washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine whose washing effect can be fully achieved.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes a water drum, an agitator mechanism that agitates water stored in the water drum, a pressure dissolution device that causes, via pressurization with the pressure of water supplied from an external water source, air components to be dissolved in the water, a fine air bubble generator which is located on the downstream side of the pressure dissolution device and generates fine-air-bubble-containing water which contains fine air bubbles, an energy addition device that directly or indirectly provides physical or chemical stimulation to mixed water which is a mixture of a laundry treatment agent used for a washing cycle and the fine-air-bubble-containing water, and a provision processing unit that can perform a providing process that is commenced prior to the execution of an agitating operation which is performed via causing the agitator mechanism to operate and in which the energy addition device is caused to operate and physical or chemical stimulation is provided to the mixed water.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] In recent years, in the technical field of washing machines, a technology has been attracting attention in which water in which a large amount of air components are dissolved using a pressurized dissolving device and a fine bubble generator is supplied to a water tank, and the fine bubble water is subjected to, for example, an external physical stimulus to cause fine bubbles such as ultrafine bubbles and microbubbles to appear from the air components in the water, thereby enhancing the cleaning effect. However, the conventional configuration has room for improvement in terms of fully exerting the cleaning effect. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-083933 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Therefore, a washing machine capable of exerting a sufficient cleaning effect is provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The washing machine of the embodiment includes a water tub, an agitation mechanism for agitating water stored in the water tub, a pressurized dissolving device for pressurizing the water with the pressure of water supplied from an external water source to dissolve air components in the water, a fine bubble generator provided downstream of the pressurized dissolving device for generating fine bubble water containing fine bubbles, an energy addition device for directly or indirectly applying a physical or chemical stimulus to mixed water in which a laundry treatment agent used in a washing operation and the fine bubble water are mixed, and an application processing unit that is started before the agitation operation performed by operating the agitation mechanism is performed and is capable of performing an application process for applying a physical or chemical stimulus to the mixed water by operating the energy addition device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional left side view illustrating an example of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional right side view illustrating an example of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional rear view illustrating an example of a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic positional relationship between a water inlet and a spin tub in a washing machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a path of water supplied from an external water source according to the first embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a pressurized dissolving apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a pressurized dissolution tank of a pressurized dissolution apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a micro-bubble generator according to a first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the micro-bubble generator according to the first embodiment taken along line X9-X9 in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of a control device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the content displayed on the operation panel when a user selects a water supply process to be executed in the washing step according to the first embodiment; [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the saturated dissolved oxygen amount and the water temperature for fine bubbles precipitated from supersaturated fine bubble water according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a comparison result of cleaning degree when supersaturated fine bubble water according to the first embodiment is heated with tap water. [Figure 14] A flowchart showing an example of the entire process of a washing and drying operation according to the first embodiment. [Figure 15] 1 is a flowchart showing an example of control content of a washing process according to a first embodiment. [Figure 16] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the control content of a washing process according to a second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of how fine bubbles are generated when supersaturated fine bubble water is supplied around heated laundry according to the third embodiment; [Figure 18] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the control content of a washing process according to a third embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a vertical axis type washing machine according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 20] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the control content of a washing process according to the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Hereinafter, a number of embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, substantially the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In addition, in the following embodiments, the terms "first" and "second" attached to components are merely intended to distinguish similar components, and do not indicate superiority or inferiority between the components or time elements.

[0008] (First embodiment) The washing machine 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a drum type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub 13 is horizontal or inclined downward toward the rear. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the washing machine 10 includes an outer box 11, a water tub 12, a rotating tub 13, a motor 14, a drainage mechanism 15, an operation panel 16, a heater 17, a water supply device 20, a circulating air passage 30, a hot air supply device 40, a pressurized dissolving device 51, and fine bubble generators 52 and 53. In FIG. 1, the side of the installation surface of the washing machine 10, i.e., the vertically lower side, is the lower side of the washing machine 10, and the opposite side to the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upper side, is the upper side of the washing machine 10. The front side of the washing machine 10 as viewed from the user, i.e., the right side of the paper in FIG. 1, is the front side of the washing machine 10, and the opposite side of the user, i.e., the left side of the paper in FIG. 1, is the rear side of the washing machine 10.

[0009] The outer box 11 is formed into a substantially rectangular hollow box shape using, for example, a steel plate. The outer box 11 constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 10. The water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 are both formed into a so-called bottomed cylinder shape, which is open on one side in the axial direction of the cylindrical shape, i.e., the front side, and has a bottom on the other side, i.e., the rear side. The water tub 12 is provided in the outer box 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown).

[0010] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the aquarium 12 has an exhaust port 121, an air inlet 122, and a water inlet 123. The exhaust port 121, the air inlet 122, and the water inlet 123 communicate the inside and outside of the aquarium 12. The exhaust port 121 is for discharging air from within the aquarium 12. The exhaust port 121 is provided, for example, in a portion toward the front of the upper portion of the aquarium 12, and is located to the right of the center of the aquarium 12 in the left-right direction. The air inlet 122 is for supplying air into the aquarium 12. The air inlet 122 is provided, for example, in the bottom of the aquarium 12, slightly above the center of the bottom in the up-down direction.

[0011] Water inlet 123 is for supplying water containing laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener into water tub 12. Water inlet 123 is provided, for example, in a portion toward the rear of the upper part of water tub 12, at a position away to the left of the center of water tub 12 in the left-right direction. Water inlet 123 is provided at a position where the water and laundry treatment agents flowing out from water inlet 123 hit the outer circumferential surface of spin tub 13, as shown in FIG. 4. In other words, the water and laundry treatment agents flowing out from water inlet 123 are supplied between water tub 12 and spin tub 13.

[0012] Rotary tub 13 is rotatably disposed within water tub 12. Rotary tub 13 is driven to rotate by motor 14. Rotary tub 13 has baffle 131 and holes (not shown). Baffle 131 has the function of stirring and stirring up the laundry contained in rotary tub 13. A plurality of baffles 131 (three in this case) are provided. The holes are formed over almost the entire peripheral surface of rotary tub 13 and function as water passage holes through which water flows in and out during the spin-drying process and as ventilation holes through which air flows in and out during the drying process.

[0013] Motor 14 is provided on the outside of the bottom of water tub 12. Although details of motor 14 are not shown, motor 14 is, for example, a brushless direct drive motor whose rotation speed can be changed. Motor 14 is connected to rotating tub 13 and has a function of driving rotating tub 13 to rotate relative to water tub 12. Shaft 141 of motor 14, the central axis of water tub 12, and the rotation axis of rotating tub 13 overlap with each other. Motor 14, together with rotating tub 13 and baffle 131, functions as an agitation mechanism that agitates the water stored in water tub 12.

[0014] Drain mechanism 15 has a function of draining water stored in water tub 12 to the outside of washing machine 10. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, drain mechanism 15 has drain valve 151 and drain hose 152. Drain valve 151 is configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. One end of drain hose 152 is connected to drain valve 151, and the other end is drawn out to the outside of washing machine 10. When drain valve 151 is opened, water stored in water tub 12 is drained to the outside of washing machine 10 through drain hose 152. That is, drain valve 151 opens and closes a drain path for draining water stored in water tub 12 to the outside.

[0015] Operation panel 16 is provided, for example, on the front portion of the top surface of outer box 11, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Operation panel 16 is provided with, for example, display unit 161 and operation unit 162, and accepts input operations and the like for a user to set an operation course to be executed by washing machine 10, such as a standard course, a high-power wash course, a warm water course, and a soaking course, and displays the input operation contents and the operation status, etc. The standard course is, for example, an operation course for everyday washing. The high-power wash course, the warm water course, and the soaking course are, for example, operation courses for washing heavily soiled laundry.

[0016] In this case, the high cleaning course is an operation course in which the cleaning power is enhanced by, for example, performing the agitation operation for a longer time than in the standard course and / or by increasing the amount of the laundry treatment agent used in the washing operation. In this embodiment, the high cleaning course is configured by an operation course in which the agitation operation is performed for a longer time than in the standard course.

[0017] Heater 17 is provided at the bottom of water tub 12. Heater 17 is, for example, a sheath heater, and functions as a heating device. Heater 17 has a function of heating water supplied to water tub 12 to make it warm water. In this case, heater 17 functions as an energy adding device that imparts heat as a physical stimulus to the mixture of water and laundry treatment agent supplied to water tub 12.

[0018] The water supply device 20 has a function of supplying water supplied from an external water source such as a water tap into the water tub 12. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5, the water supply device 20 has a water supply case 21, a water supply hose 22, treatment agent tanks 231 and 232, an input pump 24, and a water supply valve mechanism 25. The water supply case 21 is provided downstream of the water supply valve mechanism 25. The water supply case 21 is configured to be able to accommodate a laundry treatment agent therein.

[0019] Water injection hose 22 can be formed of, for example, a flexible hose. Water injection hose 22 is a part that connects water injection case 21 and the inside of water tank 12. One end of water injection hose 22 is connected to water injection case 21, and the other end is connected to water injection port 123. Water supplied into water injection case 21 from an external water source is supplied into water tank 12 through water injection hose 22.

[0020] The treatment agent tanks 231 and 232 are made of, for example, resin, and are configured to be capable of storing liquid laundry treatment agent required for multiple washing operations. In the present embodiment, the washing machine 10 has, for example, a detergent tank 231 and a finishing agent tank 232 as the treatment agent tanks 231 and 232. The detergent tank 231 is for storing an amount of detergent used for multiple operations, in this case liquid detergent. The finishing agent tank 232 is for storing an amount of finishing agent used for multiple operations, in this case liquid finishing agent.

[0021] The dosing pump 24, together with the treatment agent tanks 231, 232, constitutes an automatic dosing mechanism for automatically supplying the laundry treatment agent into the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 during operation. The dosing pump 24 is composed of, for example, a piston pump, and has a function of individually sucking a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tanks 231, 232 and dosing it into a mixer 201 provided inside or outside the water injection case 21. In this embodiment, the mixer 201 is provided outside the water injection case 21.

[0022] The mixing section 201 is configured, for example, in the shape of a container capable of storing a certain amount of laundry treatment agent therein. Water is supplied from an external water source to the mixing section 201. Therefore, the laundry treatment agent introduced into the mixing section 201 from the introduction pump 24 is mixed with the water supplied to the mixing section 201 from the external water source in the mixing section 201, and is then supplied into the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13.

[0023] The water injection case 21 can be configured to have a treatment agent case (not shown). The treatment agent case is configured to be able to store the laundry treatment agent required for one washing operation. In this case, when the laundry treatment agent is stored in the treatment agent case, the water supplied from an external water source that has flowed into the water injection case 21 and the laundry treatment agent are mixed in the water injection case 21, and then supplied into the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13.

[0024] The water supply valve mechanism 25 has a function of individually opening and closing a plurality of water supply paths leading from an external water source through the water supply device 20 into the water tank 12. The water supply valve mechanism 25 can be configured, for example, as a multiple type having a plurality of water supply valves. In this case, the water supply valve mechanism 25 can be configured to include a first water supply valve 251 and a second water supply valve 252. Each of the water supply valves 251, 252 is an on-off valve for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 5, the washing machine 10 can be configured to include, for example, a first water supply path R1 and a second water supply path R2. The first water supply path R1 and the second water supply path R2 are paths that flow from the water supply valve mechanism 25 through different paths into the water supply case 21 and reach the water tank 12 through the water supply case 21. In this case, the first water supply valve 251 opens and closes the first water supply path R1. The first water supply path R1 is a path that runs from the water supply valve mechanism 25 through the pressurized dissolving device 51, the fine bubble generator 52, the mixer 201, and the water supply case 21 to the water tank 12. The first water supply path R1 is a path that supplies water supplied from an external water source to the water tank 12 through the pressurized dissolving device 51. The first water supply path R1 has the function of supplying fine bubble water, which has passed through the pressurized dissolution device 51 and the fine bubble generator 52 and has a large amount of dissolved air components generated therein and which contains fine bubbles of the nano-order and micro-order, to the water tank 12.

[0026] On the other hand, the second water supply path R2 is a path that runs from the water supply valve mechanism 25 through the fine bubble generator 53 and the water injection case 21 to the water tank 12. In this case, the second water supply valve 252 opens and closes the second water supply path R2. The second water supply path R2 is a path that supplies water supplied from an external water source to the water tank 12 without passing through the pressurized dissolving device 51. The second water supply path R2 has a function of supplying fine bubble water that contains mainly nano-order fine bubbles generated by passing through the fine bubble generator 53 to the water tank 12. Note that the second water supply path R2 may be configured without providing the fine bubble generator 53.

[0027] Circulation air passage 30, which serves as an air passage, is located outside water tub 12, with one end connected to exhaust port 121 and the other end connected to air supply port 122. Circulation air passage 30 is a portion that connects exhaust port 121 and air supply port 122. Circulation air passage 30 has the function of taking in air from water tub 12 through exhaust port 121, generating hot air through hot air supply device 40, and then supplying the hot air from air supply port 122 into water tub 12.

[0028] 2 and 3, the circulating air passage 30 can be configured to have, for example, an exhaust duct 31, a filter device 32, a connection duct 33, a heat exchanger 34, and an air supply duct 35. The exhaust duct 31 is configured, for example, by a flexible bellows-shaped hose. One end of the exhaust duct 31 is connected to the exhaust port 121, and the other end is connected to the filter device 32. The exhaust duct 31 is, for example, a part that exhausts air from inside the aquarium 12.

[0029] The filter device 32 is formed, for example, in a container shape, and a filter (not shown) is provided inside the filter, which collects foreign matter such as lint and dirt contained in the air flowing through the circulation air passage 30. The connection duct 33 is provided between the filter device 32 and the heat exchanger 34, and connects the filter device 32 and the heat exchanger 34. The heat exchanger 34 is disposed on the rear side of the washing machine 10, near the bottom inside the outer box 11. The heat exchanger 34 is provided in a middle part of the circulation air passage 30. The air taken into the circulation air passage 30 from the water tub 12 and flowing through the connection duct 33 is dehumidified and heated when passing through the heat exchanger 34, becoming dry warm air. The supply air duct 35 is provided between the heat exchanger 34 and the supply air port 122 of the water tub 12, and connects the heat exchanger 34 and the supply air port 122 of the water tub 12. The supply air duct 35 is, for example, a part that supplies air into the water tub 12.

[0030] The hot air supplying device 40 constitutes, for example, a heat pump mechanism, that is, a refrigeration cycle. The hot air supplying device 40 can generate hot air of, for example, about 60°C to 70°C. As shown in FIG. 3, the hot air supplying device 40 has a cooler 41, a condenser 42, a compressor 43, a throttle valve 44, and the like. The cooler 41 and the condenser 42 are provided in the heat exchanger 34. The cooler 41 is provided upstream of the condenser 42 with respect to the flow of air circulating between the water tank 12 and the circulating air passage 30. In the hot air supplying device 40, the cooler 41 cools and dehumidifies the air circulating in the circulating air passage 30, and the condenser 42 heats the air flowing in the circulating air passage 30 to generate hot air. The compressor 43 is provided outside the heat exchanger 34. The throttle valve 44 is for reducing the pressure of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant so that it can be easily evaporated. The hot air supplying device 40 may be a heater type mechanism having a well-known configuration instead of the heat pump mechanism.

[0031] 3, the washing machine 10 is provided with an air blower 45. The air blower 45 is provided between the heat exchanger 34 and the air supply duct 35. The air blower 45 can be formed of, for example, a sirocco fan. The air blower 45 is provided in the air circulation passage 30 and has a function of supplying air dehumidified and heated by the hot air supply device 40 from the air supply port 122 into the water tub 12. The air blower 45, together with the hot air supply device 40, functions as an energy adding device that directly or indirectly applies a physical stimulus (in this case, heat) to, for example, the water and laundry in the water tub 12 and the rotating tub 13.

[0032] The pressurized dissolving device 51 is provided downstream of the first water supply valve 251, as shown in Fig. 5. The pressurized dissolving device 51 dissolves air components in water passing through the inside of the pressurized dissolving device 51. In this case, the pressurized dissolving device 51 has a function of pressurizing water supplied from an external water source with the pressure of the water to dissolve the air components. As shown in Fig. 6, the pressurized dissolving device 51 has a pressurized dissolving tank 511, an inlet 512, an outlet 513, a water guide 514, a partition wall 515, an air introduction pipe 516, and an intake valve 517.

[0033] The pressurized dissolving tank 511 is provided on the first water supply path R1 downstream of the first water supply valve 251 and upstream of the water injection case 21. The pressurized dissolving tank 511 is made of, for example, synthetic resin or metal, and is configured to be airtight, watertight, and pressure resistant. The inlet 512 is provided on the upper part of the pressurized dissolving tank 511 and is connected to the discharge side of the first water supply valve 251 directly or indirectly via another member. In this case, the inlet 512 is connected to the first water supply valve 251 via the connection member 202, as shown in FIG. 1 and other figures. Water supplied to the first water supply valve 251 from an external water source passes through the connection member 202 and flows into the pressurized dissolving tank 511 from the inlet 512.

[0034] The outlet 513 is provided at the bottom of the pressurized dissolving tank 511, and is a portion through which water that has flowed into the pressurized dissolving tank 511 flows out. The discharge side end of the outlet 513 is connected to the mixing section 201. Furthermore, drainage from the outlet 513 is performed only by the water pressure of the water stored in the pressurized dissolving tank 511, i.e., hydrostatic pressure, and does not require a drive source such as a dedicated pump for drainage.

[0035] The water guiding section 514 is connected to the inlet section 512. The water guiding section 514 is for guiding the water that has flowed through the inlet section 512 to a predetermined position inside the pressurized dissolution tank 511. The water guiding section 514 can be configured to extend in the longitudinal direction of the pressurized dissolution tank 511 at a predetermined distance from the bottom of the pressurized dissolution tank 511. The water guiding section 514 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape, with one end, i.e., the base end, attached to the inner wall of the pressurized dissolution tank 511 and the other end, i.e., the tip end, closed.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 6, the water flowing into the water guide 514 from the inlet 512 is vigorously discharged downward from the opening 514a. At this time, the water level and pressure in the pressurized dissolution tank 511 rise due to the water discharged from the opening 514a. As shown in FIG. 6, the partition wall 515 is provided rising from the bottom of the pressurized dissolution tank 511. When the inside of the pressurized dissolution tank 511 is viewed in a plan view, the partition wall 515 divides the area inside the pressurized dissolution tank 511 into an area on the inlet 512 side and an area on the outlet 513 side. As shown in FIG. 7, the partition wall 515 can have a gap 515a formed by cutting in the vertical direction. The gap 515a can divide and micronize relatively large air bubbles on the order of millimeters that are generated when the water discharged from the opening 514a collides with the water surface.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 6, the air introduction pipe 516 is provided, for example, on the upper part of the pressurized dissolution tank 511, and communicates the inside and outside of the pressurized dissolution tank 511. The intake valve 517 is provided in the middle of the air introduction pipe 516. The intake valve 517 has a function of opening and closing the air introduction pipe 516. The intake valve 517 can be configured, for example, as a check valve, and has a function of passing air from the outside of the pressurized dissolution tank 511 toward the inside of the pressurized dissolution tank 511, but blocking air from the inside of the pressurized dissolution tank 511 toward the outside of the pressurized dissolution tank 511. The intake valve 517 can be configured to close when the pressure in the pressurized dissolution tank 511 becomes higher than atmospheric pressure, and to open when the pressure in the pressurized dissolution tank 511 becomes close to atmospheric pressure. The intake valve 517 can be configured to be electromagnetically openable and closable. In this case, when the intake valve 517 is opened, outside air is replenished into the pressurized dissolution tank 511 through the air introduction pipe 516. In place of the intake valve 517, an air pump may be used to introduce air into the pressurized dissolution tank 511.

[0038] The pressurized dissolution device 51 can pressurize the pressurized dissolution tank 511 using only water supply pressure, for example, by making the amount of water flowing into the pressurized dissolution tank 511 greater than the amount of water flowing out of the pressurized dissolution tank 511. In this case, for example, when the first water supply valve 251 is opened, the remaining water that has flowed in from the inlet 512 and has not flowed out from the outlet 513 is stored in the pressurized dissolution tank 511, and the water level in the pressurized dissolution tank 511 rises. At this time, the air in the pressurized dissolution tank 511 is compressed by the rising water level, which increases the pressure in the pressurized dissolution tank 511 and closes the intake valve 517.

[0039] Thereafter, when the water continues to flow in from the inlet 512 and the water level in the pressurized dissolution tank 511 rises to a predetermined level, the pressure in the pressurized dissolution tank 511 and the pressure of the water flowing in from the external water source (in this case, water supply pressure) are balanced. As a result, the amount of water flowing in from the inlet 512 and the amount of water flowing out of the pressurized dissolution tank 511 from the outlet 513 become approximately equal, and the pressure in the pressurized dissolution tank 511 becomes close to the maximum pressure (in this case, water supply pressure).

[0040] In this way, by increasing the pressure inside the pressurized dissolution tank 511 above atmospheric pressure, the air inside the pressurized dissolution tank 511 becomes more easily dissolved in the water stored in the pressurized dissolution tank 511. In other words, by passing water supplied from an external water source through the pressurized dissolution device 51, it is possible to supply water containing a larger amount of dissolved air components to the water supplied downstream of the pressurized dissolution device 51 than normal water that does not pass through the pressurized dissolution device 51. The pressurized dissolution device 51 is also capable of dissolving air components that exceed the degree of saturation in water, and can create a supersaturated state.

[0041] Then, when water supply into the pressurized dissolution tank 511 starts and the first water supply valve 251 is closed, for example after a predetermined water supply time has elapsed, the pressure inside the pressurized dissolution tank 511 drops to near atmospheric pressure as the water level inside the pressurized dissolution tank 511 drops, and the intake valve 517 opens to introduce outside air into the pressurized dissolution tank 511. In this way, by repeatedly opening and closing the first water supply valve 251, the pressurized dissolution device 51 can repeatedly discharge water with air components dissolved in it.

[0042] The fine bubble generators 52, 53 each have a function of precipitating mainly nano-order fine bubbles in the water passing through the fine bubble generators 52, 53. The fine bubble generator 52 is provided in the middle of the first water supply path R1 and downstream of the pressurized dissolution tank 511. In this case, the fine bubble generator 52 is attached to the middle of the outlet 513 of the pressurized dissolution tank 511. The fine bubble generator 53 is provided in the middle of the second water supply path R2. Moreover, each of the fine bubble generators 52, 53 is provided upstream of the water injection case 21. In this embodiment, the fine bubble generator 52 and the fine bubble generator 53 can be configured to have the same structure.

[0043] The micro-bubble generators 52, 53 have an outer diameter and a total length of, for example, several mm to several tens of mm, specifically, an outer diameter of up to about 15 mm and a total length of about 10 mm. As shown in FIG. 8, the micro-bubble generators 52, 53 have a throttle section 521, a straight section 522, and a collision section 523. The throttle section 521 is provided on the inflow side, i.e., the upstream side, of the micro-bubble generators 52, 53. The throttle section 521 is formed in a so-called truncated cone tapered tube shape in which the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path, i.e., the inner diameter, is continuously and gradually decreased from the upstream end to the middle part in the longitudinal direction of the micro-bubble generators 52, 53. The straight section 522 is provided on the downstream side of the throttle section 521. The straight section 522 is formed in a cylindrical shape in which the inner diameter does not change, i.e., the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path, i.e., the area through which liquid can pass does not change, that is, in a so-called straight tube shape.

[0044] The collision section 523 is provided at the downstream end of the straight section 522. The collision section 523 can generate a large amount of mainly fine bubbles of nano-order or less in the liquid passing through the fine-bubble generators 52, 53 by locally reducing the cross-sectional area through which water can pass in the fine-bubble generators 52, 53. As shown in FIG. 9, the collision section 523 is composed of, for example, four rod-shaped parts with pointed tips, and protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the straight section 522 toward the center of the cross section of the straight section 522. The four collision sections 523 are arranged at equal intervals from each other in the circumferential direction of the cross section of the straight section 522. In this case, the downstream surface of each collision section 523 is formed into a flat surface. The area of ​​the gap formed by each collision section 523 is the minimum cross-sectional area through which water can pass in the fine-bubble generators 52, 53.

[0045] When water flows into the upstream side of the fine-bubble generators 52, 53, the flow path cross-sectional area is narrowed in the narrowing section 521 formed to reduce in a truncated cone tapered shape, and the flow velocity is increased based on the so-called Bernoulli's theorem of fluid dynamics, and cavitation occurs due to reduced pressure. Then, the high-speed flow collides with the collision section 523, and fine bubbles are generated by the shear force that acts. As a result, the fine-bubble generators 52, 53 can precipitate a large amount of air dissolved in the water passing through the fine-bubble generators 52, 53 as fine bubbles, and supply fine-bubble water containing a larger amount of fine bubbles than before passing through the fine-bubble generators 52, 53.

[0046] Generally, microbubbles or fine bubbles are classified according to the particle size of the bubbles as follows. For example, bubbles with a particle size of several μm to about 100 μm, that is, micro-order bubbles, are called microbubbles. In contrast, bubbles with a particle size of 50 nm to less than 1,000 nm, that is, nano-order bubbles, are called ultrafine bubbles. In this specification, nano-order fine bubbles, ultrafine bubbles, and nanobubbles are all synonymous and refer to bubbles with a particle size of nano-order.

[0047] Microbubbles have a negative electrical charge and are easily electrostatically attracted to positively charged dirt attached to the object to be cleaned, such as laundry. Dirt that is removed from the object to be cleaned by the electrical reaction with the microbubbles remains attached to the microbubble surface and rises to the water surface due to the buoyancy of the microbubbles, where it remains. Furthermore, microbubbles with negatively charged bubble surfaces repel each other and do not bond together, so they disperse in the liquid, preventing dirt removed from the object to be cleaned from adhering to the object again in the washing water.

[0048] On the other hand, ultrafine bubbles have a small particle size, so they can penetrate into the intricate parts of water tanks and fibers, and can demonstrate a cleaning effect that removes dirt from objects to be cleaned that cannot be removed by other fine bubbles such as microbubbles. In addition, the impact of the bursting of ultrafine bubbles makes it easier to float dirt attached to the object to be cleaned, improving the effect of the cleaning ingredients in removing the dirt. Furthermore, ultrafine bubbles have the properties of having a nano-order particle size, small buoyancy, and being more hydrophobic and less soluble in water than microbubbles, so that they remain in liquid for a long time.

[0049] As described above, the fine bubble generator 52 has the main function of precipitating ultrafine bubbles by itself, but by using the pressurized dissolving device 51 to increase the amount of air dissolved in the water passing through the fine bubble generator 52, it is possible to dramatically improve the amount of generated microbubbles as well as ultrafine bubbles. This is presumably because, when the amount of air dissolved in water increases, the number of ultrafine bubbles generated when the water passes through the fine bubble generator 52 increases significantly, and some of the generated ultrafine bubbles combine with each other to develop into microbubbles.

[0050] In this embodiment, the pressurized dissolving device 51 and the fine bubble generator 52 are provided on the first water supply path R1. Therefore, by washing laundry or the like using water that has passed through the pressurized dissolving device 51 and the fine bubble generator 52, i.e., the first water supply path R1, an improvement in the washing effect can be expected. That is, microbubbles tend to contribute to the removal of relatively large dirt attached to the surface of the laundry, for example. On the other hand, ultrafine bubbles tend to contribute to the removal of relatively small dirt attached to the intricate parts of the fibers of the laundry, for example. In this way, the washing effect can be significantly improved by the interaction between the microbubbles and the ultrafine bubbles.

[0051] The operation of washing machine 10 is controlled by control device 60 shown in Fig. 10. Control device 60 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having CPU 601 and storage area 602 such as ROM, RAM, and rewritable flash memory, and controls the operation of washing machine 10 as a whole. Washing machine 10 also includes water level sensor 18 and temperature sensor 19 as shown in Fig. 10. Water level sensor 18 is capable of detecting the water level in water tub 12. Temperature sensor 19 is capable of detecting the temperature or water temperature in water tub 12. Detection signals from water level sensor 18 and temperature sensor 19 are input to control device 60.

[0052] 10, the motor 14, the drain valve 151, the operation panel 16, the heater 17, the water level sensor 18, the temperature sensor 19, the input pump 24, the water supply valve mechanism 25, the compressor 43, and the blower 45 are electrically connected to the control device 60. The control device 60 controls the drive of the motor 14, the drain valve 151, the heater 17, the water level sensor 18, the temperature sensor 19, the input pump 24, the water supply valve mechanism 25, the compressor 43, and the blower 45 based on signals input from the operation panel 16, etc.

[0053] A control program is stored in the memory area 602 of the control device 60. The control device 60 executes the control program stored in the memory area 602 in the CPU 601 in accordance with the washing course set by the user on the operation panel 16, thereby virtually realizing a weight detection processing unit 61, a treatment agent dispensing processing unit 62, a water supply processing unit 63, a selection processing unit 64, a setting processing unit 65, and an application processing unit 66 by software. The control device 60 may realize these processing units 61 to 66 by hardware such as an integrated circuit, or may realize them by a combination of software and hardware.

[0054] Weight detection processing unit 61 can execute weight detection processing. The weight detection processing includes processing for detecting the weight of laundry in spin tub 13. Weight detection processing unit 61 rotates spin tub 13 at a low speed, and detects the weight of the laundry by measuring the q-axis current of motor 14 with a current sensor (not shown) at that time. Note that weight detection processing unit 61 may be configured to directly and physically measure the weight of laundry in spin tub 13 with a weighing scale or the like.

[0055] The treatment agent supplying unit 62 can execute a treatment agent supplying process. The treatment agent supplying process includes a process of supplying a laundry treatment agent into the water tank 12. The treatment agent supplying unit 62 can supply the laundry treatment agent contained in the treatment agent tanks 231, 232 into the first water supply path R1 by, for example, driving and controlling the supply pump 24.

[0056] The water supply processing unit 63 can execute a water supply process. The water supply process includes a process of supplying water from the first water supply path R1 and the second water supply path R2 into the water tub 12 by controlling the driving of the water supply valve mechanism 25 (in this case, the first water supply valve 251 and the second water supply valve 252). In the water supply process, water can be supplied all at once up to a predetermined amount of water, which is a target amount of water to be supplied to the water tub 12 and is set according to the weight of the laundry, in a process to which an agitation operation performed by operating the agitation mechanism belongs. The process to which the agitation operation belongs refers to the washing process and the rinsing process, and the agitation operation refers to the washing operation in the washing process and the rinsing operation in the rinsing process.

[0057] The water supply process can include a first water supply process and a second water supply process. The first water supply process includes a process of supplying only the water that has passed through the first water supply path R1 into the water tank 12 or supplying more water that has passed through the first water supply path R1 than the water that has passed through the second water supply path R2, relative to a predetermined amount of water that is a target amount of water to be supplied to the water tank 12 in the washing step. In this embodiment, the first water supply process is a process of supplying only the water that has passed through the first water supply path R1 into the water tank 12. In this case, the water supply processing unit 63 can supply only the fine bubble water, which has a large amount of dissolved air components and has been generated by passing through the pressurized dissolving device 51 and the fine bubble generator 52 provided on the first water supply path R1, into the water tank 12 by controlling the opening and closing of the first water supply valve 251.

[0058] On the other hand, the second water supply process includes a process of supplying only water that has passed through the second water supply path R2 into the water tank 12, or supplying the same amount of water that has passed through the second water supply path R2 as the water that has passed through the first water supply path R1, relative to a predetermined amount of water that is a target amount of water to be supplied to the water tank 12 in the washing step. In this embodiment, the second water supply process is a process of supplying the same amount of water that has passed through the second water supply path R2 as the amount of water that has passed through the first water supply path R1. In this case, the water supply processing unit 63 can supply the fine bubble water that has passed through the first water supply path R1 or the second water supply path R2 and has been generated, into the water tank 12 by controlling the opening and closing of the first water supply valve 251 and the second water supply valve 252.

[0059] It is considered that the amount of water supplied per unit time from the first water supply path R1 is smaller than the amount of water supplied per unit time from the second water supply path R2, which supplies water supplied from an external water source into the water tank 12 without passing through the pressurized dissolving device 51. Therefore, the water supply processing unit 63 can adjust the amount of water supplied through each water supply path R1, R2 to be the same amount for a predetermined amount of water by mutually adjusting the opening time or opening / closing amount of each water supply valve 251, 252.

[0060] The selection processing unit 64 can execute a selection process. The selection process includes a process of determining whether the first water-supply process or the second water-supply process is to be executed among the water-supply processes executed by the water-supply processing unit 63, based on an input from a user. In this case, as shown in Fig. 11, the user can select, for example, before starting a washing operation, the contents of the water-supply process during the washing step displayed on the display unit 161 of the operation panel 16, in this case, whether the first water-supply process or the second water-supply process is to be executed, by performing an input operation on the operation unit 162.

[0061] The display unit 161 may be configured to display explanatory text outlining each of the first water supply process and the second water supply process. In this case, for the first water supply process, for example, an explanatory text such as "Water is supplied only with fine bubble water to enhance the cleaning effect, thoroughly removing dirt" may be displayed on the display unit 161, and for the second water supply process, for example, an explanatory text such as "Water is supplied from multiple routes to shorten the water supply time" may be displayed on the display unit 161. Note that whether the first water supply process or the second water supply process is to be performed is not limited to a configuration in which the user selects it, but may be a configuration in which it is automatically set according to the washing course.

[0062] The setting processing unit 65 can execute a setting process. The setting process includes a process of setting the temperature or water temperature in the water tub 12 in the washing process based on the contents of the washing operation or an input from the user. In the present embodiment, the setting process includes a process of setting the water temperature in the water tub 12 in the washing process based on the contents of the washing operation or an input from the user.

[0063] The setting process also includes a process for setting the execution time of the washing operation in the washing step, i.e., the agitation time of the laundry, based on the contents of the washing operation or an input from the user. The washing operation is an operation in which the spin tub 13 is rotated forward and backward alternately for a predetermined time, for example, 20 seconds, at a predetermined rotation speed, for example, 50 rpm. Specifically, the setting processing section 65 can set the agitation time Tb of the laundry during the execution of the washing operation when the first water supply process is selected from the water supply processes executed by the water supply processing section 63, for example, by an input from the user, to a time shorter than the agitation time Ta when the second water supply process is selected. In this case, the agitation time Ta can be set to, for example, 20 minutes, and the agitation time Tb to, for example, 15 minutes.

[0064] The application processing unit 66 can execute the application process. The application process is started before the execution of the washing operation, and includes a process of operating the heater 17 to apply a physical stimulus, in this case heat, to the mixed water in which the laundry treatment agent and the fine bubble water generated by passing through the first water supply path R1 are mixed. The application process can be executed after the water supply processing unit 63 starts supplying water into the water tub 12.

[0065] Furthermore, the application process includes a process of operating the heater 17 to increase the water temperature of the water supplied into the water tank 12 through only the first water supply path R1 when the user selects to execute the first water supply process among the water supply processes in the high cleaning course.

[0066] It is generally known that it is easier to remove sebum stains and the like from laundry using warm water than using cold water. The amount of saturated dissolved oxygen varies depending on the water temperature, and for example, the higher the water temperature, the lower the amount of saturated dissolved oxygen. Figure 12 shows the relationship between the amount of saturated dissolved oxygen and water temperature, with the vertical axis showing the amount of saturated dissolved oxygen and the horizontal axis showing the water temperature. The graph in the figure plots the amount of saturated dissolved oxygen at each water temperature.

[0067] The pressurized dissolving device 51 has a function of dissolving air components in the water passing through it, and can create a supersaturated state of oxygen in the water, as shown by the white circle in Fig. 12. When a physical stimulus is applied, such as by heating the temperature of the supersaturated fine-bubble water that has passed through the pressurized dissolving device 51 and the fine-bubble generator 52, fine bubbles including ultra-fine bubbles or microbubbles can be precipitated from the difference D between the amount of saturated dissolved oxygen at the increased water temperature, as shown by the black circle in Fig. 12, and the amount of saturated dissolved oxygen at the water temperature before the temperature increase.

[0068] In this regard, as shown in FIG. 13, in a comparison of the cleanliness of supersaturated fine bubble water and tap water when heated, the cleanliness of the fine bubble water generated by passing through the pressurized dissolving device 51 and the fine bubble generator 52 at a water temperature of 35° C. is comparable to that of tap water at a water temperature of 40° C. In other words, when washing laundry with heated water, it can be said that the same level of cleaning performance can be obtained at a lower water temperature than when tap water is used by using supersaturated fine bubble water generated by passing through the pressurized dissolving device 51 and the fine bubble generator 52. It is presumed that this is due to the fact that oxygen in the supersaturated fine bubble water that has passed through the pressurized dissolving device 51 and the fine bubble generator 52, which exceeds the saturation amount, is precipitated as fine bubbles by heating. The cleanliness was calculated using the following formula 1. Cleanliness=(Rw-Rb) / (Ra-Rb) (Equation 1) Rw: Reflectance after cleaning Rb: Reflectance before cleaning Ra: Reflectance of the original fabric

[0069] For example, when water with a temperature of 20° C. is heated to 35° C., it is estimated that the washing time can be shortened by approximately 17% and the amount of power consumption can be reduced by approximately 24% compared to when water is heated to 40° C. In other words, by using wash water made by heating fine-bubble water that has been passed through the pressurized dissolving device 51 and the fine-bubble generator 52 and has become supersaturated, it is possible to shorten the time required for washing and save energy compared to when trying to obtain the same level of washing performance using tap water.

[0070] The control device 60 executes, for example, a washing and drying operation in response to a user's operation on the operation panel 16 or in accordance with a preset reservation. The washing and drying operation is an operation for washing and drying laundry, and includes both a washing process and a drying process. The control contents in the washing and drying operation will be described below with reference to Figs. 14 and 15. In the following description, it is assumed that all the processes performed by the processing units 61 to 66 are performed mainly by the control device 60. In the following description, it is assumed that the high-wash course is selected by the user from among a plurality of operation courses.

[0071] When the user performs the washing and drying operation, the user selects the washing and drying operation by performing an input operation on the operation unit 162 of the operation panel 16, for example. At this time, the user also selects whether to perform the first water supply process or the second water supply process among the water supply processes to be performed in the washing process by performing an input operation on the operation unit 162. When the user then operates a start button (not shown), the control device 60 starts the flow of FIG. 14 (START). First, the control device 60 detects the weight of the laundry (Step S11). Next, the control device 60 sequentially performs a washing process (Step S12) for washing the laundry, a rinsing process (Step S13) for rinsing the laundry, a dewatering process (Step S14) for dewatering the laundry, and a drying process (Step S15) for drying the laundry.

[0072] Next, the control contents in the washing process will be described. When the control device 60 executes the washing process (start of washing process in FIG. 15), first in step S21, it determines the amount of water to be supplied based on the weight of the laundry. Next, in step S22, the control device 60 determines whether to execute the first water supply process or the second water supply process based on the user's input. After that, in step S23, the control device 60 determines the amount of detergent to be added based on, for example, the weight of the laundry. Next, in step S24, the control device 60 adds detergent to the water tub 12, and proceeds to step S25.

[0073] In step S25, the control device 60 determines whether the first water supply process is selected by the user from the first water supply process or the second water supply process. If the first water supply process is not selected, that is, if the second water supply process is selected (NO in step S25), the control device 60 shifts the process to step S26. Thereafter, in step S26, the control device 60 sets the mixing time Ta during execution of the washing operation. In the next step S27, the control device 60 executes the second water supply process to supply water until a predetermined amount of water is reached in the water tub 12, and shifts the process to step S33.

[0074] On the other hand, if the first water supply process has been selected (YES in step S25), the control device 60 shifts the process to step S28 and sets the mixing time Tb during the washing operation. Thereafter, in step S29, the control device 60 executes the first water supply process to supply water to the water tub 12 until a predetermined amount of water is reached, and shifts the process to step S30.

[0075] Next, in step S30, the control device 60 operates the heater 17 to heat the mixture of the detergent in the water tub 12 and the supersaturated fine bubble water that has passed through the first water supply path R1 and been supplied to the water tub 12. Then, in the next step S31, the control device 60 determines whether the water temperature in the water tub 12 has reached a preset temperature, for example, 40°C. If the water temperature has reached the preset temperature (YES in step S31), the control device 60 proceeds to step S32 and stops the operation of the heater 17. Next, in step S33, the control device 60 executes a washing operation, and then returns the process to the flow of FIG. 14 (return in FIG. 15), and proceeds to the rinsing process of step S13 shown in FIG. 14.

[0076] According to the above-described embodiment, the washing machine 10 includes the water tub 12, the rotating tub 13 as an agitation mechanism, the baffle 131, and the motor 14, the pressurized dissolving device 51, the fine bubble generator 52, the heater 17 as an energy adding device, and the application processing unit 66. The agitation mechanism agitates the water stored in the water tub 12. The pressurized dissolving device 51 pressurizes the water supplied from an external water source to dissolve air components in the water. The fine bubble generator 52 is provided downstream of the pressurized dissolving device 51 and generates fine bubble water containing fine bubbles. The heater 17 directly or indirectly applies a physical or chemical stimulus to the mixed water in which the laundry treatment agent used in the washing operation and the fine bubble water are mixed. The application processing unit 66 is started before the execution of the agitation operation performed by operating the agitation mechanism, and can perform an application process of operating the heater 17 to apply a physical or chemical stimulus to the mixed water.

[0077] With this, for example, even before the laundry contained in the spin tub 13 is agitated by the washing operation, fine bubbles including ultrafine bubbles and microbubbles can be effectively precipitated from the air components dissolved in the mixed water obtained by mixing the fine bubble water with a large amount of dissolved air components and, for example, detergent. This allows the washing water with an increased concentration of fine bubbles to be sufficiently distributed in the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 during the washing process. As a result, the washing effect can be fully achieved.

[0078] The washing machine 10 further includes a first water supply path R1, a second water supply path R2, a water supply processing unit 63, and a selection processing unit 64. The first water supply path R1 is a path that supplies water supplied from an external water source to the water tub 12 through the pressurized dissolving device 51. The second water supply path R2 is a path that supplies water supplied from an external water source to the water tub 12 without passing through the pressurized dissolving device 51. The water supply processing unit 63 is capable of executing a first water supply process and a second water supply process.

[0079] The first water supply process includes a process of supplying only water that has passed through the first water supply path R1 into the water tank 12 or supplying more water that has passed through the first water supply path R1 than the second water supply path R2 with respect to a predetermined water volume, which is a target volume of water to be supplied to the water tank 12 in a process including a stirring operation. The second water supply process includes a process of supplying only water that has passed through the second water supply path R2 into the water tank 12 or supplying more water that has passed through the second water supply path R2 than the amount of water that has passed through the first water supply path R1 with respect to a predetermined water volume. The selection process unit 64 includes a process of determining, based on an input from a user, whether the first water supply process or the second water supply process is to be executed by the water supply process unit 63.

[0080] For example, the amount of water supplied per unit time from the first water supply path R1 is considered to be less than the amount of water supplied per unit time from the second water supply path R2, which supplies water supplied from an external water source into the water tank 12 without passing through the pressurized dissolving device 51. Therefore, the first water supply process, which mainly supplies water from the first water supply path R1, may take a longer time to supply a predetermined amount of water in the washing step than the second water supply process. Therefore, the user is allowed to select whether to execute the first water supply process or the second water supply process.

[0081] This allows the user to select the first water supply process, which is expected to provide high washing performance, when the laundry is highly soiled, and to select the second water supply process when the user prioritizes shortening the water supply time over washing performance. This improves the convenience of the washing machine 10.

[0082] Furthermore, the imparting process can be performed after the water supply processing unit 63 starts supplying water into the water tank 12. By performing the imparting process after the start of supplying fine bubble water that has passed through the first water supply path R1 and has a large amount of dissolved air components, a physical or chemical stimulus can be directly applied to the fine bubble water. This makes it possible to efficiently generate fine bubbles, including ultra-fine bubbles, from the air components in the fine bubble water. This makes it possible to efficiently improve the cleaning effect.

[0083] The physical stimulus that heater 17 applies to the water in tub 12 is heat. This allows heater 17, which is provided in washing machine 10 for realizing, for example, a hot water function, to be used as an energy adding device, so there is no need to provide a dedicated part or the like for applying a physical stimulus to the fine bubble water in tub 12 in which a large amount of air components are dissolved, and increases in the manufacturing costs of washing machine 10 can be suppressed.

[0084] The application process also includes a process of operating heater 17 to raise the water temperature in water tub 12 when the user selects the first water supply process in the high-cleaning course, which has a higher cleaning power than the standard course among the multiple operating courses. According to this, when the first water supply process is selected in the high-cleaning course, for example, the water temperature in water tub 12 is raised, so that the cleaning effect of the wash water can be further improved by the fine bubbles precipitated from the air components in the fine bubble water in which a large amount of air components are dissolved. In this way, by using wash water with improved cleaning performance, the agitation time of the laundry can be shortened. As a result, the time required for the wash operation can be shortened.

[0085] Second embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, the control contents in the washing process are different from those in the first embodiment. That is, the configuration of this embodiment can be the same as that of the first embodiment except for the control contents in the washing process. In the case of this embodiment, the setting process includes a process of setting the water temperature lower when the user selects the first water supply process among the water supply processes in a hot water course that uses water at a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature of water used in a standard course among a plurality of operating courses, for example, 20°C, compared to when the second water supply process is selected.

[0086] Specifically, when executing a warm water course, for example, the setting processor 65 can set the water temperature tb in the water tub 12 when the first water supply process is selected from among the water supply processes executed by the water supply processor 63 through user settings to a temperature lower than the water temperature ta in the water tub 12 when the second water supply process is selected. In this case, the water temperature ta can be set to, for example, 40° C., and the water temperature tb can be set to, for example, 35° C. The water temperatures ta and tb are, for example, water temperatures that serve as a guide for executing a washing operation.

[0087] In the washing process, the control device 60 of this embodiment executes the control contents shown in Fig. 16 instead of the control contents shown in Fig. 15. The control contents of the washing process shown in Fig. 16 are obtained by adding the processes of steps A11 to A19 instead of the processes of steps S25 to S33 shown in Fig. 15. In the following, it is assumed that the hot water course is selected from among a plurality of operating courses by the user.

[0088] When the control device 60 executes the washing process (start of washing process in FIG. 16), it executes the processes from step S21 to step S24, and then proceeds to step A11 to determine whether the first water supply process has been selected by the user out of the first water supply process or the second water supply process. If the second water supply process has been selected (NO in step A11), the control device 60 proceeds to step A12. Thereafter, in step A12, the control device 60 sets the water temperature ta when executing the washing operation. In the next step A13, the control device 60 executes the second water supply process to supply water until a predetermined amount of water is reached in the water tub 12, and proceeds to step A16.

[0089] On the other hand, if the first water supply process has been selected (YES in step A11), the controller 60 advances the process to step A14 to set the water temperature tb for performing the washing operation. Thereafter, in step A15, the controller 60 executes the first water supply process to supply water to the water tub 12 until a predetermined amount of water is reached, and advances the process to step A16.

[0090] Next, in step A16, the controller 60 operates the heater 17 to heat the mixture of the detergent in the water tub 12 and the water supplied into the water tub 12. Then, in the next step A17, the controller 60 determines whether the water temperature in the water tub 12 has reached a predetermined temperature. If the water temperature has reached the predetermined temperature (YES in step A17), the controller 60 proceeds to step A18 and stops the operation of the heater 17. Next, in step A19, the controller 60 performs the washing operation for a predetermined time, for example, 10 minutes, and then returns the process to the flow of FIG. 14 (return in FIG. 16) and proceeds to the rinsing process of step S13 shown in FIG. 14.

[0091] Here, when fine-bubble water with a large amount of dissolved air is heated, the concentration of fine bubbles in the wash water is increased compared to when fine-bubble water with a small amount of dissolved air is heated, and therefore cleaning performance, such as removal of sebum stains from laundry, can be achieved at a lower water temperature. Therefore, for example, in the warm water course, by setting the water temperature tb when the first water supply process is selected lower than the water temperature ta when the second water supply process is selected, it is possible to reduce power consumption and the time required for washing operation.

[0092] Third embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the second embodiment, the heater 17 is used to raise the temperature of the wash water supplied into the water tub 12. However, in the present embodiment, the laundry contained in the rotatable tub 13 is preheated to warm the surface of the laundry, and then the wash water is supplied into the water tub 12 to raise the temperature of the wash water in the water tub 12. In this case, the imparting process is performed before the first water supply process is performed, and includes a process of operating the hot air supply device 40 and the air blower 45 to supply hot air into the water tub 12. The imparting process can be performed before the water supply processing unit 63 starts to supply water into the water tub 12. Furthermore, the treatment agent injection process can be performed before the laundry contained in the rotatable tub 13 is warmed by the imparting process.

[0093] Here, when the hot air supply device 40 and the air blower device 45 are operated with laundry stored in the rotatable tub 13, the temperature of the laundry stored in the rotatable tub 13 rises. In this case, the temperature of the surface of the laundry, which is particularly likely to come into contact with the hot air, rises. Then, for example, when supersaturated fine bubble water is supplied into the water tub 12 by the first water supply process, the supersaturated fine bubble water is distributed around the laundry 91 whose surface has been heated and around dirt 92, such as sebum dirt, adhering to the surface of the laundry 91, as shown in Fig. 17(a).

[0094] At this time, as shown by the black arrow in Fig. 17(b), heat from the surface of the laundry 91, which has been preliminarily heated by the hot air, is transferred to the supersaturated fine bubble water, and the supersaturated fine bubble water, which has become warm water, is present on the surface of the laundry 91. Then, fine bubbles are precipitated from the air components contained in the supersaturated fine bubble water, which has become warm water, and ultrafine bubbles 93 and microbubbles 94, which have adsorbed cleaning components contained in the detergent, are generated on the surface of the laundry 91. By generating the ultrafine bubbles 93 and microbubbles 94 on the surface of the laundry 91 in this way, as shown in Fig. 17(c), the fine bubbles can effectively clean the dirt 92 adhering to the surface of the laundry 91.

[0095] In the washing process, the control device 60 in this embodiment executes the control contents shown in Fig. 18 instead of the control contents shown in Fig. 16. The control contents of the washing process shown in Fig. 18 are obtained by adding processes from step B11 to step B19 instead of the processes from step A11 to step A19 shown in Fig. 16. Specifically, when the control device 60 executes the washing process (start of the washing process in Fig. 18), it executes processes from step S21 to step S24, and then shifts the process to step B11, and operates the hot air supply device 40 and the air blower 45 to supply hot air into the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13.

[0096] Then, in the next step B12, the controller 60 determines whether a predetermined time, for example, 15 minutes, has elapsed since starting the supply of hot air into the water tub 12 and the rotating tub 13. If the predetermined time has elapsed (YES in step B12), the controller 60 proceeds to step B13 and stops the hot air supplying device 40 and the blower 45 to stop the supply of hot air into the water tub 12 and the rotating tub 13.

[0097] Thereafter, the control device 60 proceeds to step B14 and determines whether the first water supply process has been selected by the user out of the first water supply process or the second water supply process. If the second water supply process has been selected (NO in step B14), the control device 60 proceeds to step B15. Thereafter, in step B15, the control device 60 sets the mixing time Ta during execution of the washing operation. In the next step B16, the control device 60 executes the second water supply process to supply water into the water tub 12 until a predetermined amount of water is reached, and proceeds to step B19.

[0098] On the other hand, if the first water supply process has been selected (YES in step B14), the control device 60 shifts the process to step B17 and sets the mixing time Tb when the washing operation is performed. Thereafter, in step B18, the control device 60 executes the first water supply process to supply water until a predetermined amount of water is reached in the water tub 12, and shifts the process to step B19. Next, in step B19, the control device 60 executes the washing operation, and then returns the process to the flow of FIG. 14 (return in FIG. 18), and shifts the process to the rinsing step of step S13 shown in FIG. 14.

[0099] According to the third embodiment, by warming the laundry with hot air before the first water supply process, when the fine bubble water with a large amount of dissolved air is supplied by the first water supply process, a large amount of fine bubbles can be generated near the surface of the laundry. This allows the cleaning effect of the fine bubbles to be directly exerted near the surface of the laundry, thereby efficiently removing dirt and the like attached to the surface of the laundry.

[0100] Furthermore, the treatment agent injection process performed by the treatment agent injection processor 62 in this embodiment can be performed before the laundry contained in the spin tub 13 is heated by the application process. This allows the laundry treatment agent to be injected into the water tub 12 and the spin tub 13 before the laundry contained in the spin tub 13 is heated. This allows the laundry treatment agent to be pre-heated while attached to the laundry, so that when fine bubble water with a large amount of dissolved air is subsequently supplied to the water tub 12, the laundry treatment agent can be easily dispersed in the fine bubble water. This allows the laundry treatment agent to be easily adsorbed into the fine bubble water, further improving the cleaning effect of the wash water.

[0101] (Fourth embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. This embodiment differs from the above-mentioned embodiments in that it is applied to a so-called vertical axis type washing machine 70. Washing machine 70 shown in Fig. 19 can be configured to include an outer box 71, a water tub 72, a rotating tub 73, a motor 74, a circulating air passage 75, a hot air supply device 80, and an air blower 83. Outer box 71 forms the outer shell of washing machine 70. Water tub 72 is disposed within outer box 71 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown).

[0102] As shown in Fig. 19, water tub 72 has exhaust port 721, air inlet 722, and water inlet 723. Exhaust port 721, air inlet 722, and water inlet 723 communicate with the inside and outside of water tub 12, and are all provided at the top of water tub 72. Water inlet 723 is connected to water inlet case 21 via water inlet hose 22. The water and laundry treatment agent flowing out from water inlet 723 are supplied directly into rotating tub 73. That is, the water and laundry treatment agent flowing out from water inlet 723 come into contact with the laundry contained in rotating tub 73 without passing through other members.

[0103] The rotating tank 73 is rotatably provided in the water tank 72, and is configured as a vertical shaft type with a rotation axis facing vertically. The rotating tank 73 is rotated by a motor 74. The rotating tank 73 has an agitator 731. The agitator 731 is arranged on the inner bottom of the rotating tank 73 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. The agitator 731 is connected to the motor 74 and is rotated by the motor 74. The agitator 731 can also function as an energy adding device that agitates the water in the water tank 72 and the rotating tank 73. In the washing process or rinsing process, the rotating tank 73 is not rotated, and only the agitator 731 is rotated. In this embodiment, the agitator 731 and the motor 74 function as an agitation mechanism.

[0104] 19, the circulation air passage 75 as an air passage can be configured to have an exhaust duct 751, a filter device 752, and an air supply duct 753. The exhaust duct 751 is connected to the exhaust port 721, and functions as a part that exhausts the air inside the water tank 72. The filter device 752 has a filter (not shown) provided therein, and the filter collects foreign matter such as lint and dust contained in the air flowing inside the circulation air passage 75. The air supply duct 753 is connected to the air supply port 722, and functions as a part that supplies air into the water tank 12.

[0105] The hot air supplying device 80 can generate hot air of, for example, about 100° C. As shown in Fig. 19, the hot air supplying device 80 has a heater 81 and a dehumidifying section 82. The heater 81 has a function of heating the air that has flowed through the circulating air passage 75 to turn it into hot air. The dehumidifying section 82 has a function of cooling and dehumidifying the air that has passed through the filter device 752.

[0106] Dehumidifying section 82 has inlet 821 and outlet 822. Inlet 821 is provided, for example, in the upper part of dehumidifying section 82. Inlet 821 is connected to an external water source via a water supply valve (not shown), and supplies water to dehumidifying section 82 in response to opening of the water supply valve. Outlet 822 is provided, for example, in the lower part of dehumidifying section 82, and connected to a drain hose (not shown). The water supplied from inlet 821 to dehumidifying section 82 and the moisture contained in the air flowing through circulating air passage 75 are discharged from outlet 822 through the drain hose to the outside of washing machine 70.

[0107] The blower 83 is for supplying the dehumidified air that has passed through the dehumidifier 82 to the heater 81. The air that has been cooled and dehumidified by the dehumidifier 82 is sent to the heater 81 by the blower 83, and is then heated by the heater 81 to become high-temperature hot air, which is supplied into the water tub 12. The blower 83, together with the hot air supply device 80, functions as an energy addition device that directly or indirectly applies a physical stimulus, in this case heat, to the water and laundry in the water tub 72 and the spin tub 73, for example.

[0108] In this embodiment, the treatment agent injection process can be performed after the laundry contained in the spin tub 73 is warmed by the application process, and includes a process of injecting a laundry treatment agent into the water tub 72 and the spin tub 73. In the washing process, the control device 60 in this embodiment executes the control contents shown in Fig. 20 instead of the control contents shown in Fig. 18. The control contents of the washing process shown in Fig. 20 are obtained by adding the processes of steps C11 to C17 instead of the processes of steps S21 to S24 and steps B11 to B13 shown in Fig. 18.

[0109] When the control device 60 executes the washing process (start of washing process in FIG. 20), first in step C11, it determines the amount of water to be supplied based on the weight of the laundry. Next, in step C12, the control device 60 determines whether to execute the first water supply process or the second water supply process based on the user's input. After that, in step C13, the control device 60 determines the amount of detergent to be dispensed based on, for example, the weight of the laundry. Next, in step C14, the control device 60 operates the hot air supply device 80 and the air blower 83 to supply hot air into the water tub 72 and the spin tub 73.

[0110] Then, in the next step C15, the controller 60 determines whether or not a predetermined time, for example 15 minutes, has elapsed since starting the supply of hot air into the water tub 72 and the rotating tub 73. If the predetermined time has elapsed (YES in step C15), the controller 60 proceeds to step C16 and stops the hot air supplying device 80 and the air blowing device 83 to stop the supply of hot air into the water tub 72 and the rotating tub 73. In the next step C17, the controller 60 pours detergent into the rotating tub 73, and proceeds to step B14 to execute the subsequent steps.

[0111] In a vertical washing machine 70 in which a laundry treatment agent is supplied onto the laundry contained in the spin tub 73, for example, if hot air is supplied into the spin tub 73 with liquid detergent adhering to the surface of the laundry, the liquid detergent may solidify due to a decrease in moisture content or deterioration due to heat, causing problems such as making the liquid detergent less soluble in water. In contrast, according to this embodiment, in the vertical washing machine 70, the laundry is warmed before the laundry treatment agent is supplied, so that, for example, solidification of the liquid detergent can be prevented. This achieves a synergistic effect of the cleaning power of the fine bubble water in which a large amount of air components is dissolved and the laundry treatment agent.

[0112] In the above-mentioned embodiments, the water temperature heated by the heater 17, the mixing time, the hot air supply time by the hot air supply device 40, 80 and the air blower 45, 83, etc., are described with specific values, but the specific values ​​are merely examples and can be changed as appropriate. In addition, the heater 17 or the hot air supply device 40, 80 and the air blower 45, 83 or the mixing blade 731 are given as examples of the energy adding device, but an ultrasonic generator that irradiates ultrasonic waves to the water in the water tub 12, a circulation device that circulates the water in the water tub 12, etc. can be provided and implemented. Furthermore, various changes can be made to the overall hardware configuration of the washing machine 10, 70, the type of operation course, etc. Furthermore, it is also possible to implement the above-mentioned embodiments by combining them in any desired manner.

[0113] 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]

[0114] 10, 70... washing machine, 12, 72... water tub, 122, 722... air inlet, 13... rotating tub (agitation mechanism), 131... baffle (agitation mechanism), 14, 74... motor (agitation mechanism), 17... heater (energy addition device), 30, 75... circulating air duct (air duct), 40, 80... hot air supply device, 45, 83... blower, 51... pressurized dissolving device, 52... fine bubble generator, 62... treatment agent injection processing unit, 63... water supply processing unit, 64... selection processing unit, 65... setting processing unit, 66... ​​application processing unit, 73... rotating tub, 731... agitation blade (agitation mechanism), R1... first water supply path, R2... second water supply path

Claims

1. Aquarium and a stirring mechanism for stirring the water stored in the water tank; a pressure dissolution device for dissolving air components in water by pressurizing the water with the pressure of water supplied from an external water source; a microbubble generator provided downstream of the pressurized dissolution device for generating microbubble water containing microbubbles; an energy addition device that directly or indirectly applies a stimulus, including heat, ultrasonic waves, or circulation of water in the water tub, to a mixed water obtained by mixing the laundry treatment agent used in a laundry operation and the fine bubble water; an imparting processing unit that is started before the execution of the stirring operation performed by operating the stirring mechanism and is capable of executing an imparting process of imparting the stimulus to the mixed water by operating the energy addition device; a first water supply passage for supplying water supplied from the external water source to the water tank through the pressurized dissolving device; a second water supply passage for supplying water supplied from the external water source to the water tank without passing through the pressurized dissolving device; a water supply processing unit capable of executing a first water supply process for supplying only water that has passed through the first water supply path into the water tank or supplying more water that has passed through the first water supply path than the second water supply path, relative to a predetermined water amount that is a target amount of water to be supplied to the water tank in a process to which the stirring operation belongs, and a second water supply process for supplying only water that has passed through the second water supply path into the water tank or supplying more water that has passed through the second water supply path than the water that has passed through the first water supply path; A washing machine equipped with

2. A selection processing unit that determines whether the first water supply process or the second water supply process is to be executed by the water supply processing unit based on an input from a user; and The washing machine of claim 1 further comprising:

3. The application process can be performed after the water supply processing unit starts supplying water to the water tank. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The physical stimulus applied by the energy addition device to the water in the aquarium is heat. The washing machine according to claim 3.

5. The adding process includes a process of operating the energy adding device to increase the water temperature in the water tank when a user selects execution of the first water supply process in the water supply process in an effective cleaning course having a cleaning power higher than that of a standard course among a plurality of operating courses. The washing machine according to claim 4.

6. A setting processing unit is further provided that can execute a setting process for setting a water temperature in the water tub in the step in which the agitation operation occurs based on the content of the washing operation or an input from a user, The setting process includes a process of setting the water temperature lower when the user selects the first water supply process among the water supply processes in a hot water course that uses water at a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature of water used in a standard course among a plurality of operating courses, compared to when the second water supply process is selected. The washing machine according to claim 4.

7. An air supply port that communicates the inside and outside of the water tank; An air passage connected to the air supply port to supply air into the water tank, The energy addition device includes a hot air supply device that dehumidifies and heats the air in the air passage to supply hot air to the water tank, and a blower that is provided in the air passage and supplies the air dehumidified and heated by the hot air supply device from the air inlet into the water tank, The application process is performed before the first water supply process, and includes a process of operating the hot air supply device and the air blower to supply hot air into the water tank. The washing machine according to any one of claims 3 to 6.

8. A rotating tank rotatably provided within the water tank; a treatment agent injection processing unit capable of injecting the laundry treatment agent into the water tub, the treatment agent injection processing unit being capable of injecting the laundry treatment agent into the water tub before the application processing unit heats the laundry stored in the rotation tub, The laundry treatment agent is supplied between the water tub and the spin tub. The washing machine according to claim 7.

9. A rotating tank rotatably provided within the water tank; and a treatment agent injection processing unit capable of injecting the laundry treatment agent into the water tub and the rotary tub, the treatment agent injection processing unit being capable of injecting the laundry treatment agent into the water tub and the rotary tub after the application processing has been performed to warm the laundry stored in the rotary tub. The laundry treatment agent is supplied directly into the rotating tub. The washing machine according to claim 7.

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