Drain hose joint and washing machine

Abstract

To provide a joint for drain hose capable of solving problems regarding a drain hose; and a washing machine.SOLUTION: A joint 6 for drain hose comprises an upstream cylindrical portion 21 extending to a front side Y1 in a front-back direction Y, a downstream cylindrical portion 22 extending to the front side Y1 and connected to a drain hose 5, and a middle cylindrical portion 23 for connecting the upstream cylindrical portion 21 with the downstream cylindrical portion 22. The upstream cylindrical portion 21 is inserted into an outlet 16 for drain water installed in a rear wall 12 of a housing 2 in a washing machine 1. The downstream cylindrical portion 22 has a straight portion 23A in a vertical direction Z intersecting the front-back direction Y.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 18

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a drain hose joint and a washing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] FIG. 1 is a schematic right side view of a conventional washing machine 100. The washing machine 100 includes a bellows-shaped drain hose 103 drawn from an outer vertical wall 102 such as a side wall or a back wall of the housing 101. The drain hose 103 has a root part 103A connected to the lower part of the outer vertical wall 102, a tip part 103B connected to a drain outlet 104 directly below or to the side of the washing machine 100 in the installation space of the washing machine 100, and a curved part 103C that protrudes from the root part 103A and then makes a large U-turn downward toward the tip part 103B. A groove-shaped fixing part 105A is provided on a leg part 105 at the lower end of the housing 101 to fix a part of the drain hose 103 between the tip part 103B and the curved part 103C. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] There are various installation spaces for washing machines. Therefore, depending on the installation space, the worker must tilt or fall the washing machine 100, which is a heavy object, to expose the drain hose 103, and then adjust the direction of the tip portion 103B of the drain hose 103, which places a heavy burden on the worker. In addition, when the washing machine 100 is installed in a narrow installation space and the outer vertical wall 102 approaches the surrounding wall 106, the curved portion 103C of the drain hose 103 may be pinched between the outer vertical wall 102 and the wall 106 and damaged, and water may leak from the damaged portion of the curved portion 103C. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a distance of 100 mm or more between the outer vertical wall 102 and the wall 106 so that the curved portion 103C does not come into contact with the wall 106, but it may be difficult to ensure such a distance due to the installation space. In addition, if the root portion 103A of the drain hose 103 is easily removed from the housing 101, the risk of water leakage increases. In addition, when converting a foreign-specification washing machine, which has a different drainage method from Japanese-specification washing machines, to a Japanese-specification washing machine, it is necessary to consider how to handle drain hose 103. In that case, it is preferable to minimize the structural changes to the washing machine related to drain hose 103.

[0004] The present invention has been made against the above background, and has an object to provide a drain hose joint and a washing machine that can eliminate problems related to the drain hose. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention is a joint for a drain hose, including an upstream tubular portion extending to one side in a first direction and inserted into a drain outlet provided in a vertical outer wall of a washing machine housing, a downstream tubular portion extending to the one side and connecting to a drain hose, and an intermediate tubular portion having a straight portion along a second direction intersecting the first direction and connecting the upstream tubular portion and the downstream tubular portion.

[0006] In the present invention, the straight portion is flat in the first direction.

[0007] In the present invention, a protrusion is provided on an outer surface of the intermediate cylindrical portion.

[0008] The present invention is also characterized in that the drain hose joint includes a stopper having a fixing portion that is inserted into the outlet together with the upstream tubular portion and fixed to the vertical outer wall, and a pushing portion that pushes the upstream tubular portion into the outlet.

[0009] The present invention also relates to a washing machine including the drain hose joint, the housing, and a main pipe arranged within the outlet and fixed to the vertical outer wall, the main pipe having an inner tubular portion and an outer tubular portion which sandwich the upstream tubular portion from the inside and outside in the radial direction of the main pipe, the outer tubular portion having a locking hole, the fixing portion being sandwiched between the outer tubular portion and the upstream tubular portion, and the fixing portion having a locking portion which engages with the locking hole. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, in the drain hose joint, the upstream tubular portion is inserted into the drain outlet in the vertical outer wall of the housing of the washing machine, and the downstream tubular portion is connected to the drain hose. That is, the drain hose is connected to the washing machine via the drain hose joint. Therefore, when installing the drain hose in the washing machine, the tip of the drain hose can be easily connected to the drain outlet of the installation space by adjusting the attitude of the drain hose joint and the position of the downstream tubular portion without adjusting the layout of the drain hose by tilting or overturning the washing machine. Also, when changing a washing machine of foreign specifications to a washing machine of Japanese specifications, the tip of the drain hose can be easily connected to the drain outlet of the installation space by adjusting the attitude of the drain hose joint and the position of the downstream tubular portion without making a major structural change to the washing machine. In the drain hose joint, both the upstream tubular portion and the downstream tubular portion extend to one side in the first direction, and the intermediate tubular portion connecting the upstream tubular portion and the downstream tubular portion has a straight portion along the second direction intersecting the first direction. Such a drain hose joint is U-shaped and flat in the first direction. Therefore, when the vertical outer wall of the housing of the washing machine is arranged close to the surrounding walls of the installation space in the first direction, the drain hose joint can be arranged in a narrow gap between these walls. Since the drain hose joint that is flat in the first direction is unlikely to come into contact with the surrounding walls, damage to the drain hose joint can be prevented. In addition, since the drain hose joint is arranged in the gap between the vertical outer wall of the housing and the surrounding walls, the drain hose is kept away from the surrounding walls, and damage to the drain hose can also be prevented. Therefore, water leakage due to damage to the drain hose joint or the drain hose can be prevented. As described above, problems related to the drain hose can be eliminated.

[0011] In addition, according to the present invention, since the straight portion of the intermediate tubular portion of the drain hose joint is flat in the first direction, when the vertical outer wall of the washing machine housing is disposed close to the surrounding walls in the first direction and the intermediate tubular portion is disposed between these walls, the intermediate tubular portion is unlikely to come into contact with the surrounding walls. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the drain hose joint, and therefore water leakage due to damage to the drain hose joint.

[0012] According to the present invention, the outer surface of the intermediate tube portion is provided with a protrusion, so that when the intermediate tube portion comes into contact with the surrounding wall, the protrusion actually acts as a bumper and comes into contact with the wall. This prevents damage to the drain hose joint, thereby preventing water leakage due to damage to the drain hose joint.

[0013] In addition, according to the present invention, in the stopper for the drain hose joint, the fixing portion is inserted into the outlet of the vertical outer wall together with the upstream tubular portion and fixed to the vertical outer wall, and the pushing portion pushes the upstream tubular portion into the outlet, thereby preventing the upstream tubular portion from suddenly coming off the outlet and causing water leakage.

[0014] According to the present invention, in the washing machine, the inner and outer tubular parts of the main pipe, which is disposed within the outlet of the vertical outer wall and fixed to the vertical outer wall, sandwich the upstream tubular part of the drain hose joint from the outside and inside in the radial direction. In the drain hose joint, the fixing part of the stopper is sandwiched between the outside and the upstream tubular parts, and the locking part of the fixing part is locked in the locking hole of the outside tubular part. This allows the fixing part to be firmly fixed to the vertical outer wall via the main pipe. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic right side view of a conventional washing machine. [Diagram 2] 1 is a right side view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the washing machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a right side view of a drain hose joint included in a washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of the drain hose joint. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the drain hose joint. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drain hose joint. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drain hose joint. [Figure 10] 11 is a perspective view of a stopper included in a drain hose joint. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a perspective view of a main part of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 13] 1 is a perspective view of a main part of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 14] 1 is a perspective view of a main part of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 15] 1 is a rear view of a main part of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. [Figure 17] 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 15. [Figure 18] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 15. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a right side view of a washing machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is referred to as the left-right direction X of the washing machine 1, the left-right direction in FIG. 2 is referred to as the front-rear direction Y of the washing machine 1, and the up-down direction in FIG. 2 is referred to as the up-down direction Z of the washing machine 1. In the left-right direction X, the back side of the paper surface of FIG. 2 is referred to as the left side X1, and the front side of the paper surface of FIG. 2 is referred to as the right side X2. In the front-rear direction Y, the left side is referred to as the front side Y1, and the right side is referred to as the rear side Y2. In the up-down direction Z, the upper side is referred to as the upper side Z1, and the lower side is referred to as the lower side Z2.

[0017] Washing machines 1 include drum-type washing machines, vertical washing machines, twin-tub washing machines, and washer-dryers with a drying function, but the following describes washing machine 1 using a drum-type washing machine that omits the drying function and only performs a washing operation as an example. Washing machine 1 includes a box-shaped housing 2 that forms its outer shell, a washing tub 3 arranged in housing 2, a drainage channel 4 that extends from washing tub 3 to the lower side Z2 within housing 2 and then extends laterally, for example to the rear side Y2, a drainage hose 5 arranged outside housing 2, i.e., outside the machine, and a drainage hose joint 6 arranged outside the machine and connecting drainage channel 4 and drainage hose 5.

[0018] The housing 2 has a front wall 11 forming a front wall, a rear wall 12 forming a rear wall, a pair of left and right side walls 13 respectively installed between the left and right ends of the front wall 11 and the rear wall 12, a top wall 14 connected to the upper ends of the front wall 11, the rear wall 12 and the side walls 13, and a base 15 connected to the lower ends of the front wall 11, the rear wall 12 and the side walls 13. The front wall 11, the rear wall 12 and the side walls 13 are plates extending vertically, that is, in the up-down direction Z, and in particular, the rear wall 12 and the side walls 13 are an example of a vertical outer wall of the housing 2. A circular outlet 16 is provided at the right end of the lower end of the rear wall 12 (see FIG. 3). The top wall 14 is in a state of blocking the internal space 2A of the housing 2 surrounded by the front wall 11, the rear wall 12 and the side walls 13 from the upper side Z1.

[0019] The base 15 is formed in a generally rectangular frame shape that borders the lower ends of the front wall 11, the rear wall 12, and the side wall 13. A leg 17 protruding downward Z2 is provided at each of the four corners of the lower surface of the base 15. In the lower surface of the base 15, an upside-down U-shaped notch 15A is formed between adjacent legs 17.

[0020] A tray-shaped washing pan 18 is provided in the installation space in which the washing machine 1 is installed. The washing pan 18 has a rectangular bottom wall 18A that is slightly larger than the base 15, and a front wall 18B, a rear wall 18C, a left wall 18D, and a right wall 18E that rise from the front edge, the rear edge, the left edge, and the right edge of the bottom wall 18A, respectively (see also FIG. 3). The bottom wall 18A is provided with a drain port 18F that is connected to a drain pipe (not shown) of the building. The base 15 is disposed in the inner space surrounded by the front wall 18B, the rear wall 18C, the left wall 18D, and the right wall 18E in the washing pan 18, and each leg 7 is placed on each of the four corners of the bottom wall 18A. A pedestal that is one step higher may be provided at each of the four corners of the bottom wall 18A. The drain port 18F of the bottom wall 18A may be located directly under the washing machine 1 or may be located to the side of the washing machine 1, for example, on the right side X2.

[0021] The washing tub 3 is a water tank in which water is stored. The washing tub 3 houses a drum (not shown) that is driven to rotate. A user can open a door 19 provided on the front wall 11 of the housing 2 to put laundry in and take it out of the drum. The drainage channel 4 has a base portion 4A connected to the lower end of the washing tub 3 and a tip portion 4B connected to an outlet 16 on the rear wall 12 of the housing 2. Therefore, the outlet 16 is an opening for drainage. The configuration of the drainage channel 4 around the outlet 16 will be described in detail later.

[0022] The drain hose 5 has a downstream end 5A connected to the drain outlet 18F of the bottom wall 18A of the washing pan 18, an upstream end 5B on the opposite side to the downstream end 5A, and an intermediate portion 5C connecting the downstream end 5A and the upstream end 5B. One example of the downstream end 5A is an elbow pipe that curves downward Z2 toward the front side Y1 and connects to the drain outlet 18F. The upstream end 5B is located on the rear side Y2 of the downstream end 5A. The intermediate portion 5C is bellows-shaped and extends at least in the front-rear direction Y from the upstream end 5B toward the downstream end 5A.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a right side view of the drain hose joint 6. Hereinafter, the drain hose joint 6 may be abbreviated as "joint 6". The orientation of the joint 6 is determined based on the state when the joint 6 is installed in the washing machine 1. The joint 6 is made of elastic rubber or the like. The joint 6 integrally includes an upstream tubular portion 21 inserted into the outlet 16 of the rear wall 12 of the housing 2, a downstream tubular portion 22 connected to the upstream end 5B of the drain hose 5, and an intermediate tubular portion 23 connecting the upstream tubular portion 21 and the downstream tubular portion 22.

[0024] The upstream tube portion 21 is cylindrical and extends to a front side Y1 in the front-rear direction Y with its central axis aligned along the front-rear direction Y. In this embodiment, the front-rear direction Y is an example of a first direction, and the front side Y1 is one side in the first direction. Alternatively, the left-right direction X may be an example of the first direction, and the left side X1 or the right side X2 is one side in the first direction. Regardless of whether the first direction is the front-rear direction Y or the left-right direction X, the up-down direction Z perpendicular to these directions is a second direction that intersects with the first direction.

[0025] Fig. 5 is a front view of the joint 6. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in Fig. 5. The outer diameter of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 is constant over almost the entire outer circumferential surface of the upstream cylindrical portion 21, but at the rear end of the outer circumferential surface, the outer diameter gradually decreases toward the rear side Y2. The connection between the rear end of the outer circumferential surface of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 and the rear end face of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 constitutes an annular outer step portion 21A. A plurality of annular ribs 21B extending in the circumferential direction are provided on the cylindrical inner circumferential surface of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 at intervals in the front-rear direction Y. In this embodiment, three ribs 21B are provided.

[0026] The front end of the inner circumferential surface of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 is a tapered surface 21C that gradually expands in diameter toward the front side Y1. The tapered surface 21C is located on the front side Y1 of the rib 21B at the front end. A circular inlet 21D bordered by the tapered surface 21C is formed in the front end surface of the upstream cylindrical portion 21. A portion of the inner circumferential surface of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 on the rear side Y2 of the rib 21B at the rear end is reduced in diameter to form an annular inner step 21E. The inner step 21E is located on the rear side Y2 of the center of the inner circumferential surface of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 in the front-rear direction Y.

[0027] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the joint 6. The downstream tubular portion 22 is cylindrical and extends to the front side Y1 with its central axis along the front-rear direction Y. That is, the downstream tubular portion 22 extends in parallel to the upstream tubular portion 21 in the same direction. The downstream tubular portion 22 is located on the lower side Z2 than the upstream tubular portion 21 and on the left side X1 than the upstream tubular portion 21. The rear end of the downstream tubular portion 22 is located on the front side Y1 than the front end face of the upstream tubular portion 21. On the outer peripheral surface of the downstream tubular portion 22, a shallow groove 22A is formed in almost the entire front half, so that the front half has a slightly smaller diameter than the rear half. On the front end of the outer peripheral surface of the downstream tubular portion 22, a circular flange portion 22B is provided at a front end portion thereof, which is one step higher than the groove bottom of the groove 22A. The outer diameter of the flange portion 22B is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the rear half of the outer peripheral surface of the downstream tubular portion 22.

[0028] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the joint 6. In a rearward region of the cylindrical inner peripheral surface of the downstream tubular portion 22, a first step portion 22C and a second step portion 22D are provided in this order from the front side Y1. The second step portion 22D has a smaller diameter than the first step portion 22C. The front end portion of the inner peripheral surface of the downstream tubular portion 22 is a tapered surface 22E that gradually expands in diameter toward the front side Y1. A circular outlet 22F bordered by the tapered surface 22E is formed on the front end surface of the downstream tubular portion 22. As it moves toward the rear side Y2, the inner diameter of the downstream tubular portion 22 gradually decreases at the tapered surface 22E, then becomes constant, becomes one step smaller at the first step portion 22C, and becomes another step smaller at the second step portion 22D.

[0029] 4 to 8 and FIG. 9, the intermediate tube portion 23 integrally includes a straight portion 23A along the up-down direction Z in a side view (see FIG. 4), an upstream curved portion 23B curved from the upper end of the straight portion 23A toward the front side Y1 at about 90 degrees and connected to the rear end surface of the upstream tube portion 21, and a downstream curved portion 23C curved from the lower end of the straight portion 23A toward the front side Y1 at about 90 degrees and connected to the rear end of the downstream tube portion 22. Therefore, the overall shape of the intermediate tube portion 23 in a side view is a flat U-shape in the front-rear direction Y, more specifically, a substantially J-shape (see FIG. 4). The straight portion 23A is linearly inclined toward the lower left side in a front view (see FIG. 5). Therefore, the second direction described above is a linear direction inclined toward the lower left side in a front view. The straight portion 23A is flat in the front-rear direction Y. That is, in the straight line portion 23A, the dimension in the front-rear direction Y is smaller than the dimension in the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction Y. Specifically, the planar cross section of the straight line portion 23A is an ellipse whose longer sides are in the left-right direction X, or a rectangle whose longer sides are in the left-right direction X and whose shorter sides are in the front-rear direction Y and whose four corners are rounded. The planar cross section of the internal space of the straight line portion 23A is also a similar ellipse or rectangle.

[0030] In the upstream curved portion 23B, the cross section of the portion connected to the upper end of the straight portion 23A is elliptical or rectangular like the straight portion 23A, but the cross section of the portion connected to the rear end surface of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 is circular with a smaller diameter than the rear end surface of the upstream cylindrical portion 21. Strictly speaking, the downstream curved portion 23C curves from the lower end of the straight portion 23A inclined downward to the left toward the lower side Z2 and then toward the front side Y1 to be connected to the rear end of the downstream cylindrical portion 22 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). In the downstream curved portion 23C, the cross section of the portion connected to the rear end of the downstream cylindrical portion 22 is circular with the same diameter as the downstream cylindrical portion 22, and the cross section of the other portion is elliptical or rectangular like the straight portion 23A.

[0031] The cross-sectional area of ​​the internal space of the intermediate tubular portion 23 when cut along a plane perpendicular to the extending direction, i.e., the longitudinal direction, of the intermediate tubular portion 23 is constant in all of the straight portion 23A, the upstream curved portion 23B, and the downstream curved portion 23C. The cross-sectional area of ​​the internal space of the intermediate tubular portion 23 is the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the internal space in the inner step 21E of the upstream tubular portion 21 (see FIG. 6) and is also the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the internal space in the second step 22D of the downstream tubular portion 22 (see FIG. 8).

[0032] A plurality of protrusions 23D are provided distributed over the entire outer surface of the intermediate tubular portion 23. Each protrusion 23D is a single rib extending across the straight portion 23A, the upstream curved portion 23B, and the downstream curved portion 23C.

[0033] The joint 6 further includes a stopper 31 that functions to prevent the upstream tube portion 21 inserted into the outlet 16 of the rear wall 12 of the housing 2 from coming off. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the stopper 31. The stopper 31 has an overall shape of an arc, specifically, a C-shape. The stopper 31 has a C-shaped main body portion 31A that forms the entire stopper 31. The rear surface portion of the main body portion 31A is flat in the up-down direction Z and the left-right direction X, but as shown in Fig. 11, a positioning portion 31B, a fixing portion 31C, a spacer portion 31D, and a pushing portion 31E are provided on the front portion of the main body portion 31A.

[0034] The positioning portion 31B is a cylindrical convex portion protruding to the front side Y1, and is disposed at the center of the outer edge of the main body portion 31A. The fixing portion 31C is provided at each end of the main body portion 31A. Each fixing portion 31C protrudes to the front side Y1, and a claw-shaped locking portion 31F bent toward the outer edge of the main body portion 31A is provided at its tip. The spacer portion 31D is an arc-shaped portion curved with the same curvature as the main body portion 31A protruding to the front side Y1, and is disposed between the pair of fixing portions 31C at the front portion of the main body portion 31A. A gap is secured between the spacer portion 31D and each fixing portion 31C. The pushing portion 31E is an arc-shaped rib protruding to the front side Y1 along the inner edge of the main body portion 31A. The front end of the pushing portion 31E is located on the rear side Y2 of the front ends of the fixing portion 31C and the spacer portion 31D.

[0035] Next, the attachment of the drain hose 5 to the housing 2 using the joint 6 will be described. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the peripheral portion of the outlet 16 of the rear wall 12 of the housing 2 in the washing machine 1. A resin main body pipe 35 is disposed in the outlet 16. The main body pipe 35 has a cylindrical inner tube portion 35A forming the tip portion 4B of the drainage passage 4, and a cylindrical outer tube portion 35B extending from the outer peripheral surface of the inner tube portion 35A and bending to the rear side Y2 to surround the inner tube portion 35A. The outer diameter of the outer tube portion 35B is approximately the same as the diameter of the outlet 16. The rear end portion of the outer tube portion 35B constitutes an annular flange portion 35C bent outward in the radial direction R of the main body pipe 35. The flange portion 35C is in a state of being hooked from the rear side Y2 to the peripheral portion of the outlet 16 in the rear wall 12. The outer tube portion 35B is bonded to the rear wall 12, and the main body pipe 35 is in a state of being fixed to the rear wall 12.

[0036] The flange portion 35C has a notch 35D formed by cutting out the outer edge thereof. In this embodiment, two notches 35D are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the flange portion 35C. In the outer tubular portion 35B, a plurality of locking holes 35E penetrating the outer tubular portion 35B in the radial direction R are provided in an area Y1 forward of the flange portion 35C.

[0037] The worker inserts the upstream cylindrical portion 21 of the joint 6 into the gap between the inner cylindrical portion 35A and the outer cylindrical portion 35B of the main pipe 35, thereby connecting the joint 6 to the outlet 16 in the rear wall 12 of the housing 2, as shown in Fig. 13. Next, the worker attaches the stopper 31 to the upstream cylindrical portion 21 and the outer cylindrical portion 35B so that the fixing portion 31C and the spacer portion 31D (see Fig. 11) of the stopper 31 are inserted into the gap between the upstream cylindrical portion 21 and the outer cylindrical portion 35B. When the positioning portion 31B (see Fig. 11) of the stopper 31 fits into any of the notches 35D (see Fig. 13) in the flange portion 35C of the outer cylindrical portion 35B, the attachment of the stopper 31 is completed, and the attachment of the joint 6 to the housing 2 is also completed.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 14, after installation, the intermediate tubular portion 23 of the joint 6 has an upstream curved portion 23B protruding from the rear wall 12 of the housing 2 to the rear side Y2, a straight portion 23A extending in a straight line from the upstream tubular portion 21 to the lower right when viewed from behind, and a downstream curved portion 23C extending to the front side Y1 directly below the housing 2 through a notch 15A between the two legs 17 on the rear side Y2 of the base 15 of the housing 2.

[0039] FIG. 15 is a rear view of the main part of the washing machine 1. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 15. The upstream end 5B of the drain hose 5 is inserted coaxially into the downstream tubular portion 22 from the outlet 22F. To prevent the upstream end 5B from coming off the downstream tubular portion 22, a metal band 36 may be wound around the groove 22A on the outer circumferential surface of the downstream tubular portion 22 to press the downstream tubular portion 22 against the upstream end 5B. A resin sleeve 37 having higher rigidity than the downstream tubular portion 22 and the upstream end 5B is disposed inside the upstream end 5B for centering the downstream tubular portion 22 and the upstream end 5B. The rear part of the sleeve 37 protruding from the upstream end 5B contacts the second step 22D of the inner peripheral surface of the downstream tubular portion 22 from the front side Y1, and the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 37 and the inner peripheral surface of the second step 22D are continuous and flush with each other, so that foreign matter such as dust flowing into the wastewater (see the thick dashed arrow) can be prevented from accumulating around the second step 22D. An annular rib 37A provided on the outer peripheral surface of the rear part of the sleeve 37 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the downstream tubular portion 22 and also contacts the first step 22C of the inner peripheral surface, thereby water sealing between the downstream tubular portion 22 and the sleeve 37.

[0040] 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along the CC arrow in FIG. 15. In the joint 6 after installation, the inner tubular portion 35A of the main body pipe 35 is inserted into the inlet 21D of the upstream tubular portion 21 from the front side Y1. Such an upstream tubular portion 21 is sandwiched between the inner tubular portion 35A and the outer tubular portion 35B from the inside and outside in the radial direction R of the main body pipe 35, and is arranged coaxially with these tubular portions. Each rib 21B on the inner peripheral surface of the upstream tubular portion 21 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the inner tubular portion 35A, thereby water sealing between the upstream tubular portion 21 and the inner tubular portion 35A. The rear end of the inner tubular portion 35A is in contact with the inner step portion 21E on the inner peripheral surface of the upstream tubular portion 21 from the front side Y1. Since the inner diameter of the inner tubular portion 35A and the inner diameter of the inner step portion 21E are the same, the inner peripheral surface of the inner tubular portion 35A and the inner peripheral surface of the inner step portion 21E are continuous and flush with each other. The front end of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 may come into contact with a rear end portion 35F of the outer cylindrical portion 35B that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion 35A, from the rear side Y2.

[0041] In the stopper 31, the fixing portion 31C and the spacer portion 31D are inserted into the outlet 16 of the rear wall 12 of the housing 2 together with the upstream cylindrical portion 21, and are sandwiched between the upstream cylindrical portion 21 and the outer cylindrical portion 35B (see also FIG. 18). In addition, the locking portion 31F at the tip of the fixing portion 31C is hooked on the periphery of the locking hole 35E in the outer cylindrical portion 35B, and is thus locked in the locking hole 35E. As a result, the entire stopper 31 including the fixing portion 31C is fixed to the rear wall 12 via the outer cylindrical portion 35B. In the stopper 31, the outer periphery of the main body portion 31A is in contact with the flange portion 35C of the outer cylindrical portion 35B from the rear side Y2. In addition, the pushing portion 31E of the stopper 31 is in contact with the outer step portion 21A at the rear end of the upstream cylindrical portion 21 from the rear side Y2, and thus the upstream cylindrical portion 21 is pushed into the outlet 16.

[0042] Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in Fig. 15. The positioning portion 31B of the stopper 31 is fitted into one of the notches 35D in the flange portion 35C of the outer cylindrical portion 35B. Since the spacer portion 31D is press-fitted between the upstream cylindrical portion 21 and the outer cylindrical portion 35B, rattling of the spacer portion 31D after attachment is prevented. Note that instead of attaching only one stopper 31 as described above, two stoppers 31 may be attached to form a ring.

[0043] As described above, in the joint 6, the upstream tubular portion 21 is inserted into the outlet 16 of the rear wall 12 of the housing 2 of the washing machine 1, and the downstream tubular portion 22 is connected to the drain hose 5. That is, the drain hose 5 is connected to the washing machine 1 via the joint 6. Therefore, when installing the washing machine 1, the downstream end 5A, which is the tip of the drain hose 5, can be easily connected to the drain outlet 18F (see FIG. 2) in the installation space by adjusting the attitude of the joint 6 and the position of the downstream tubular portion 22 without adjusting the layout of the drain hose 5 by tilting or laying the washing machine 1. Also, when the washing machine 1 is a foreign specification, the downstream end 5A of the drain hose 5 can be easily connected to the drain outlet 18F by adjusting the attitude of the joint 6 and the position of the downstream tubular portion 22 when changing the washing machine 1 to a Japanese specification without making a major structural change to the washing machine 1. Therefore, the specifications of the washing machine 1 can be standardized in multiple countries.

[0044] In the joint 6, both the upstream tubular portion 21 and the downstream tubular portion 22 extend to the front side Y1 in the front-rear direction Y, and the intermediate tubular portion 23 connecting the upstream tubular portion 21 and the downstream tubular portion 22 has a straight portion 23A along the up-down direction Z intersecting with the front-rear direction Y. Such a joint 6 is flattened in a U-shape in the front-rear direction Y. Therefore, when the rear wall 12 of the housing 2 of the washing machine 1 is arranged close to the surrounding walls in the front-rear direction Y due to a narrow installation space, the joint 6 can be arranged in a narrow gap between these walls. Note that the surrounding walls are the rear wall 18C of the washing tub 18 (see FIG. 2) in this embodiment, but may also be walls 38 (see FIG. 2) of a room or the like in the installation space. The joint 6, which is flat in the front-rear direction Y, is unlikely to come into contact with the surrounding walls, so that damage to the joint 6 can be prevented. In addition, since the joint 6 is arranged in the gap between the rear wall 12 of the housing 2 and the surrounding walls, the drain hose 5 is kept away from the surrounding walls, so that damage to the drain hose 5 can also be prevented. It is possible to prevent water leakage due to damage to the joint 6 or the drain hose 5. As described above, problems related to the drain hose 5 can be eliminated.

[0045] In addition, since the straight portion 23A of the intermediate tube portion 23 is flat in the front-rear direction Y, when the rear wall 12 of the housing 2 of the washing machine 1 is arranged close to the surrounding walls in the front-rear direction Y and the intermediate tube portion 23 is arranged between these walls, the intermediate tube portion 23 is unlikely to come into contact with the surrounding walls. This prevents damage to the joint 6, and prevents water leakage due to damage to the joint 6. Even if the straight portion 23A is flat, as described above, the size of the cross section inside the joint 6, that is, the flow path area, is constant throughout the intermediate tube portion 23, and is also the same as the size of the cross section inside each of the drainage channel 4 and the drainage hose 5, so that the drainage from the washing tub 3 can flow smoothly through the drainage channel 4, the drainage hose 5, and the joint 6 in that order.

[0046] In addition, since a protrusion 23D is provided on the outer surface of the intermediate tube portion 23, when the intermediate tube portion 23 comes into contact with a surrounding wall, the protrusion 23D actually acts as a bumper and comes into contact with the wall. This makes it possible to prevent the internal space of the joint 6 from being exposed due to damage to the joint 6, thereby preventing water leakage from the joint 6.

[0047] Furthermore, in the stopper 31 of the joint 6, the fixing portion 31C is inserted into the outlet 16 of the rear wall 12 together with the upstream tubular portion 21 and fixed to the rear wall 12, and the pushing portion 31E pushes the upstream tubular portion 21 into the outlet 16, thereby preventing the upstream tubular portion 21 from accidentally coming off the outlet 16 and causing water leakage.

[0048] In addition, in the washing machine 1, the inner tubular portion 35A and the outer tubular portion 35B of the main body pipe 35, which is disposed within the outlet 16 of the rear wall 12 and fixed to the rear wall 12, sandwich the upstream tubular portion 21 of the joint 6 from the outside and inside in the radial direction R. In the joint 6, the fixing portion 31C of the stopper 31 is sandwiched between the outer tubular portion 35B and the upstream tubular portion 21, and the locking portion 31F of the fixing portion 31C is locked in the locking hole 35E of the outer tubular portion 35B. This allows the fixing portion 31C to be firmly fixed to the rear wall 12 via the main body pipe 35.

[0049] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0050] For example, the outlet 16 to which the joint 6 is connected in the housing 2 of the washing machine 1 is provided in the rear wall 12 in the above embodiment, but may be provided in the side wall 13 (see FIG. 2). In addition, the joint 6 may be integrated with the drain hose 5. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1. Washing machine 4. Chassis 5 Drain hose 6 Drain hose joint 12 Back wall 13 Side wall 16 Exit 21 Upstream tube section 22 Downstream tube section 23 Middle cylinder part 23A Straight section 23D convex part 31 Stopper 31C Fixed part 31E Push part 31F Locking part 35 Main pipe 35A Inner cylinder part 35B Outer cylinder part 35E Locking hole R Radial direction Y Front-rear direction Y1 Front Z vertical direction

Claims

1. A drain hose joint for connecting a drain hose to the washing machine, the drain hose directing water discharged from a drain outlet of the washing machine to a drain outlet provided in an installation space of the washing machine, An upstream cylindrical portion extending to one side in a first direction, the upstream cylindrical portion being inserted into the outlet for drainage provided in a vertical outer wall of a housing of the washing machine; A downstream cylindrical portion extending to the one side and connected to the drain hose; a middle cylindrical portion having a straight portion along a second direction intersecting the first direction and connecting the upstream cylindrical portion and the downstream cylindrical portion; including when attached to the outlet and drain hose for draining the washing machine and when not attached to the outlet and drain hose for draining the washing machine, The upstream cylindrical portion has an end surface formed with an inlet through which water passes into the drain hose joint, The downstream cylindrical portion has an end surface formed with an outlet through which water exiting the drain hose joint passes, the intermediate cylindrical portion has an end farthest in the first direction from the end face of the upstream cylindrical portion, A drain hose joint, wherein a distance in the first direction from the end face of the upstream tubular portion to the end of the intermediate tubular portion is shorter than a length of the drain hose joint in the second direction.

2. The drain hose joint according to claim 1 , wherein the straight portion is flattened in the first direction.

3. The drain hose joint according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a convex portion is provided on an outer surface of the intermediate tubular portion, the convex portion extending in an extension direction of the intermediate tubular portion.

4. A joint for a drain hose as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, including a stopper having a fixing portion that is inserted into the outlet together with the upstream tubular portion and fixed to the vertical outer wall, and a pushing portion that pushes the upstream tubular portion into the outlet.

5. The drain hose joint according to claim 4; The housing; a body pipe disposed within the outlet and fixed to the vertical outer wall; the main body pipe has an inner cylindrical portion and an outer cylindrical portion sandwiching the upstream cylindrical portion from the inside and outside in a radial direction of the main body pipe, The outer cylindrical portion is provided with a locking hole, The fixed portion is sandwiched between the outer cylindrical portion and the upstream cylindrical portion, The fixing portion has a locking portion that locks into the locking hole.

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