Clothes Processing Equipment

Abstract

To provide a clothing treatment device which can suppress increase in size and complication of a structure of a water pouring case, even in the case where both manual input part and automatic input part are provided at the water pouring case.SOLUTION: A clothing treatment device includes: a clothing treatment tub for storing clothing; a water supply part for supplying water into the clothing treatment tub; and a water pouring case provided at the water supply part. The water pouring case includes: a case body part; and a water passage part for supplying water to the case body part. The water passage part can be separated from the case body part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention relates to a clothing treatment device. [Background technology]

[0002] Washing machines, which are an example of a clothing treatment device that performs a predetermined treatment on clothing, are provided with a manual dispenser into which a user manually dispenses clothing treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener. Furthermore, in recent years, in order to meet the demand for improved user convenience, washing machines have been developed that include an automatic dispenser that stores a plurality of cycles of clothing treatment agents in a tank for automatic dispensing in advance and automatically dispenses the required amount from the tank into the tub during operation. In other words, in recent years, washing machines equipped with both a manual dispenser and an automatic dispenser have been developed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a washing machine configuration in which a water supply unit that supplies water to a water tub includes a water filling case. The water filling case includes both a manual insertion unit and an automatic insertion unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-195578 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the conventional configuration, the inclusion of both a manual dispenser and an automatic dispenser in the water dispenser case leads to an increase in the size of the water dispenser case and a complicated configuration. In particular, the inclusion of the automatic dispenser requires at least a pump or the like for sucking the laundry treatment agent from the tank, and the presence of components such as this pump is one factor that leads to an increase in the size of the water dispenser case and a complicated configuration.

[0006] Furthermore, in conventional configurations, a water channel portion for supplying water into the water injection case is integrally formed with the water injection case. Therefore, a large space must be secured between the water injection case and the water channel portion for assembling the pump, for example, for sliding the pump toward the installation position. In other words, a certain amount of space must be secured between the water injection case and the water channel portion. This is another factor that leads to an increase in the size of the water injection case and a complex configuration.

[0007] Therefore, this embodiment provides a clothing processing device that can prevent the water filling case from becoming larger or more complex in structure, even if the water filling case is equipped with both a manual insertion section and an automatic insertion section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The clothing treatment device of this embodiment is a clothing treatment device that comprises a clothing treatment tank for storing clothing, a water supply unit for supplying water into the clothing treatment tank, and a water injection case provided in the water supply unit, wherein the water injection case comprises a case main body and a water channel unit for supplying water into the case main body, and the water channel unit is separable from the case main body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view schematically illustrating a configuration example of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration example of a water injection case according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a water injection case according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a right side view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the water injection case according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a front view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a water injection case according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the internal configuration of a water channel portion according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the internal configuration of the water channel portion according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a rear view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a water supply valve unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a water injection case according to the present embodiment, showing an example of a state in which a water channel portion is separated from a case main body portion. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a case main body according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a right side view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a case main body according to the present embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a water channel portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a right side view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the water channel portion according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of a clothing treatment device will be described below with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 10 shown in Fig. 1 is an example of a clothing treatment device capable of performing predetermined treatments on clothing, in this case, at least a washing process for washing the clothing, a rinsing process for rinsing the clothing, and a dehydration process for dehydrating the clothing. The washing machine 10 is a so-called horizontal-axis drum washing machine, in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub extends horizontally or in a direction inclined relative to the horizontal.

[0011] The washing machine 10 includes a washing tub 12 for washing clothes inside a roughly rectangular outer casing 11 that forms the outer shell of the washing machine 10. The washing tub 12 is an example of a clothing treatment tub, and is configured with a cylindrical water tub with a bottom and a rotatable drum, which is also a cylindrical tub with a bottom. The peripheral wall of the drum is provided with numerous small holes, and the inner surface of the drum is provided with multiple baffles for stirring up the clothes. A user can place clothes in the drum and remove clothes from the drum through a clothes opening (not shown) provided on the front of the outer casing 11. A door 13 for opening and closing the clothes opening is also provided on the front of the outer casing 11. In this case, the door 13 is provided to be rotatable in the left-right direction of the washing machine 10.

[0012] The washing machine 10 also includes a water supply unit 14 for supplying water into the washing tub 12, and a drainage unit (not shown) for discharging the water in the washing tub 12 to the outside of the machine. Although not shown in detail, the water supply unit 14 is configured to include a water injection case 100 (described in detail below) and the like, located midway along a water supply path extending from a water source such as a water main to the washing tub 12. The drainage unit is configured to include a drainage valve and the like, located midway along a drainage path extending from the bottom of the washing tub 12 to the outside of the machine.

[0013] Next, a more detailed description will be given of an example configuration of water injection case 100 provided in water supply section 14. As illustrated in Figures 2 to 5, water injection case 100 includes case main body 101 and water channel section 102.

[0014] Case body 101 constitutes the main body of water injection case 100, and in this case is formed in the shape of a long, generally rectangular container that is aligned with the front-to-rear direction of washing machine 10. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the bottom of case body 101 gently slopes from the front to the rear, and is provided with water outlet 103 at its lowest point. Water outlet 103 is connected to the top of washing tub 12 via a water supply hose (not shown). As illustrated in FIG. 5, the left side of the bottom of case body 101, i.e., the left side of outer casing 11, is lower than the right side, i.e., the washing tub 12 side, when viewed from the front of washing machine 1.

[0015] 2 and 3, a water supply valve unit 104 and a bath water pump 105 are provided at the rear of the case main body 101. The water supply valve unit 104 and the bath water pump 105 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction of the washing machine 10. In this case, the water supply valve unit 104 is arranged on the left side when viewed from the front of the washing machine 10, that is, on the left side of the outer casing 11, while the bath water pump 105 is arranged on the right side when viewed from the front of the washing machine 1, that is, on the washing tub 12 side.

[0016] 3, a manual input unit 106 and a tank accommodating unit 107 are provided inside the case main body 101. In this case, the manual input unit 106 is provided on the front side inside the case main body 101, and the tank accommodating unit 107 is provided on the rear side inside the case main body 101.

[0017] The manual dispenser 106 has a plurality of dispensers, in this case, a detergent manual dispenser 108 and a fabric softener manual dispenser 109. The user can manually dispense, for example, a single load of detergent into the detergent manual dispenser 108. On the other hand, the user can manually dispense, for example, a single load of fabric softener into the fabric softener manual dispenser 109.

[0018] Both the detergent manual dispenser 108 and the fabric softener manual dispenser 109 extend in the left-right direction of the washing machine 10. In this case, the detergent manual dispenser 108 is provided at the rear side of the manual dispenser 106. On the other hand, the fabric softener manual dispenser 109 is provided at the front side of the manual dispenser 106. The water injection case 100 may be configured such that the detergent manual dispenser 108 is provided at the front side of the manual dispenser 106 and the fabric softener manual dispenser 109 is provided at the rear side of the manual dispenser 106.

[0019] The tank housing portion 107 forms a generally rectangular open space with an open top behind the manual insertion portion 106. A plurality of tanks, in this case, a detergent tank 110 and a fabric softener tank 111, can be detachably housed inside the tank housing portion 107. In this case, both the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 can be attached and detached to and from the inside of the tank housing portion 107 from above.

[0020] The detergent tank 110 is a rectangular container-shaped tank that stores detergent, in this case, as an example of a clothing treatment agent, for washing the clothes in the washing tub 12. The detergent tank 110 can store enough detergent for multiple runs. The detergent tank 110 can be replenished with detergent through a refill port provided at the top of the detergent tank 110.

[0021] On the other hand, the fabric softener tank 111 is a rectangular container-shaped tank that stores fabric softener, in this case as an example of a clothing treatment agent, for softening the clothes in the washing tub 12. The fabric softener tank 111 can store enough fabric softener for multiple runs. The fabric softener tank 111 can be replenished with fabric softener through a refill port provided at the top of the fabric softener tank 111.

[0022] In this case, the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 are accommodated in the tank accommodation section 107 along the front-to-rear direction of the washing machine 10. In this case, the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 are accommodated in the tank accommodation section 107 side by side along the left-to-right direction of the washing machine 10.

[0023] Water injection case 100 further includes pump unit 112. Pump unit 112 is an example of a treatment agent suction section that sucks laundry treatment agent from detergent tank 110 and fabric softener tank 111. In this case, a pump unit housing section 113 that is recessed into a rectangular recess is provided in the rear wall section of case main body 101, i.e., the wall section on the tank housing section 107 side. Pump unit 112 is provided so as to be fitted into pump unit housing section 113. Pump unit 112 includes detergent metering pump 114 and fabric softener metering pump 115.

[0024] The detergent metering pump 114 is configured to draw in and deliver liquid by driving a piston with an actuator formed, for example, by a motor, a solenoid, etc. The detergent metering pump 114 draws in a predetermined amount of detergent, in this case the amount used for one operation, from the detergent tank 110. The detergent metering pump 114 then delivers the drawn-in detergent into an automatic dispensing path (not shown).

[0025] Fabric softener metering pump 115 is configured to draw in and deliver liquid by driving a piston with an actuator formed, for example, by a motor, a solenoid, etc. Fabric softener metering pump 115 draws in a predetermined amount of fabric softener from fabric softener tank 111, in this case the amount used for one operation. Fabric softener metering pump 115 then delivers the drawn-in fabric softener into an automatic delivery path (not shown).

[0026] The tip of the automatic dispensing path (not shown) is connected to the bottom of the case main body 101. As a result, a predetermined amount of detergent sucked from the detergent tank 110 by the detergent metering pump 114, or a predetermined amount of fabric softener sucked from the fabric softener tank 111 by the fabric softener metering pump 115, is supplied into the case main body 101 via the automatic dispensing path (not shown), and is then automatically dispensed from the case main body 101 into the washing tub 12 via a water supply hose (not shown). In other words, the pump unit 112 forms part of the automatic dispensing unit that automatically dispenses the laundry treatment agents in the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 into the washing tub 12.

[0027] Water channel 102 is a component for supplying tap water supplied from water supply valve unit 104 or bath water supplied from bath water pump 105 into case main body 101. Upstream portion 116 of water channel 102 extends linearly along the left-right direction of washing machine 10 behind case main body 101 and in front of water supply valve unit 104 and bath water pump 105. In other words, upstream portion 116 of water channel 102 extends linearly along the left-right direction of washing machine 10 between case main body 101 and water supply valve unit 104 and bath water pump 105.

[0028] Further, downstream portion 117 of water channel portion 102 extends linearly along the front-to-rear direction of washing machine 10 on the side of case main body portion 101. In this case, downstream portion 117 of water channel portion 102 is located on the right side of case main body portion 101 when viewed from the front side of washing machine 10. Further, downstream portion 117 of water channel portion 102 extends in a direction that is almost or completely perpendicular to upstream portion 116 of water channel portion 102. In other words, the base end of downstream portion 117 of water channel portion 102 is connected at an angle that is almost or completely perpendicular to the tip end of upstream portion 116 of water channel portion 102, in this case, the end on the right side when viewed from the front side of washing machine 10.

[0029] 6 and 7, a plurality of water channels, in this case, a main water channel 118, a fabric softener channel 119, and a bath water channel 120, are provided inside the water channel unit 102. In this case, the water channel unit 102 is configured to integrally include the main water channel 118, the fabric softener channel 119, and the bath water channel 120. Inside the water channel unit 102, the main water channel 118, the fabric softener channel 119, and the bath water channel 120 are each separated by a rib. The main water channel 118, the fabric softener channel 119, and the bath water channel 120 are all provided as water channels for supplying water into the case main body 101. In this case, the main water channel 118, the fabric softener channel 119, and the bath water channel 120 are water channels that can supply water to the manual insertion portion 106 within the case main body 101.

[0030] Main water channel 118 is a water channel for pouring normal water supplied from a water source external to washing machine 10, such as a tap, into manual detergent dispenser 108 in case body 101. Fabric softener water channel 119 is a water channel for pouring normal water supplied from a water source external to washing machine 10, such as a tap, into manual fabric softener dispenser 109 in case body 101. Bath water channel 120 is a water channel for pouring bath water supplied from a water source external to washing machine 10, such as a bathtub, into manual detergent dispenser 108 in case body 101.

[0031] In this case, the main waterway 118 is provided at the innermost part of the waterway section 102, that is, on the case body section 101 side. The main waterway 118 is also provided from the upstream section 116 to the downstream section 117 of the waterway section 102 so as to follow the rear wall and right wall of the case body section 101.

[0032] The fabric softener channel 119 is provided on the outermost side of the channel portion 102, that is, on the opposite side from the case main body portion 101. The fabric softener channel 119 is provided along the rear wall and right wall of the case main body portion 101 from the upstream portion 116 to the downstream portion 117 of the channel portion 102.

[0033] Furthermore, bath water channel 120 is provided in downstream section 117 of channel section 102 so as to be sandwiched between main channel 118 and fabric softener channel 119. In this case, bath water channel 120 is not provided in upstream section 116 of channel section 102, but is provided in downstream section 117 of channel section 102.

[0034] In the upstream section 116 of the water channel section 102, the main water channel 118 and the fabric softener channel 119 are adjacent to each other. In the downstream section 117 of the water channel section 102, the main water channel 118 and the fabric softener channel 119 are not adjacent to each other, but rather the bath water channel 120 is interposed between the main water channel 118 and the fabric softener channel 119. In the downstream section 117 of the water channel section 102, the main water channel 118 is adjacent to the inside of the bath water channel 120, and the fabric softener channel 119 is adjacent to the outside of the bath water channel 120.

[0035] 7, the water channel section 102 includes a water supply valve unit installation section 102A and a bath water pump installation section 102B. The water supply valve unit installation section 102A and the bath water pump installation section 102B are arranged side by side along the left-right direction of the washing machine 10 at the rear of the upstream section 116 of the water channel section 102. In this case, when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 10, the water supply valve unit installation section 102A is provided on the left side, and the bath water pump installation section 102B is provided on the right side.

[0036] The water supply valve unit 104 is configured, for example, by an on-off valve for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed. The drain valve provided in the drain section is also configured, for example, by an on-off valve for liquid that can be electromagnetically opened and closed. As illustrated in Figure 8, the water supply valve unit 104 is configured to integrally include multiple water supply valves, in this case four water supply valves 104a, 104b, 104c, and 104d.

[0037] The tip of water supply valve 104a is connected to the base end of main water passage 118 via a water passage (not shown). Water supply valve 104a introduces normal water supplied from a water source, such as a tap, outside washing machine 10 into main water passage 118.

[0038] A tip end of water supply valve 104b is connected to a base end of softener water channel 119 via a water passage (not shown). Water supply valve 104b introduces normal water supplied from a water source, such as a tap, outside washing machine 10 into softener water channel 119.

[0039] The tip of water supply valve 104c is connected to a connection between pump unit 112 and an automatic dispensing path (not shown) via a water passage (not shown). Water supply valve 104c introduces normal water supplied from a water source outside washing machine 10, such as a tap, into the connection between pump unit 112 and the automatic dispensing path. As a result, the detergent delivered by detergent metering pump 114 into the automatic dispensing path, or the fabric softener delivered by fabric softener metering pump 115 into the automatic dispensing path, is introduced into case main body 101 by the normal water supplied from water supply valve 104c. The detergent or fabric softener introduced into case main body 101 is then supplied into washing tub 12 via a water supply hose together with the normal water supplied from water supply valve 104c.

[0040] In this case, water supply valve 104d is a backup water supply valve. Water supply valve 104d can be used, for example, as a water supply valve for supplying wash water to wash various objects to be washed in washing machine 10, such as drying ducts (not shown). Water supply valve 104d can also be used for other purposes, not just as a water supply valve for washing.

[0041] The tip of the bath water pump 105 is connected to the base end of the bath water channel 120 via a water passage (not shown). The bath water pump 105 draws bath water from a water source, such as a bathtub, outside the washing machine 10 and introduces the drawn bath water into the bath water channel 120.

[0042] 9, water injection case 100 is configured so that at least water channel portion 102 is separable from case main body portion 101. In other words, water injection case 100 is not configured so that water channel portion 102 is integrally provided with case main body portion 101, but is configured so that water channel portion 102 is provided separately from case main body portion 101.

[0043] 3, water injection case 100 is configured to include, in the front-to-rear direction of washing machine 10, manual insertion section 106, tank housing section 107, pump unit 112, and upstream section 116 of water channel section 102, in that order from the front, and further includes water supply valve unit 104 and bath water pump 105 arranged side by side behind upstream section 116 of water channel section 102. In water injection case 100, tank housing section 107 is provided between manual insertion section 106 and upstream section 116 of water channel section 102.

[0044] 10, connection port 121 is provided on a side of case body 101, in this case, on the right side as viewed from the front of washing machine 10. In this case, connection port 121 forms a long rectangular opening along the longitudinal direction of case body 101. Connection port 121 is provided on a side that is the long side of case body 101, in this case, on the right side as viewed from the front of washing machine 10. Connection port 121 is provided on a front portion of the right side that is the long side of case body 101. In other words, connection port 121 is provided on a portion of the right side that is the long side of case body 101 that is on the side of manual insertion port 106 inside case body 101.

[0045] The tip of downstream portion 117 of water conduit portion 102 is connected to connection port 121 provided on a side portion of case body portion 101, in this case, the right side portion. Therefore, the tip of water conduit portion 102 is connected to the side portion that is the long side of case body portion 101, in this case, the front portion of the right side portion as viewed from the front side of washing machine 10. Water conduit portion 102 connected to connection port 121 can supply water to manual input portion 106 in case body portion 101 from its side, in this case, from the right side as viewed from the front side of washing machine 10.

[0046] 11 , a rectangular frame-shaped packing 122 that conforms to the opening shape of the connection port 121 is provided between the tip of the water channel portion 102 and the connection port 121 of the case main body portion 101. The packing 122 is an example of a watertight portion. By being interposed between the tip of the water channel portion 102 and the connection port 121 of the case main body portion 101, the packing 122 achieves a state in which the tip of the water channel portion 102 is connected to the connection port 121 of the case main body portion 101 in a watertight state.

[0047] 10 , a frame-shaped wall 123 is provided around the connection port 121 of the case main body 101 so as to surround the connection port 121. A locking hole 124 is provided in the frame-shaped wall 123. In this case, the locking hole 124 is provided in the upper part of the frame-shaped wall 123. The locking hole 124 is provided in the form of a slit that penetrates a part of the frame-shaped wall 123, in this case, the upper part. The locking hole 124 is an elongated slit-shaped opening that extends along the longitudinal direction of the case main body 101, in other words, along the longitudinal direction of the connection port 121.

[0048] 12, a locking piece 125 is provided at the tip of the water channel portion 102. In this case, the locking piece 125 is provided on the upper surface of the tip of the water channel portion 102. The locking piece 125 protrudes upward in a plate shape from the upper surface of the tip of the water channel portion 102. The locking piece 125 is a long, plate-like piece that extends along the longitudinal direction of the case main body portion 101, in other words, along the longitudinal direction of the connection port 121.

[0049] When the tip of water channel portion 102 is connected to connection port 121 of case body portion 101, locking piece 125 on the water channel portion 102 side fits into locking hole 124 on the case body portion 101 side. This allows the tip of water channel portion 102 to be locked into connection port 121 of case body portion 101. In other words, locking piece 125 on the water channel portion 102 side and locking hole 124 on the case body portion 101 side function as an example of a locking portion that locks the tip of water channel portion 102 into connection port 121 of case body portion 101.

[0050] A rectangular flange 125a is provided at the tip of the water channel 102. The locking piece 125 is provided upstream of the flange 125a. A small gap is formed between the locking piece 125 and the flange 125a.

[0051] 10 and 11, fastening protrusion 126 is provided on the side of case main body 101, in this case, on the right side when viewed from the front of washing machine 10. In this case, fastening protrusion 126 is provided below connection port 121, that is, on the opposite side from locking hole 124. Fastening protrusion 126 also protrudes linearly rightward from the right side surface of case main body 101.

[0052] On the other hand, as illustrated in Figure 13, a fastening piece 127 is provided at the tip of the water channel portion 102. In this case, the fastening piece 127 is provided on the underside of the tip of the water channel portion 102. That is, the fastening piece 127 is provided on the opposite side of the tip of the water channel portion 102 from the locking piece 125. The locking piece 125 protrudes downward in a plate shape from the underside of the tip of the water channel portion 102. A screw hole 127a is provided at the tip of the fastening piece 127.

[0053] When the tip of the water channel portion 102 is connected to the connection port 121 of the case body portion 101, a screw (not shown) is inserted into the threaded hole 127a of the fastening piece 127 on the water channel portion 102 side, and the screw is screwed into the fastening protrusion 126 on the case body portion 101 side. This allows the tip of the water channel portion 102 to be firmly fastened to the connection port 121 of the case body portion 101.

[0054] That is, according to the water injection case 100 of the present disclosure, the tip of the water channel portion 102 is firmly fixed at its upper part to the connection port 121 of the case main body portion 101 by the engagement of the locking piece portion 125 with the locking hole portion 124. In addition, the tip of the water channel portion 102 is firmly fixed at its lower part to the connection port 121 of the case main body portion 101 by the fastening of the fastening piece portion 127 with the fastening protrusion 126.

[0055] 2 to 5, the water injection case 100 further includes a pressurized dissolving device 130. The pressurized dissolving device 130 is a device that pressurizes water flowing into the pressurized dissolving device 130 from a water supply hose 131 and supplies the water into the case main body 101. That is, the pressurized dissolving device 130 is configured such that the flow path area of the inlet through which water flows into the pressurized dissolving device 130 is larger than the flow path area of the outlet through which water flows out of the pressurized dissolving device 130, and thus the amount of water flowing into the pressurized dissolving device 130 is greater than the amount of water flowing out of the pressurized dissolving device 130, thereby enabling the water to be pressurized.

[0056] Furthermore, the pressure dissolving apparatus 130 pressurizes the water to increase the internal pressure, thereby making it easier for the air inside the pressure dissolving apparatus 130 to dissolve in the water stored in the pressure dissolving apparatus 130. This makes it possible for the pressure dissolving apparatus 130 to supply water with a larger amount of dissolved air than normal water that does not pass through the pressure dissolving apparatus 130.

[0057] The water injection case 100 is also equipped with a well-known micro-bubble generator (not shown) at the outlet of the pressurized dissolving device 130. The micro-bubble generator has a throttled flow path section on the upstream side, i.e., on the side of the pressurized dissolving device 130, and a straight flow path section on the downstream side, i.e., on the side of the case main body 101. The throttled flow path section is a tapered flow path in which the flow path area gradually decreases from the upstream side to the downstream side. On the other hand, the straight flow path section is a straight flow path in which the flow path area is approximately or completely constant from the upstream side to the downstream side. The micro-bubble generator also has a collision section at the boundary between the throttled flow path section and the straight flow path section. The collision section protrudes toward the center of the flow path.

[0058] In the micro-bubble generator configured as described above, when water flows into the upstream side, i.e., into the throttled flow path section, the flow path area is gradually narrowed in the throttled flow path section, which increases the flow velocity based on the so-called Bernoulli's theorem in fluid dynamics and causes cavitation due to reduced pressure. When this high-speed flow collides with the collision section, fine bubbles are generated in the flowing water. As a result, the micro-bubble generator separates a large amount of air dissolved in the water passing through the micro-bubble generator as fine bubbles, and supplies fine-bubble water containing a larger amount of fine bubbles than before passing through the micro-bubble generator.

[0059] Here, bubbles generally referred to as microbubbles or fine bubbles are classified as follows according to their particle diameter: For example, bubbles with a particle diameter of 50 nm to less than 1,000 nm, i.e., nano-order, are called ultrafine bubbles. In contrast, bubbles with a particle diameter of several μm to 100 μm, i.e., micro-order, are called microbubbles. In this embodiment, nano-order fine bubbles, ultrafine bubbles, and nanobubbles are all synonymous and refer to bubbles with a particle diameter of nano-order.

[0060] Nanobubbles interact with surfactants contained in detergents to prevent the detergent from forming micelles, improving cleaning performance. Furthermore, because nanobubbles are so small, they can penetrate deep into fibers and effectively remove dirt and remaining detergent components, i.e., surfactants, from clothes.

[0061] Furthermore, microbubbles have a negative electrical charge, which makes them prone to electrostatically adsorbing positively charged dirt, such as sebum, that adheres to clothing. Dirt that is removed from clothing by the electrical reaction with the microbubbles remains adsorbed 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 surfaces repel each other and do not bond together, dispersing in the liquid, which prevents dirt removed from clothing from adhering to the clothing again in the wash water.

[0062] In this embodiment, the fine bubble generator alone functions to mainly precipitate fine bubbles of nanometer order, i.e., nanobubbles, but by increasing the amount of air dissolved in the water passing through the fine bubble generator, it is possible to precipitate fine bubbles of micrometer order, i.e., microbubbles, which have larger particle sizes. That is, it is presumed that as the amount of air dissolved in water increases, the number of nanobubbles generated when the water passes through the fine bubble generator also increases, and as a result, some of the generated nanobubbles combine with each other and develop into microbubbles.

[0063] In this embodiment, a pressurized dissolving device 130 is provided upstream of the fine-bubble generator. This increases the amount of air contained in the water passing through the fine-bubble generator. This allows a large amount of nanobubbles and microbubbles to be generated in the water that has passed through the fine-bubble generator, thereby simultaneously achieving the cleaning effect of nanobubbles and the effect of suppressing the re-adhesion of dirt by microbubbles.

[0064] In this embodiment, the pressurized dissolving device 130 is attached to the case main body 101. However, the pressurized dissolving device 130 may be attached to the water channel 102. The pressurized dissolving device 130 may also be provided as a separate component that can be separated from both the case main body 101 and the water channel 102.

[0065] According to a configuration example in which the pressurized dissolution device 130 is provided in the case main body 101, the pressurized dissolution device 130 can be integrated into a unit with the case main body 101, thereby improving the watertightness and pressure resistance of the water channel connecting the pressurized dissolution device 130 and the case main body 101.

[0066] Furthermore, in a configuration example in which the pressurized dissolving apparatus 130 is provided in the water channel portion 102, the pressurized dissolving apparatus 130 can be integrated into a unit with the water channel portion 102, and by connecting the water channel portion 102 to the case main body portion 101, the pressurized dissolving apparatus 130 can also be connected to the case main body portion 101. In this configuration example, it is advisable to provide, for example, a packing or a locking portion at the connection portion between the pressurized dissolving apparatus 130 on the water channel portion 102 side and the case main body portion 101. This can improve the watertightness and pressure resistance of the connection portion between the pressurized dissolving apparatus 130 on the water channel portion 102 side and the case main body portion 101.

[0067] Furthermore, even when the pressurized dissolving apparatus 130 is configured as a separate unit that can be separated from both the case main body 101 and the water channel 102, it is advisable to provide, for example, a packing or a locking portion at the connection between the pressurized dissolving apparatus 130 and the case main body 101. This can improve the watertightness and pressure resistance of the connection between the pressurized dissolving apparatus 130 and the case main body 101.

[0068] In the washing machine 10 according to the present disclosure exemplified above, the water injection case 100 is configured so that the water channel portion 102 can be separated from the case main body portion 101. According to this configuration example, the pump unit 112, which constitutes part of the automatic dispenser, is attached to the case main body portion 101 in advance, and then the water channel portion 102 is attached to the case main body portion 101, thereby forming the water injection case 100. Therefore, there is no need to secure a large space between the case main body portion 101 and the water channel portion 102 for assembling the pump unit 112, for example, a space for sliding the pump unit 112 toward the pump unit housing portion 113, which is the installation position. Therefore, compared to a water injection case of a conventional configuration in which the water channel portion is integrally provided with the case main body portion, it is possible to prevent the water injection case 100 from becoming larger and more complex in structure.

[0069] Furthermore, according to washing machine 10, tank housing 107, which is a relatively large component of water injection case 100, is provided between manual insertion section 106 and upstream section 116 of water channel section 102. According to this configuration example, tank housing 107, which is a relatively large component of water injection case 100, can be placed in the center, with other components of water injection case 100, such as manual insertion section 106 and upstream section 116 of water channel section 102, as well as pump unit 112, water supply valve unit 104, bathwater pump 105, etc., placed in front and behind it. That is, according to the configuration example of the present disclosure, the various components that make up water injection case 100 can be placed in a row in front and behind tank housing 107, which is a relatively large component, and the various components of water injection case 100 can be stored compactly along the front-to-rear direction of washing machine 10.

[0070] In particular, washing machine 10 according to the present disclosure is a horizontal-axis drum washing machine in which the rotational axis of the rotating tub extends horizontally or in a direction inclined relative to the horizontal. Therefore, it is easy to secure a space along the front-to-rear direction of washing machine 10 on the side of the upper part of cylindrical washing tub 12. Furthermore, water injection case 100, in which various components are arranged along the front-to-rear direction of washing machine 10, can be easily accommodated in such a space along the front-to-rear direction of washing machine 10 secured on the side of the upper part of washing tub 12. Therefore, the various components of water injection case 100 can be arranged by effectively utilizing the limited space within outer casing 11. Therefore, even though water injection case 100 has a manual insertion unit and an automatic insertion unit, water injection case 100 can be compactly accommodated within outer casing 11, preventing outer casing 11, or in other words, washing machine 10, from becoming larger.

[0071] Furthermore, according to washing machine 10, case main body 101 is provided with pump unit 112 on the tank housing 107 side, which sucks in laundry treatment agent from detergent tank 110 and fabric softener tank 111. According to this configuration example, the distance between pump unit 112 and detergent tank 110 and fabric softener tank 111 housed in tank housing 107 can be made as short as possible, and laundry treatment agent can be efficiently and quickly sucked in by pump unit 112 from detergent tank 110 and fabric softener tank 111.

[0072] Furthermore, in washing machine 10, pump unit 112 is provided in pump unit accommodating portion 113, which is a rectangular recess in the wall of case main body 101. According to this configuration example, the amount of protrusion of pump unit 112 from the wall surface of case main body 101 can be reduced, and pump unit 112 can be accommodated compactly. Furthermore, by accommodating pump unit 112 compactly in this manner, the size of water injection case 100 as a whole can be reduced.

[0073] Furthermore, in washing machine 10, water injection case 100 is provided with locking hole 124 and locking piece 125 for locking water channel portion 102 to case main body 101. According to this configuration example, water channel portion 102 can be firmly connected to case main body 101 even in a configuration in which water channel portion 102 is separable from case main body 101. Note that water injection case 100 may also be configured such that case main body 101 is provided with locking piece 125 and water channel portion 102 is provided with locking hole 124. Furthermore, various configurations can be applied to the locking portion, such as a locking configuration using a claw portion and a claw hole portion, as long as the configuration allows water channel portion 102 to be locked to case main body 101.

[0074] Furthermore, in washing machine 10, water injection case 100 is configured such that the tip of water channel portion 102 is connected to the side of case main body portion 101. According to this configuration example, even in a configuration in which water channel portion 102 is separable from case main body portion 101, by connecting the tip of water channel portion 102 to the side of case main body portion 101, a configuration can be realized in which water can be supplied from water channel portion 102 into case main body portion 101.

[0075] That is, for example, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, that is, the configuration in which the tip of the water channel portion forms part of the upper surface of the case main body portion, if the water channel portion is configured to be separable from the case main body portion, when connecting the tip of the water channel portion to the case main body portion, consideration must be given to, for example, ensuring watertightness at the connection portion and misalignment of the tip of the water channel portion relative to the manual insertion portion inside the case main body portion, and the connection work involves a great deal of difficulty and effort.

[0076] In contrast, with water injection case 100 according to the present disclosure, simply connecting the tip of water channel portion 102 to the side of case main body portion 101 makes it possible to realize a configuration in which water can be supplied from water channel portion 102 into case main body portion 101. Therefore, even if water channel portion 102 is configured to be separable from case main body portion 101, the task of connecting the tip of water channel portion 102 to case main body portion 101 can be performed without great difficulty or effort.

[0077] Furthermore, in washing machine 10, water filling case 100 is configured such that the tip of water channel portion 102 is connected to the side portion that is the long side of case body 101. According to this configuration example, locking hole portion 124 and locking piece portion 125 described above can be provided long along the longitudinal direction of case body 101. Therefore, the tip of water channel portion 102 can be more firmly connected to connection port 121 of case body 101.

[0078] Furthermore, in washing machine 10, water filling case 100 is provided with packing 122 that watertightly connects the tip of water channel portion 102 to connection port 121 of case main body portion 101. According to this configuration example, even in a configuration in which water channel portion 102 is separable from case main body portion 101, water leakage at the connection portion between the tip of water channel portion 102 and connection port 121 of case main body portion 101 can be suppressed.

[0079] Furthermore, according to washing machine 10, water channel section 102 integrally includes multiple water channels, in this case, main water channel 118, fabric softener water channel 119, and bath water water channel 120. According to this configuration example, water channel section 102 having multiple water channels can be easily formed compared to a water channel configuration in which the multiple water channels are separate. Furthermore, compared to a water channel configuration in which the multiple water channels are separate, the rigidity and strength of water channel section 102 can be increased, and deformation and damage of water channel section 102 can be suppressed.

[0080] Furthermore, in washing machine 10, water injection case 100 is configured so that case body 101 and water channel 102 do not overlap substantially or completely when viewed from above. This allows sufficient space to be secured between case body 101 and water channel 102 for disposing pump unit 112.

[0081] It should be noted that this embodiment is not limited to the one embodiment described above, and various modifications and extensions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0082] For example, the water injection case 100 is only required to be configured so that at least the water channel portion 102 is separable from the case main body portion 101, and the components other than the water channel portion 102 may be configured so that they are separable from the case main body portion 101, or so that they are inseparable from the case main body portion 101.

[0083] Furthermore, the water injection case 100 only needs to be configured so that the tank storage section 107 is located between the manual insertion section 106 and the water channel section 102, and as long as this condition is met, the positional relationship of the other components can be changed as appropriate.

[0084] Furthermore, it is preferable that water injection case 100 be configured such that pump unit 112 is located as close as possible to tank accommodating section 107. However, water injection case 100 may also be configured such that, for example, other components are interposed between tank accommodating section 107 and pump unit 112.

[0085] The tip of the water channel portion 102 may be connected to, for example, the left side instead of the right side of the case main body portion 101. The tip of the water channel portion 102 may be connected to the front side or rear side, which are the short sides of the case main body portion 101, instead of the right side or left side, which are the long sides of the case main body portion 101.

[0086] The water channel section 102 may be configured such that all the water channels are aligned horizontally, or such that only some of the water channels are aligned horizontally.The water channel section 102 may be configured such that all the water channels are stacked vertically, or such that only some of the water channels are stacked vertically.

[0087] Furthermore, the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 may not be removably mounted within the tank housing 107 along the vertical direction of the washing machine 10, but may be removably mounted, for example, along the horizontal direction of the washing machine 10, or along the front-to-back direction of the washing machine 10.

[0088] The shapes of the detergent tank 110 and the fabric softener tank 111 are not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped, and various other shapes may be used. The shape and size of the detergent tank 110 and the shape and size of the fabric softener tank 111 may be different.

[0089] The tanks are not limited to detergent tank 110 for storing a detergent or fabric softener tank 111 for storing a fabric softener, but may be, for example, a deodorizer tank for storing a deodorizer, a disinfectant tank for storing a disinfectant, or a bleach tank for storing a bleach. That is, various types of tanks can be appropriately employed as long as they store a treatment agent for performing some treatment on laundry. The multiple tanks housed in tank housing 107 may store the same type of treatment agent, or may store different types of treatment agents. Washing machine 10 may be configured to house three or more tanks in tank housing 107. Washing machine 10 may be configured to house one tank in tank housing 107. Detergent metering pump 114 and fabric softener metering pump 115 are not limited to pumps that suck liquid, but may, for example, push liquid.

[0090] This embodiment can also be applied to a so-called vertical axis type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub extends vertically. This embodiment can also be applied to a washing machine with a drying function. This embodiment can also be applied to a washing machine without a drying function. This embodiment can also be applied to various clothing treatment devices that can perform some kind of treatment on clothing, such as deodorizing, deodorizing, sterilizing, or bleaching.

[0091] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented merely as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, etc. can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions and their equivalents as set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] In the drawings, 10 indicates a washing machine (clothing treatment device), 12 indicates a washing tub (clothing treatment tub), 14 indicates a water supply section, 100 indicates a water filling case, 101 indicates a case main body section, 102 indicates a water channel section, 106 indicates a manual dispensing section, 107 indicates a tank storage section, 108 indicates a manual detergent dispensing section (manual dispensing section), 109 indicates a manual fabric softener dispensing section (manual dispensing section), 110 indicates a detergent tank (tank), 111 indicates a fabric softener tank (tank), 112 indicates a pump unit (treatment agent suction section), 118 indicates a main water channel (water channel), 119 indicates a fabric softener water channel (water channel), 120 indicates a bath water channel (water channel), 122 indicates a gasket (watertight section), 124 indicates a locking hole section (locking section), and 125 indicates a locking piece section (locking section).

Claims

1. A clothes treatment tank for storing clothes; A water supply unit that supplies water into the laundry treatment tub; A water injection case provided in the water supply unit; A clothing treatment device comprising: The water injection case includes: A case main body, a water channel portion for supplying water supplied from a water supply valve unit or a bath water pump into the case main body portion; The case body and the water channel are assembled together. The case body includes a treatment agent suction section that sucks the laundry treatment agent from a tank that stores a laundry treatment agent for multiple operations, The upstream portion of the water channel portion is disposed between the case body portion and the water supply valve unit and the bath water pump so as to extend linearly along the left-right direction, the treatment agent suction section is provided between the case body section and the water channel section, and is fitted into a storage section provided in a wall of the case body section so as to be recessed in a rectangular shape, A clothing processing device, wherein the waterway portion is separable from the case main body portion.

2. The case main body portion is A manual input section for a user to manually input the laundry treatment agent; A tank housing portion that houses the tank; Equipped with The clothing processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the tank housing is provided between the manual insertion section and an upstream portion of the water channel section.

3. The clothing treatment device according to claim 2 , wherein the case body is provided with the treatment agent suction section on the tank housing side.

4. The clothing processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a locking portion for locking the water channel portion to the case main body portion.

5. The clothing processing device according to claim 4 , wherein the water channel portion is connected to a side portion of the case main body portion.

6. The case body is formed in a long rectangular shape, The clothing processing device according to claim 5 , wherein the water channel portion is connected to a long side portion of the case main body portion.

7. The clothing processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a watertight portion that connects the water channel portion to the case body portion in a watertight manner.

8. The clothing processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the water channel portion integrally comprises a plurality of water channels.

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