washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine which can achieve improvement in operability by making a processing agent tank easy to take out, in the washing machine in which the processing agent tank and a processing agent case are arranged adjacent to each other.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: a processing agent case which receives input of a washing processing agent used for one operation, and which supplies the inputted washing processing agent to a water tub; a processing agent tank capable of storing the washing processing agent used for a plurality of times of operations; and a storage part provided in an outer case, having an opening part in which a top surface part side of the outer case is open, and which can store the processing agent case and the processing agent tank being arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. The processing agent case is positioned further on a user side than the processing agent tank in a state where the processing agent case and the processing agent tank are stored in the storage part, and at least part of the processing agent tank is exposed to the user side in a state where the processing agent case and the processing agent tank are stored in the storage part. The processing agent tank 40 can be attached to / detached from the storage part 21 in a state where the processing agent case 30 is stored in the storage part 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] In recent years, in order to improve user convenience, washing machines equipped with an automatic dosing device have been developed that stores a laundry treatment agent in a treatment agent tank for automatic dosing in advance for multiple washes, and automatically doses the required amount from the treatment agent tank during each wash run. On the other hand, there is still a need for users to manually dosing the treatment agent for each run. For this reason, even washing machines equipped with an automatic dosing device are equipped with a conventional treatment agent case, that is, a treatment agent case for manual dosing, for manually dosing the laundry treatment agent to be used in one run, for each run.

[0003] Considering the ease of use for the user, it is preferable to place the processing agent tank and the processing agent case in close proximity to each other. For example, in the same storage space, it is possible to place the processing agent case that is used frequently by the user close to the user, and the processing agent tank that is used less frequently in a position away from the user. In this case, in order to make the product compact, it is preferable to place the processing agent tank and the processing agent case as close together as possible.

[0004] A user may periodically remove the processing agent tank from the machine to clean it. However, in such a case, since there is no gap between the processing agent tank and the processing agent case, it is not easy to remove the processing agent tank, which is larger in size and weight than the processing agent tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-011618 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In view of this, the present invention provides a washing machine in which a treatment agent tank and a treatment agent case are arranged adjacent to each other, in which the treatment agent tank can be easily removed, thereby improving operability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The washing machine of the embodiment includes an outer box, a water tank provided in the outer box, a treatment agent case that receives the laundry treatment agent used in one operation and supplies the laundry treatment agent to the water tank, a treatment agent tank capable of storing the laundry treatment agent used in multiple operations, and a storage section provided in the outer box, having an opening that opens on the top side of the outer box, and capable of storing the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank side by side in the horizontal direction. The treatment agent case is located closer to the user than the treatment agent tank when the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are stored in the storage section, and at least a part of the treatment agent tank is exposed to the user when the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are stored in the storage section. The treatment agent tank can be removed from and / or attached to the storage section when the treatment agent case is stored in the storage section. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a storage section and its surroundings in a state where a cover member is removed from an outer box in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a storage section and its surroundings in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the treatment agent tank and its surroundings in a state where the regulating portion and the regulated portion are engaged with each other in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the treatment agent tank and its surroundings in a state where a regulating portion and a regulated portion are disengaged from each other in the washing machine according to the first embodiment, taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is an enlarged front view showing a schematic configuration of the regulating mechanism and its surroundings in a state where a regulating portion and a regulated portion are fitted together in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is an enlarged front view showing a schematic configuration of the regulating mechanism and its surroundings in a state where a regulating portion and a regulated portion are disengaged from each other in the washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 13] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the periphery of the hand part of the washing machine according to the first embodiment by enlarging an ellipse C in FIG. 4; [Figure 14] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank of a washing machine according to another embodiment taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a treatment agent tank of a washing machine according to another embodiment taken along line AA in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, a number of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components in each embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0010] (First embodiment) First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 13. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 includes an outer box 11, a water tub 12, a rotating tub 13, a rotating tub motor 14, a drainage mechanism 15, an operation panel 16, a water supply mechanism 17, and a treatment agent injection mechanism 20. In Fig. 1, the installation surface side of the washing machine 10, that is, the vertically lower side, is the lower side of the washing machine 10, and the opposite side of the installation surface, that is, the vertically upper side, is the upper side of the washing machine 10. The left-right direction when the washing machine 10 is viewed from the front is the left-right direction of the washing machine 10. The washing machine 10 is, for example, a horizontal axis type in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub 13 is horizontal, or an oblique axis type inclined downward toward the rear.

[0011] The washing machine 10 may or may not have a drying function, such as a heat pump type or a heater type. The outer box 11 is generally made of a member such as a steel material or a resin material, and is configured as a rectangular box shape, constituting the outer shell of the washing machine 10. In the present embodiment, the top surface 111 of the outer box 11 is formed as a flat surface. The water tub 12 is disposed in the outer box 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The spin tub 13 is disposed rotatably in the water tub 12. In this case, the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 function as a washing tub that contains laundry. The spin tub motor 14 is provided outside the water tub 12. The spin tub motor 14 is connected to the spin tub 13, and rotates the spin tub 13 by driving it.

[0012] Drain mechanism 15 shown in FIG. 2 has a function of draining water stored in water tub 12 to the outside of washing machine 10. Drain mechanism 15 has drain path 151 and drain valve 152. Drain path 151 is, for example, a flexible drain hose, one end of which is connected to drain valve 152 and the other end of which is drawn out to the outside of washing machine 10. Drain valve 152 is, for example, an on-off valve for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed. Drain valve 152 is provided between drain outlet 121 provided at the bottom of water tub 12 and drain path 151, and opens and closes drain path 151.

[0013] The operation panel 16 is provided on the front portion of the top surface 111 of the outer box 11 as shown in FIG. 1. Although not shown in detail, the operation panel 16 is provided with a power switch, a start key, various operation keys for the user to set the washing operation course, etc. The power switch may be provided separately from the operation panel 16. When executing the washing operation, the user can select using the operation panel 16 whether to automatically dispense the laundry treatment agent or to manually dispense one load of the laundry treatment agent. In this embodiment, the laundry treatment agent is a concept that includes liquid or powder detergent, fabric softener, and fragrance, but is not limited to these as long as it is an agent used in the washing operation.

[0014] The water supply mechanism 17 is provided, for example, at the left rear part above the water tub 12 inside the outer casing 11. The water supply mechanism 17 receives water from a water supply source such as a tap and supplies the water to the water tub 12. As shown in Fig. 2, for example, the water supply mechanism 17 has a connection port 171, a water supply path 172, and a water supply valve 173. The connection port 171 is provided so as to be exposed at the left rear part on the top surface 111 of the outer casing 11. The connection port 171 is connected to an external water source such as a water faucet via a hose, for example.

[0015] The water supply path 172 is a path that connects the connection port 171 to the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13. The treatment agent dosing mechanism 20 is provided, for example, midway through the water supply path 172, and has the function of impregnating the water flowing through the water supply path 172 with a laundry treatment agent and supplying the water to the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the treatment agent dosing mechanism 20 includes a storage section 21, a pump 22, a cover member 23, a treatment agent case 30, and a treatment agent tank 40.

[0016] The storage unit 21 is made of resin or metal and has a box or container shape, and has an opening 211 that opens toward the top. The storage unit 21 is provided inside the outer box 11. The upper end of the storage unit 21, i.e., the opening 211, is located below the top surface 111. In this embodiment, the storage unit 21 forms a part of the water supply path 172. In this case, the outlet of the water supply valve 173 is directly or indirectly connected to the storage unit 21. The storage unit 21 is then directly or indirectly connected to the water tank 12.

[0017] Pump 22, together with treatment agent tank 40, constitutes an automatic dispenser for automatically supplying laundry treatment agent into water tub 12 and spin tub 13 during operation. Pump 22 has the function of sucking out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from treatment agent tank 40 during operation and dispensing the sucked laundry treatment agent into a midway portion of water supply path 172. As a result, the laundry treatment agent supplied midway through water supply path 172 is supplied into water tub 12 and spin tub 13 by the flow of water flowing through water supply path 172. In this way, washing machine 10 can automatically supply a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into water tub 12 and spin tub 13 during operation.

[0018] The cover member 23 is rotatably provided on the outer box 11 and opens and closes the opening 211 of the storage section 21 by rotation, and is configured to be foldable and rotatable in a folded-out state. That is, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the cover member 23 is rotatably attached to the top surface 111 of the outer box 11 and is configured to be able to open and close the opening 211 of the storage section 21. In this embodiment, the cover member 23 is configured to be foldable at least in two. The cover member 23 is configured to be able to open and close the opening 211 by rotating in a folded-out state at least in two.

[0019] The treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are removably housed in the storage section 21. The treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged adjacent to each other in the storage section 21. In this case, the treatment agent case 30 can be arranged on the side closer to a user who stands at the front side of the washing machine 10 to operate it, and the treatment agent tank 40 can be arranged on the side farther from the user. For example, the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged in a straight line in the front-to-back or left-to-right direction.

[0020] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated side by side in the front-to-rear direction within the accommodation section 21. The treatment agent case 30 is located in front of the treatment agent tank 40, i.e., closer to a user standing on the front side of the washing machine 10 to operate it. In other embodiments, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction, the treatment agent case 30 can be arranged closer to the center of the washing machine 10 in the left-to-right direction, i.e., closer to a user standing on the front side of the washing machine 10 to operate it, than the treatment agent tank 40.

[0021] The treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are accommodated in close contact within the storage section 21. That is, the surface of the treatment agent case 30 facing the treatment agent tank 40 and the surface of the treatment agent case 30 facing the treatment agent tank 40 are close to each other. Therefore, there is no space between the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 for the user to insert their fingers, but the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 can each be removed separately from the storage section 21. That is, the user can remove the treatment agent case 30 alone from the storage section 21 without moving the treatment agent tank 40, and can also remove the treatment agent tank 40 alone from the storage section 21 without moving the treatment agent case 30.

[0022] The treatment agent case 30 has the function of receiving the treatment agent to be used in one operation and supplying the treatment agent, which was charged, for example, before operation or at the start of operation, to the water tank 12 during operation. The treatment agent case 30 is made, for example, of resin and configured in the shape of a rectangular container that is long in the front-to-back or left-to-right direction and is open at the top.

[0023] As shown in Figures 2 and 3 etc., the treatment agent case 30 has a wall portion 31, a bottom portion 32, a partition portion 33, and one or more (in this case two) input portions 34, 35. The wall portion 31 forms the outer circumferential wall of the container-shaped treatment agent case 30. The wall portion 31 has a front wall portion 311, left and right side wall portions 312, and a rear wall portion 313. The front wall portion 311 forms the front surface of the treatment agent case 30. The left and right side wall portions 312 form the left and right surfaces of the treatment agent case 30. The rear wall portion 313 forms the rear surface of the treatment agent case 30.

[0024] The bottom 32 forms the bottom surface of the container-shaped treatment agent case 30. The partition 33 divides the space within the container-shaped treatment agent case 30 in the front-to-rear or left-to-right direction, dividing it into an input section 34 and an input section 35. In this embodiment, the partition 33 extends in the left-to-right direction, and divides the space within the treatment agent case 30 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0025] The input sections 34, 35 are each formed in a container shape with a downward recess, and can receive laundry treatment agent inside. The input sections 34, 35 are sections that receive laundry treatment agent input from the user, and have an opening at the top. The user inputs the laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent case 30 from the opening at the top of the input sections 34, 35.

[0026] The input units 34 and 35 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the input units 34 and 35 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. For example, the input unit 34 receives detergent therein, and the input unit 35 receives fabric softener therein. In this embodiment, the input unit 34 is arranged behind the input unit 35. The input unit 34 receives detergent in an amount to be used in one operation from the user, and supplies the detergent into the water tub 12. The detergent may be in liquid or powder form. The input unit 35 receives fabric softener in an amount to be used in one operation from the user, and supplies the fabric softener into the water tub 12. The fabric softener is usually in liquid form, but is not limited to this.

[0027] 2, the treatment agent case 30 has a communication hole 36 formed in the bottom 32. The treatment agent case 30 receives water supplied into the storage section 21 through the water supply valve 173. At that time, if a laundry treatment agent is placed in the treatment agent case 30, the laundry treatment agent is flushed down from the communication hole 36 in the bottom 32 together with the water supplied to the treatment agent case 30 and supplied into the water tub 12.

[0028] The treatment agent tank 40 is configured to be able to store an amount of treatment agent to be used for multiple operations. The treatment agent tank 40 is, for example, made of resin, and is configured as a rectangular hollow container that is long in the front-rear or left-right direction, and can store liquid laundry treatment agent. The treatment agent tank 40 has a capacity sufficient to store an amount of laundry treatment agent to be used for multiple operations. In this case, the capacity of the treatment agent tank 40 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to set it to at least several hundred mL to about 2 L in consideration of user convenience.

[0029] 2, and 4 to 7, the treatment agent tank 40 has a tank body 41, an upper member 42, and a tank outlet 43. The tank body 41 constitutes the outer shell of the treatment agent tank 40, and is made of synthetic resin such as plastic.

[0030] In this embodiment, the tank body 41 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped container shape that opens upward, and has a front surface 411, a side surface 412, a rear surface 413, and a bottom surface 414. The front surface 411 constitutes the front surface of the tank body 41. The side surface 412 constitutes the left and right side surfaces of the tank body 41. The rear surface 413 constitutes the rear surface of the tank body 41. The bottom surface 414 constitutes the bottom surface of the tank body 41.

[0031] The upper member 42 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape and opens and closes the opening at the top of the tank body 41. The upper member 42 has a frame member 421, an inlet 422, and a lid member 423. The frame member 421 and the lid member 423 are made of synthetic resin such as plastic, similar to the tank body 41. The frame member 421 forms the outer shell of the upper member 42. The frame member 421 is formed in a rectangular frame shape with an opening on the inside. The inlet 422 forms an opening of the frame member 421, and communicates between the inside and outside of the treatment agent tank 40 when the upper member 42 is attached to the tank body 41.

[0032] The lid member 423 is plate-shaped and opens and closes the input port 422. The lid member 423 is attached to the upper member 42 by a hinge (not shown) and is configured to be able to open and close the input port 422. When the treatment agent tank 40 is stored in the storage section 21, the user can open the cover member 23 and the lid member 423 to expose the input port 422 and input the laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 40 from the input port 422. In addition, the user can remove the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21 and, when the lid member 423 is opened to expose the input port 422, input the laundry treatment agent into the treatment agent tank 40 from the input port 422.

[0033] The tank outlet 43 is provided at the lower rear of the tank body 41, in this case, at the back surface 413. When the treatment agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodation section 21, the connection section 221 of the pump 22 is inserted into the tank outlet 43. This connects the inside of the tank body 41 and the pump 22.

[0034] The washing machine 10 is provided with one or more (in this case, two) treatment agent tanks 40. In this embodiment, the washing machine 10 is provided with a detergent tank 401 and a finishing agent tank 402 as the treatment agent tanks 40. The detergent tank 401 is for storing an amount of detergent used for multiple operations, in this case, liquid detergent. The finishing agent tank 402 is for storing an amount of fabric softener used for multiple operations, in this case, liquid fabric softener.

[0035] The processing agent tank 40 has a handle 50. When removing the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21, the user can grasp the handle 50 and pull out the processing agent tank 40 diagonally upward. The handle 50 is provided on the upper part of the tank body 41, in this case, on the upper part of the front part 411.

[0036] The handle portion 50 protrudes forward from the front surface portion 411 and is generally U-shaped when viewed from above. The handle portion 50 has a front portion 51, left and right side portions 52, and a recess 53. The front portion 51 forms a surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction, that is, the front surface of the handle portion 50 that extends in the up-down and left-right directions. In this case, being perpendicular to the front-rear direction does not necessarily have to be strictly perpendicular to the front-rear direction, but means including a component perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

[0037] In this embodiment, the front portion 51 includes a first surface 511 extending in the vertical direction, and a second surface 512 located below the first surface 511 and inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The vertical length of the first surface 511 is set to about 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the vertical length of the entire front surface 411. In this embodiment, the vertical length of the first surface 511 is set to about 1 / 2 of the vertical length of the entire front surface 411.

[0038] The second surface 512 is inclined downward toward the rear from the lower end of the first surface 511. The upper end of the second surface 512 is connected to the lower end of the first surface 511, and the lower end of the second surface 512 is connected to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41.

[0039] The left and right side portions 52 form the left and right side surfaces of the handle portion 50. In this embodiment, the left and right side portions 52 form a surface perpendicular to the left-right direction. In this case, perpendicular to the left-right direction does not necessarily have to be strictly perpendicular to the left-right direction, but means including a component perpendicular to the left-right direction. The side portions 52 extend from the left and right ends of the front portion 51 to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41. In other words, the front ends of the side portions 52 are connected to the left and right ends of the front portion 51, and the rear ends of the side portions 52 are connected to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41.

[0040] The recess 53 is formed in a concave shape by recessing a part of the front part 51 toward the rear. The recess 53 receives the user's fingers when gripping the handgrip 50, making it easier for the user to grip. In this case, the recess 53 is located in the lower part of the front part 51. In other words, the recess 53 is provided leaving the upper part of the front part 51, and is provided from the lower end of the second surface 512 to the center of the first surface 511 in the vertical direction. When gripping the handgrip 50, the user can, for example, insert the thumb from the front into the recess 53 and insert the other fingers from the rear of the front part 51 between the handgrip 50 and the tank body 41.

[0041] Furthermore, the recess 53 is provided at the center in the left-right direction of the handle 50. Since the center lines of the handle 50 and the tank body 41 in the left-right direction coincide with each other, it can be said that the recess 53 is provided at the center in the left-right direction of the tank body 41. Therefore, when a user puts his / her fingers into the recess 53 and grips the handle 50, the user will grip the center in the left-right direction of the treatment agent tank 40. Therefore, even if a large amount of laundry treatment agent is stored in the treatment agent tank 40 and the overall weight is heavy, the user can hold the treatment agent tank 40 stably.

[0042] The recess 53 forms a curved surface or a flat surface extending from the front part 51 toward the rear. That is, the recess 53 is formed in a tunnel shape extending in the front-rear direction, having a three-dimensional curved surface or a plurality of flat surfaces, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. That is, the recess 53 has a three-dimensional configuration. When the user inserts his / her fingers into the recess 53, the recess 53 contacts the user's fingers at least at a plurality of points. Therefore, even if the weight of the treatment agent tank 40 is heavy, the user's fingers can support the handgrip 50 with a surface. Therefore, compared with the case where the user's fingers and the handgrip 50 are in point contact or line contact, the user's fingers receive a reaction force from the handgrip 50 in a distributed manner over a wide area. Therefore, the treatment agent tank 40 can be stably supported, and the handgrip 50 is less likely to bite into the user's fingers, improving the operability.

[0043] The recess 53 extends from the front portion 51 to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41. The length of the recess 53 in the front-rear direction may be any length that can support the user's fingers, and for example, in another embodiment, the recess 53 may not be connected to the front surface 411 of the tank body 41. Furthermore, the recess 53 does not have to form a continuous surface, and may have a notch, a slit, or the like.

[0044] As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the recess 53 has a curved upper portion and a semicircular upper portion when viewed from the front, so to speak, a dome shape. In this case, when the user inserts his / her finger, the recess 53 fits the curved finger more easily, and the user can hold it more stably. The shape of the recess 53 is not limited to a dome shape. For example, in another embodiment, the upper portion may be flat, as shown in Fig. 8. In this case, the surface perpendicular to the upward force in the direction in which the user's finger pushes the handle portion 50 when the user takes out the treatment agent tank 40 upward becomes wider, so that the reaction force that the user's finger receives from the handle portion 50 is distributed over a wider area, improving the user's operability.

[0045] Upper end 531 of recess 53 extends horizontally from the front to the rear as shown in the vertical cross-sectional view of Fig. 7. In other words, when comparing the height from bottom surface 414 of processing agent tank 40, the height position of the front end of upper end 531 of recess 53 is set to be the same as the height position of the rear end of upper end 531, in this case the connection portion with front surface 411 of processing agent tank 40.

[0046] 9 to 12, the washing machine 10 is further provided with a regulating mechanism 60. The regulating mechanism 60 regulates the movement of the processing agent tank 40 when the processing agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodation section 21. The regulating mechanism 60 also ensures that the processing agent tank 40 is accommodated in a predetermined position in the accommodation section 21, and ensures a reliable connection between the tank outlet 43 of the processing agent tank 40 and the connection section 221 of the pump 22.

[0047] The regulating mechanism 60 includes a pair of regulating parts 61 and a regulated part 62. When the processing agent tank 40 is accommodated in the accommodation part 21, the pair of regulating parts 61 and the regulated part 62 fit together to regulate the upward, left-right, and front-rear movement of the processing agent tank 40.

[0048] In this embodiment, the pair of regulating portions 61 are provided so as to protrude upward from the bottom portion 212 of the storage portion 21. The regulated portion 62 is provided so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41. In this case, the regulating portions 61 are integrally molded with the storage portion 21 using, for example, a resin or metal member. The regulated portions 62 are also integrally molded with the tank body 41 using, for example, a resin.

[0049] The position of the tip 621 of the regulated portion 62 is set to be approximately the same as the position of the lower end of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41 or higher than the position of the lower end of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41. That is, the regulated portion 62 is provided in the recessed portion 44 provided in the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41. The recessed portion 44 is formed by recessing a part of the front end of the bottom surface portion 414 upward. The regulated portion 62 protrudes downward from the upper surface of the recessed portion 44. Therefore, even if the processing agent tank 40 is removed from the storage portion 21 and placed on, for example, the top surface portion 111 of the outer box 11, the regulated portion 62 does not protrude from the lowest part of the bottom surface portion 414 of the tank body 41, and the processing agent tank 40 can stand independently.

[0050] The pair of regulating portions 61 are formed in a generally rectangular plate shape that is long in the up-down direction as shown in Figures 11 and 12, and are disposed facing each other. A recess 611 that receives a tip end 621 of the regulated portion 62 is provided on the opposing surface of the regulating portion 61, i.e., the surface facing the regulated portion 62. The recess 611 is formed by recessing the surface of the regulating portion 61 that faces the regulated portion 62 in the thickness direction of the regulating portion 61.

[0051] The regulated portion 62 is formed in a generally rectangular plate shape extending in the up-down and left-right directions, with the tip portion 621 bulging out in the left-right direction, that is, toward the recessed portion 611 of the regulating portion 61. The left-right width dimension L1 of the tip portion 621 is set to be larger than the distance L2 between the opposing regulating portions 61. The left-right width dimension L1 of the tip portion 621 is set to be approximately the same as the maximum value of the width between the recessed portions 611 of the regulating portion 61.

[0052] Since the upper end of the regulating portion 61 is a free end, the regulating portion 61 is bent in the left-right direction by an external force. When the user stores the processing agent tank 40 in the storage section 21, the regulated portion 62 is inserted between the pair of regulating portions 61. When the regulated portion 62 is inserted between the pair of regulating portions 61 from above, the regulating portion 61 is bent outward, that is, in a direction away from the regulated portion 62, to receive the regulated portion 62. FIG. 11 shows a state in which the pair of regulating portions 61 and the regulated portion 62 are fitted together. When the processing agent tank 40 is completely stored in the storage section 21, that is, when the bottom surface portion 414 of the processing agent tank 40 reaches the bottom portion 212 of the storage section 21, the tip portion 621 of the regulated portion 62 reaches the recessed portion 611. The tip portion 621 is stored between the pair of recessed portions 611, and the regulating portion 61 is released from the bent state.

[0053] On the other hand, when the user removes the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21, the tip portion 621 of the regulated portion 62 comes out of the recessed portion 611, causing the pair of regulating portions 61 to bend outward, i.e., in a direction away from the regulated portions 62. When the tip portion 621 of the regulated portion 62 climbs over the regulating portion 61, the regulating portion 61 is released from the bent state. Fig. 12 shows a state in which the pair of regulating portions 61 and regulated portions 62 are no longer fitted together.

[0054] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the regulated portion 62 is provided on the bottom portion 414 near the front portion 411. When a user positioned at the front side of the washing machine 10 removes the treatment agent tank 40, the user first lifts the handle portion 50 so as to rotate it upward about the bottom portion 414 near the rear portion 413 as a fulcrum. In this case, compared to the case where the regulating mechanism 60 is provided near the rear portion 413 of the tank body 41, the engagement between the regulating portion 61 and the regulated portion 62 can be released by slightly lifting the handle portion 50 upward.

[0055] In this case, the upward movement distance required for disengagement between the restricting portion 61 and the restricted portion 62, i.e., the movement distance H required for the tip portion 621 of the restricted portion 62 to get over the restricted portion 62 as shown in Fig. 12, can be set to, for example, 1 cm to 3 cm. In this embodiment, the upward movement distance H required for disengagement between the restricting portion 61 and the restricted portion 62 can be set to, for example, 2 cm.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 9, FIG. 10, FIG. 13, etc., the treatment agent case 30 has a notch 37. The notch 37 is formed by cutting out a part of the upper end of the wall 31 of the treatment agent case 30 so as to recess it downward. The notch 37 is provided in the part of the wall 31 that faces the treatment agent tank 40, in this case the back wall 313. More specifically, the notch 37 is provided at a position that faces the handles 50 of each treatment agent tank 401, 402. Therefore, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are stored in the storage section 21, a part of the front 51 of the handle 50 is exposed to the user side, in this case the front, through the notch 37. That is, the user can access the handle 50 through the notch 37.

[0057] The height position of the upper end of the rear wall portion 313 is set to be approximately the same as the height position of the upper end of the front portion 51 of the handle portion 50 when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the housing portion 21. Therefore, if the cutout portion 37 is not provided, the front portion 51 of the handle portion 50 will be covered by the rear wall portion 313, making it difficult for the user to see and for the user to grip.

[0058] In this embodiment, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21, it is only a part of the first surface 511 that is exposed by the cutout portion 37 in the front portion 51. In this embodiment, the upper end portion of the recess 53 is slightly visible from the user side, but in other embodiments, it does not matter if the recess 53 is not visible from the user side when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21.

[0059] When the treatment agent tank 40 is pulled upward by a distance H, that is, when the regulated portion 62 climbs over the regulating portion 61, the recess 53 is exposed from the cutout portion 37 toward the user side (in this case, toward the front) as shown in Fig. 10. Therefore, when the regulated portion 62 climbs over the regulating portion 61, the recess 53 is visible from the user side and the user can insert his or her finger into it.

[0060] When the user removes the processing agent tank 40 contained in the storage section 21, the user first grasps the front part 51 of the handle part 50 exposed from the cutout part 37 and pulls it upward as shown by the arrow in FIG. 9. When the user pulls the processing agent tank 40 upward by a distance H and the regulated part 62 overcomes the regulating part 61 as shown in FIG. 10, the recessed part 53 is exposed from the cutout part 37. The user can securely grip the handle part 50 by, for example, inserting the thumb into the recessed part 53 and placing the other fingers against the first surface 511 from behind. Thereafter, the user can further pull the processing agent tank 40 upward or diagonally upward to remove the processing agent tank 40 from the storage section 21.

[0061] In the above-described embodiment, the washing machine 10 includes an outer box 11, a water tank 12, a treatment agent case 30, a treatment agent tank 40, and a storage section 21. The water tank 12 is provided in the outer box 11. The treatment agent case 30 is for receiving the laundry treatment agent used in one operation and supplying the treatment agent to the water tank 12. The treatment agent tank 40 is configured to be able to store the laundry treatment agent used in multiple operations. The storage section 21 is provided in the outer box 11, has an opening 211 that is open on the top surface section 111 side of the outer box 11, and is configured to be able to store the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 side by side in the horizontal direction. The treatment agent case 30 is located on the user side, in this case, forward of the treatment agent tank 40, in a state in which the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are stored in the storage section 21. At least a portion of the treatment agent tank 40 is exposed to the user side in a state in which the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are stored in the storage section 21. The processing agent tank 40 can be removed from and / or attached to the storage section 21 while the processing agent case 30 is housed in the storage section 21 .

[0062] According to this, the treatment agent tank 40 is provided at a position farther from the user than the treatment agent case 30, in this case rearward, but a portion of the treatment agent tank 40 on the user side, in this case front, is not completely covered by the treatment agent case 30. Therefore, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are stored in the storage section 21, a user positioned in front of the washing machine 10 can access the treatment agent tank 40. The user can grasp the exposed portion and remove the treatment agent tank 40 from the storage section 21. Therefore, in a washing machine 10 in which the treatment agent tank 40 and the treatment agent case 30 are arranged adjacent to each other, it is possible to provide a washing machine with improved operability by making it easier to remove the treatment agent tank 40.

[0063] The processing agent tank 40 has a handle 50 on which a user can place his or her fingers, on the side facing the processing agent case 30. The surface of the handle 50 facing the processing agent case 30, i.e., at least a portion of the front portion 51 in this case, is exposed to the user side when the processing agent case 30 and the processing agent tank 40 are housed in the housing section 21. In this embodiment, the processing agent tank 40 has the handle 50 on the side facing the processing agent case 30 located at the front, i.e., on the front portion, and at least a portion of the front portion 51 of the handle 50 is exposed to the user side, i.e., facing forward.

[0064] Because the handle 50 is exposed to the user side, the user can hook his / her fingers on the handle 50 and pull the processing agent tank 40 upward in a state in which the processing agent case 30 and the processing agent tank 40 are housed in the storage section 21. Therefore, even in a state in which the processing agent case 30 and the processing agent tank 40 are housed in close contact with each other in the storage section 21, the user can easily take out the processing agent tank 40 that is located away from the user.

[0065] In another embodiment, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged closely next to each other in the left-right direction, the treatment agent tank 40 may have the handle 50 on the side facing the treatment agent case 30 located at the center of the left-right direction of the washing machine 10, that is, on the center side in the left-right direction. Also, at least a part of the handle 50 may be exposed toward the user, that is, toward the center side in the left-right direction.

[0066] Here, if the overall height of the wall 31 of the treatment agent case 30 is lowered, there is a risk that the laundry treatment agent will spill into the treatment agent tank 40 when manually added, or that water will overflow into the treatment agent tank 40 when water is supplied. In this case, there is a risk that the outer surface of the treatment agent tank 40 will become dirty, or that unexpected water will enter and cause a breakdown in the electrical system of the pump 22. For this reason, it is desirable to set the position of the upper end of the wall 31 of the treatment agent case 30 high. On the other hand, if the position of the upper end of the wall 31 of the treatment agent case 30 is higher than the upper end of the handle part 50 of the treatment agent tank 40, it will be difficult for the user to access the handle part 50.

[0067] In contrast, the treatment agent case 30 has a notch 37 at the upper part on the side facing the treatment agent tank 40. In this case, the treatment agent case 30 has the notch 37 at the upper part of the back wall part 313 facing the treatment agent tank 40.

[0068] This allows the handle 50 of the treatment agent tank 40 to be exposed to the user side while raising the position of the upper end of the wall 31 of the treatment agent case 30. This makes it possible to easily allow the user to access the handle 50 while preventing the laundry treatment agent from spilling into the treatment agent tank 40 when manually adding the laundry treatment agent or the water from overflowing into the treatment agent tank 40 when supplying water.

[0069] In another embodiment, when the treatment agent case 30 and the treatment agent tank 40 are arranged closely adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, the cutout portion 37 can be provided in the upper part of the outer part of the treatment agent case 30 in the left-right direction.

[0070] Here, we consider lifting the treatment agent tank 40 slightly upward without changing the height position of the upper end of the handle part 50 so that the user's fingers can enter the handle part 50 from below. For example, by setting the height position of the lower end of the front part 51 of the handle part 50 higher, that is, by reducing the vertical height dimension of the front part 51, the treatment agent tank 40 can be lifted slightly upward so that the user's fingers can enter. However, if the vertical height dimension of the front part 51 is reduced, the strength of the handle part 50 is reduced. Since the treatment agent tank 40 can store about several hundred ml to one thousand ml of laundry treatment agent, the combined weight of the laundry treatment agent and the treatment agent tank 40 can be considerable. In this case, reducing the strength of the handle part 50 may lead to damage to the treatment agent tank 40.

[0071] In contrast, the handle portion 50 has a recess 53 recessed upward.

[0072] According to this, since the recess 53 is formed to be recessed toward the top, the recess 53 can be exposed to an extent that the user's fingers can enter by pulling the treatment agent tank 40 slightly upward without reducing the vertical height dimension of the front part 51. Furthermore, when gripping the handle part 50, the user can stably pull up the treatment agent tank 40 by placing a finger, for example the thumb, against the recess 53.

[0073] The storage section 21 has a regulating section 61 that regulates movement of the processing agent tank 40 when the processing agent tank 40 is housed in the storage section 21. The processing agent tank 40 has a regulated section 62 that detachably fits with the regulating section 61 when the processing agent tank 40 is housed in the storage section 21. When the processing agent tank 40 is raised to a position where the regulating section 61 and the regulated section 62 are no longer fitted together, the handle section 50 is exposed to a greater extent than when the regulating section 61 and the regulated section 62 are fitted together.

[0074] According to this, in order to remove the processing agent tank 40, the user must first disengage the restricting portion 61 from the regulated portion 62, but when the processing agent tank 40 is raised by the distance H in order to disengage the restricting portion 61 from the regulated portion 62, the user can easily place his or her fingers on the handle portion 50. This makes it even easier for the user to access the handle portion 50, and the operability for the user can be further improved.

[0075] The recess 53 has an upper end 531 that extends toward the tank body 41 of the treatment agent tank 40 and receives the user's fingers from above. In other words, the recess 53 is not a notch shape formed by simply cutting out the front part 51 of the handle part 50, but has a so-called tunnel shape having a three-dimensional curved surface or multiple flat surfaces.

[0076] According to this, the upper end 531 receives the fingers, so that the fingers contact the handle portion 50 by a surface, not a line. Therefore, the recess 53 makes the contact with the fingers softer. Furthermore, as described above, when several hundred ml to a thousand ml of laundry treatment agent is poured in, the treatment agent tank 40 becomes quite heavy. Even in such a case, the user supports the treatment agent tank 40 by a surface, not a line, so that the user can stably support the weight of the treatment agent tank 40 containing the laundry treatment agent. Furthermore, since the recess 53 has a tunnel shape and forms a surface extending in the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction, the strength of the handle portion 50 can be strengthened compared to when the recess 53 is not provided. Therefore, the operability of the user and the strength of the treatment agent tank 40 can be improved.

[0077] (Other embodiments)

[0078] In each of the above embodiments, an example has been described in which the upper end of the recess 53 is configured to extend horizontally when viewed from the side. However, in other embodiments, the upper end of the recess 53 may be configured to be inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.

[0079] That is, in another embodiment, the upper end 531 of the recess 53 may be inclined from the front to the rear. For example, the upper end 531 may be inclined downward from the front to the rear as shown in Fig. 14. In this case, since the user inserts his / her fingers into the recess 53 from above, the user's insertion direction and the inclination direction of the recess 53 coincide with each other, making it easier for the user to insert the fingers.

[0080] On the other hand, upper end 531 may be inclined so as to rise from the front to the rear as shown in Fig. 15. In this case, after processing agent tank 40 is removed from storage section 21, it is expected that the user's fingers will be inserted from below into recess 53, for example, when gripping processing agent tank 40 placed on top surface section 111 of outer box 11. In this case, if upper end 531 is inclined so as to rise from the front to the rear, the user's insertion direction and the inclination direction of recess 53 will match, making it easier for the user to grip handle section 50.

[0081] According to these other embodiments, the upper end 531 of the recess 53 is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. In other words, the height position of the front end of the upper end 531 from the floor surface does not coincide with the height position of the rear end from the floor surface. The upper end 531 of the recess 53 may be inclined so as to descend from the front end of the handle portion 50 toward the tank body 41, or may be inclined so as to ascend toward the tank body 41, for example.

[0082] According to this, since the upper end 531 of the recess 53 is inclined, the user's fingers can fit more easily into the recess 53. For example, when the processing agent tank 40 is housed in the storage section 21, the user inserts his / her fingers into the recess 53 from above. Therefore, for example, when the upper end 531 of the recess 53 is inclined so as to descend toward the tank body 41, the user can insert his / her fingers into the recess 53 more easily when the processing agent tank 40 is housed in the storage section 21 than when the recess 53 extends horizontally. Also, when the processing agent tank 40 is removed from the storage section 21, it is assumed that the user will insert his / her fingers from below the handle 50. For example, when the upper end 531 of the recess 53 is inclined so as to ascend toward the tank body 41, the user can insert his / her fingers into the recess 53 more easily when the processing agent tank 40 is removed from the storage section 21 than when the recess 53 extends horizontally. Therefore, the operability of the user is improved.

[0083] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the regulating mechanism 60 is configured to restrict the movement of the processing agent tank 40 by sandwiching the regulated portion 62 provided on the processing agent tank 40 between a pair of regulating portions 61 provided on the storage portion 21 side, but this is not limited thereto. That is, the regulating mechanism 60 may be configured such that the regulating portion provided on the storage portion 21 side and the regulated portion provided on the processing agent tank 40 side exert forces on each other by some method to restrict the movement of the processing agent tank 40. For example, the regulating portion provided on the storage portion 21 side may be sandwiched between a pair of regulated portions provided on the processing agent tank 40 side to restrict the movement of the processing agent tank 40. That is, in this case, the regulating portion and the regulated portion may be configured such that one is inserted into the other and one receives the other when they are fitted together. Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the regulating portion 61 and the regulated portion 62 are configured to restrict the movement by fitting together, but they may be configured, for example, by magnets to restrict the movement of the processing agent tank 40 by utilizing the magnetic attraction force.

[0084] 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]

[0085] 10... washing machine, 11... outer box, 12... water tank, 21... storage section, 211... opening, 212... bottom, 30... treatment agent case, 31... wall section, 37... notch section, 40... treatment agent tank, 41... tank body, 50... handle section, 51... front section, 52... side section, 53... recessed section, 531... upper end section, 60... regulating mechanism, 61... regulating section, 62... regulated section

Claims

1. Outer box and A water tank provided in the outer box; a treatment case for receiving a laundry treatment agent to be used in one operation and supplying the laundry treatment agent to the water tub; A treatment tank capable of storing a laundry treatment agent to be used for multiple operations; a storage section that is provided within the outer box, has an opening that is open on a top surface side of the outer box, and is capable of storing the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank side by side in a horizontal direction, the treatment agent case is located closer to the user than the treatment agent tank in a state in which the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodation section, the treatment agent tank can be removed from and / or attached to the storage section in a state in which the treatment agent case is stored in the storage section, when the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are accommodated in the accommodation section, an upper surface of the treatment agent case is located lower than an upper surface of the treatment agent tank, so that at least a portion of a user side surface of the treatment agent tank is exposed to the user side. washing machine.

2. The treatment agent tank has a handle portion on the side opposite the treatment agent case on which a user can place his or her hand, At least a part of a surface of the handle that faces the treatment agent case is exposed to a user side in a state in which the treatment agent case and the treatment agent tank are housed in the housing section. The washing machine according to claim 1.

3. the container has a restricting portion that restricts movement of the processing agent tank when the processing agent tank is contained in the container, the treatment agent tank has a regulated portion that detachably fits with the regulating portion in a state in which the treatment agent tank is accommodated in the accommodation portion, When the processing agent tank is raised to a position where the engagement between the regulating portion and the regulated portion is released, the handle portion is exposed to a greater extent than when the regulating portion and the regulated portion are engaged with each other. The washing machine according to claim 2.

4. 4. The washing machine according to claim 2, wherein the handle portion has a recess that is recessed upward.

5. The recessed portion extends toward the tank body of the treatment agent tank and has an upper end portion for receiving a user's fingers from above. The washing machine according to claim 4.

6. The washing machine according to claim 5, wherein the upper end of the recess is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the treatment agent case has a notch in an upper portion on a side facing the treatment agent tank.

Images