor in one direction is configured to pump up the detergent in the detergent tank 31 and discharge it from the one side, i.e., the left discharge port 30c. 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 rotation of the motor in the other direction is configured to pump up the fabric softener in the fabric softener tank 32 and discharge it from the other side, i.e., the right discharge port 30d. The discharge amount of detergent and fabric softener, i.e., the amount supplied to the discharge section in the automatic water supply path 14, is controlled by the driving time of the pump 30.

[0026] In this way, the automatic dispenser 17 can supply only the required amount of detergent contained in the detergent tank 31 to the discharge portion by driving the pump 30, and can also supply only the required amount of fabric softener contained in the fabric softener tank 32 to the discharge portion. As will be described later, when the automatic water supply valve 21 is turned on to supply water to the automatic water supply path 14 while the detergent or fabric softener is being supplied to the discharge portion by driving the pump 30, the water mixes with the detergent or fabric softener in the discharge portion and flows while dissolving them, and is supplied into the water tub through the water supply case 13, etc.

[0027] The automatic water supply passage 14 is configured as follows: That is, as shown in Fig. 2 etc., the automatic water supply passage 14 includes a first joint member 35, a second joint member 36, and a connecting hose 37 connecting them. Of these, the first joint member 35 is provided at a lower portion between the water supply valve unit 12 and the tank case 29, and as shown in Fig. 6, includes a case portion 35a that is a rectangular box-like shape that is slightly elongated from side to side and thin from top to bottom, an inlet pipe 35b, and an outlet pipe portion 35c.

[0028] At this time, as shown in Fig. 5, the discharge ports 30c, 30d of the pump 30 are connected to the upper surface of the case portion 35a, and the inside of the case portion 35a into which the laundry treatment agent falls is the discharge portion, and this portion is the mixing space 38 in which the laundry treatment agent and water are mixed. As shown in Fig. 6, the inlet pipe 35b is configured to extend upward from the rear end portion on the right side of the upper surface of the case portion 35a, and its upper end, which is the inlet end portion of the automatic water supply path 14, is connected to the outlet portion of the automatic water supply valve 21. The outlet pipe portion 35c is provided so as to protrude forward from the front left end portion of the case portion 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 13a (see FIG. 4) 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 portion of the automatic water supply passage 14. As shown in FIG. 4, the connection hole 13a 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 connection hole 13a 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 connection port 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] 7, the main body 1 includes a control device 41, which is mainly composed of a microcomputer and controls the entire washing machine including the water supply mechanism 8. The control device 41 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 7, the drain valve 9, the drying unit 10, etc., based on input signals from various sensors 11 and pre-stored control programs in accordance with the operation course, etc., set by the user on the operation panel 5. In this way, the washing operation, which includes a washing step, a rinsing step, and a 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 a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0033] In this embodiment, when executing a washing operation, the user can select 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. If the user selects manual dispense, the user stores a required amount of powder detergent or liquid detergent in the manual detergent storage section 18a of the storage case 18 beforehand when starting the washing operation. If fabric softener is used, the user also stores a required amount of fabric softener in the manual fabric softener storage section 18b together with the detergent.

[0034] When automatic supply of detergent and fabric softener is selected, the control device 41 supplies a required amount of detergent to the discharge section by the automatic supply device 17 before the start of 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 supply device 17 supplies a required amount of fabric softener to the supply section, and then opens the automatic water supply valve 21 to supply water. Water is supplied so that the water level in the water tub corresponds to the amount of fabric based on the result of detection of the amount of fabric in the drum.

[0035] On the other hand, when manual addition of detergent and fabric softener is selected, the control device 41 executes water supply for the washing process by the manual detergent water supply valve 22 without operating the automatic addition device 17. Then, when water is supplied for the final rinsing process, the manual fabric softener water supply valve 20 is opened to supply water. At this time, in this embodiment, as will be described in detail in the following operation description, control is performed such that the automatic water supply valve 21 is first opened at the start of water supply for the washing process, and then, for example, after 2 seconds, the manual detergent water supply valve 22 is opened. Furthermore, after a predetermined time, for example, 18 seconds, has elapsed since the opening of the manual detergent water supply valve 22, the automatic water supply valve 21 is closed, and water is supplied only by the manual detergent water supply valve 22.

[0036] Next, the operation and effect of the washing machine configured as above will be described with reference to Fig. 8. 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. At the same time, the user selects an operation course using the operation panel 5.

[0037] At this time, if manual addition of detergent and fabric softener is selected, the user pulls out the drawer-type storage case 18, stores the required amount of detergent in the manual detergent storage section 18a, adds the required amount of fabric softener to the manual fabric softener storage section 18b, closes the front door 26, and then starts the washing operation. On the other hand, if automatic addition of detergent and fabric softener is selected, the washing operation can be started directly.

[0038] When the washing operation is started, the control device 41 controls each mechanism of the washing machine to automatically perform the washing operation consisting of the well-known washing, rinsing, and spin-drying steps. At this time, in the washing step, water is first supplied to the water tub up to a predetermined water level, and if automatic detergent supply is selected, a required amount of detergent is supplied to the discharge part, i.e., the mixing space 38, in the middle of the automatic water supply path 14 by controlling the pump 30 of the automatic supply device 17 before the water supply starts. In the water supply operation, the automatic water supply valve 21 is opened.

[0039] 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.

[0040] On the other hand, when manual detergent supply has been selected, the control device 41 supplies water using both the manual detergent water supply valve 22 and the automatic water supply valve 21 during water supply in the wash cycle, as shown in Fig. 8. That is, when water supply starts (time 0 seconds), the automatic water supply valve 21 is first turned on, and after two seconds have elapsed (time 2 seconds), the automatic water supply valve 21 remains on and the manual detergent water supply valve 22 is turned on. After that, both the automatic water supply valve 21 and the manual detergent water supply valve 22 remain on until time 20 seconds, at which point the automatic water supply valve 21 is turned off and the manual detergent water supply valve 22 remains on.

[0041] As a result, when the automatic water supply valve 21 is turned on, first, only water from the water supply source passes through the automatic water supply path 14 and flows from the connection hole 13a into the lower part of the water supply case 13. Next, when the manual detergent water supply valve 22 is turned on, water from the water supply source 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 hole 27b into the manual detergent storage section 18a of the storage case 18. The water dissolves the powder detergent stored in the manual detergent storage section 18a, flows to the bottom of the water supply case 13 as wash water, and is supplied to the water tub through the water supply hose 16 together with the water from the automatic water supply path 14.

[0042] At this time, the water that has passed through the automatic water supply path 14 flows through the bottom of the water supply case 13 below the storage case 18, and a barrier is provided by the water flow. Therefore, the powder detergent that flows down from the rear of the manual detergent storage section 18a of the storage case 18 does not reach the front side of the bottom of the water supply case 13, and can be washed away without adhering to the inner wall of the water supply case 13 or the outer bottom surface of the storage case 18. After this, as shown in FIG. 8, at time 42 seconds, the manual detergent water supply valve 22 is turned off, and from time 47 seconds, the same control as the first is performed. After this, from time 49 seconds, water is supplied with the automatic water supply valve 21 and the manual detergent water supply valve 22 turned on, and when water is supplied to a predetermined water level in the water tub, the automatic water supply valve 21 and the manual detergent water supply valve 22 are turned off, and the washing stroke is performed, although this is not shown in the figure.

[0043] Thereafter, as the cycle progresses and before the water supply for the final pre-rinse cycle, if automatic detergent dispensing has been selected, pump 30 of automatic dispenser 17 is driven, and the required amount of fabric softener is then supplied to mixing space 38. After this, automatic water supply valve 21 is opened, and the water flowing through automatic water supply path 14 dissolves the fabric softener in mixing space 38, and the wash water containing fabric softener is supplied into the water tub through water supply case 13, and the final pre-rinse cycle is executed.

[0044] In contrast, when manual addition is selected, water supply for the final pre-rinse step is performed by opening the manual fabric softener water supply valve 20. By opening the manual fabric softener water supply valve 20, water passes through the fabric softener flow path 28 of the manual water supply path 15 and is poured from the water supply 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 supply case 13 through the water supply hose 16 into the water tub while dissolving the stored fabric softener. When the supply of water to a predetermined water level is completed, the final pre-rinse step is performed.

[0045] Here, in this embodiment, in the above-mentioned automatic water supply path 14, the discharge part of the laundry treatment agent by the pump 30, i.e., the mixing space 38, is located at a lower position than the inlet end of the upper end of the inlet pipe 35b connected to the outlet part of the automatic water supply valve 21. Therefore, water is less likely to flow from the discharge part toward the inlet end side and eventually toward the automatic water supply valve 21 side, and even if the laundry treatment agent remains in the automatic water supply path 14, the laundry treatment agent can be prevented from flowing back to the automatic water supply valve 20. As a result, according to this embodiment, in a machine equipped with the automatic laundry treatment agent dispenser 17, the laundry treatment agent can be prevented from flowing back to the automatic water supply valve 21 side, and thus adverse effects on the automatic water supply valve 21 can be prevented in advance.

[0046] In this embodiment, a mixing space 38 is provided in the discharge portion of the automatic water supply path 14, where the laundry treatment agent pumped out by the pump 30 and the water flowing from the automatic water supply valve 21 are mixed. As a result, the laundry treatment agent and the water are mixed in the mixing space 38 in the automatic water supply path 14, and the laundry liquid in which the laundry treatment agent is well dissolved in the water can be supplied to the water injection case 13 and the water tank. The detergent's capabilities can be fully utilized, and the amount of detergent remaining in the automatic water supply path 14 can be reduced. In addition, the supply of water to the mixing space 38 can wash out the discharge ports 30c and 30d of the pump 30, which also has the effect of preventing the detergent and fabric softener from sticking to the discharge ports 30c and 30d.

[0047] In this embodiment, the outlet end of the automatic water supply path 14, i.e., the second joint member 36, is connected to the connection hole 13a at the bottom of the peripheral wall of the water injection case 13, and configured to allow water to flow downward in the storage case 18. As a result, even if laundry treatment agent, particularly powder detergent, remains at the bottom inside the water injection case 13 or at the outer bottom of the storage case 18 during manual addition, water will flow downward in the storage case 18 during automatic addition, and the adhering laundry treatment agent can be discharged from the water injection case 13.

[0048] Moreover, in this embodiment, when detergent is supplied by the manual supply mechanism 19, the control device 41 is configured to perform control so that, at the start of water supply, the automatic water supply valve 21 is first opened, and then the manual water supply valve 22 is opened. This allows the detergent in the storage case 18 by the manual supply mechanism 19 to be flushed while water is flowing from the automatic water supply path 14 in the lower part of the water supply case 13, so that detergent, particularly powdered detergent, can be effectively prevented from remaining in the lower part of the water supply case 13.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first joint member 35 constituting the automatic water supply passage 14 is configured such that the flow path diameter of the outlet pipe portion 35c, and therefore the flow path diameter of the connecting hose 37 and the second joint member 36, are larger than the flow path diameter of the inlet pipe 35b. As a result, the flow path diameter on the outlet side of the automatic water supply passage 14 is relatively large, making it easier to discharge the laundry treatment agent and water. Also, since the flow path diameter on the inlet side of the automatic water supply passage 14 is relatively small, the flow rate of the water flowing inside the first joint member 35 can be increased, the laundry treatment agent can be effectively mixed, and the laundry treatment agent can be effectively flushed away.

[0050] In the above embodiment, when detergent is supplied by the manual supply mechanism 19, the automatic water supply valve 21 and the manual water supply valve 22 are controlled as shown in Fig. 8 at the start of water supply, but the control in Fig. 8 may be executed as necessary, and water may be supplied only by the manual water supply valve 22. The automatic water supply valve 21 may be kept on even after the time 20 seconds. The time in Fig. 8 is merely an example and can be changed as appropriate. Various changes are possible in the specific configurations of the automatic water supply path and the manual water supply path.

[0051] The configuration of the automatic dispenser is not limited to the above embodiment, and the following modifications are possible. That is, a piston pump may be used as a pump for transporting detergent, or a device that supplies detergent by opening and closing an electromagnetic valve may be used. Although the configuration includes a detergent tank and a fabric softener tank, the configuration may automatically supply only detergent or only fabric softener as a laundry treatment agent. In addition, the above embodiment is applied to a drum-type washing machine with a drying function, but the configuration may also be applied to a so-called vertical-axis washing machine, or a washing machine without a drying function. Various modifications are also possible with respect to the shape and structure of the storage case, the configuration of the water supply path, and the like.

[0052] 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]

[0053] 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, 13a is a connection hole, 14 is an automatic water supply path, 15 is a manual water supply path, 17 is an automatic dispenser, 18 is a storage case (manual storage section), 18a is a manual detergent storage section, 18b is a manual fabric softener storage section, 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, and 23 is a connection. The numeral 25 denotes a connection port, 27 denotes a detergent flow path, 28 denotes a fabric softener flow path, 29 denotes a tank case, 30 denotes a pump, 30a and 30b denote suction ports, 30c and 30d denote discharge ports, 31 denotes a detergent tank, 32 denotes a fabric softener tank, 35 denotes a first coupling member, 35a denotes a case portion, 35b denotes an inlet pipe, 35c denotes an outlet pipe portion, 36 denotes a second coupling member, 37 denotes a connecting hose, 38 denotes a mixing space, and 41 denotes a control device.

Claims

1. A water tank provided in the main body for storing washing water; a water supply mechanism having at least an automatic water supply valve for supplying water from a water supply source to the water tank; an automatic dispenser having a tank for storing a laundry treatment agent and a pump for pumping a required amount of the laundry treatment agent from the tank, and supplying the laundry treatment agent together with water through an automatic water supply path by opening the automatic water supply valve; Equipped with The automatic water supply path of the automatic dispenser has a mixing space in which the laundry treatment agent and water are mixed, the mixing space is connected to a discharge port for discharging the laundry treatment agent into the mixing space and an inlet pipe for introducing water into the mixing space, and has an inner bottom portion that is inclined downward toward an outlet pipe portion for discharging the laundry treatment agent in the mixing space; The discharge port includes a first discharge port and a second discharge port connected to the mixing space on a side closer to the outlet pipe portion than the first discharge port, The laundry treatment agent and the water are not mixed on the inlet pipe side of the first discharge port, but are mixed on the outlet pipe side of the first discharge port.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge port is disposed above the mixing space.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the discharge ports are disposed between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe portion.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of discharge ports are arranged along a path extending from the inlet pipe to the outlet pipe portion.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein a lower end of the outlet pipe portion is lower than the mixing space.

6. The washing machine according to claim 3, wherein a flow path diameter of the outlet pipe portion is larger than a flow path diameter of the inlet pipe.

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