Washing machine

Abstract

To achieve improvement in designability of the periphery of an operation device.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: a body; and an operation device which is provided at an upper part of the body, and in which a user performs an input operation. The operation device includes: an operation receiving member having an operation part which receives an operation from a user; and an appearance component having an opening hole provided at a position corresponding to the operation part and formed to be communicated in the thickness direction, and arranged on a surface side of the operation receiving member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts have been made to improve the design of washing machines by incorporating ingenuity into the exterior components that are easily visible to users, thereby creating a sense of luxury. However, in conventional designs, there is still room for improvement in terms of fully demonstrating the aesthetic effect around the operating device located on the top of the main body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-129703 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Therefore, a washing machine capable of improving the design around the operating device is provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The washing machine of the embodiment comprises a main body and an operating device provided on the top of the main body through which the user performs input operations. The operating device comprises an operation receiving member having an operation unit that receives operations from the user, and an exterior part that is provided at a position corresponding to the operation unit and has an opening hole formed to communicate in the thickness direction, and is arranged on the surface side of the operation receiving member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, a washing machine according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a so-called vertical-axis type washing machine in which the central axis of a water tank (not shown) and the rotation axis of a rotary tub are oriented in the vertical direction. Note that the washing machine can be a horizontal-axis or diagonal-axis type drum washing machine. In the following description, the front side of the washing machine 1, that is, the user side, is defined as the front side of the washing machine 1, and the side opposite to the front side is defined as the rear side of the washing machine 1. The front-rear direction means the front-rear direction when the washing machine 1 is installed on the floor surface. Also, the gravity direction of the washing machine 1, that is, the vertical direction, is defined as the up-down direction of the washing machine 1, and the horizontal direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction is defined as the left-right direction of the washing machine 1.

[0008] The washing machine 1 includes a main body 10, a lid 20, and an operation device 30. As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 10 is formed in a rectangular box shape as a whole and constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 1. The main body 10 has an opening (not shown) for loading and unloading laundry on the upper side. The main body 10 has an outer box 11 and a top cover 40. The outer box 11 is made of metal such as a steel plate and is formed in a rectangular box shape. A water tank and a rotary tub, which serve as a washing tub (not shown), are accommodated in the outer box 11.

[0009] The top cover 40 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and is formed in a thin rectangular annular shape with the upper surface sloping downward from the rear to the front. The top cover 40 is not limited to the shape that slopes downward toward the front of the washing machine 1, and may be configured to be horizontal with respect to the floor surface, for example. The top cover 40 is provided on the upper part of the outer box 11. The top cover 40 has a top cover body 41 and a rear panel 42. The top cover body 41 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and is formed in a rectangular frame shape that communicates in the vertical direction. The rear panel 42 is made of, for example, synthetic resin, and is formed of a plate-like member. The rear panel 42 is provided on the upper rear side of the top cover body 41.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 4, the top cover body 41 can be configured to have a groove portion 411, a drain hole 412, and a rib portion 413. The groove portion 411 is formed along the left-right direction of the top cover body 41 on the upper front side of the top cover body 41. The groove portion 411 is formed by being recessed inward from the upper surface of the top cover body 41. The drain hole 412 is formed by penetrating the top cover body 41 in the thickness direction. The drain hole 412 is for discharging the water on the upper surface of the top cover body 41 to the outside of the top cover body 41.

[0011] The rib portion 413 is provided on the upper front side of the top cover body 41, and is formed to protrude upward from the upper surface of the top cover body 41. The rib portion 413 can be formed integrally or separately from the top cover body 41. In the present embodiment, the rib portion 413 is formed integrally with the top cover body 41. The rib portion 413 is formed to have a thickness of about several millimeters, for example.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 4, the rib portion 413 has a horizontal rib 413a and a plurality of, in this case two, vertical ribs 413b and 413c. The horizontal rib 413a is formed linearly along the groove portion 411, for example. The plurality of vertical ribs 413b and 413c are positioned parallel to each other with a space therebetween, and are each formed to extend forward from both the left and right ends of the horizontal rib 413a.

[0013] One vertical rib 413b is arranged closer to the center of the top cover body 41, i.e., on the inner side in the left-right direction of the top cover body 41, than the other vertical rib 413c. And as shown in FIG. 4, a part of the vertical rib 413b is provided at a position adjacent to the drain hole 412. Also, the overall length of one vertical rib 413b is shorter than that of the other vertical rib 413c.

[0014] In this case, a gap 415 is formed between the front end portion of the vertical rib 413b and the front wall portion 414 that constitutes the front side wall portion of the top cover body 41. The gap 415 is configured such that water can pass between the front end portion of the vertical rib 413b and the front wall portion 414 of the top cover body 41. Then, the water that has entered the upper surface of the top cover body 41 flows through the gap 415 to the drain hole 412.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the lid 20 is, for example, configured as a substantially rectangular plate as a whole. The lid 20 may be configured in a so-called double-folded manner that is bent in the middle portion in the front-rear direction of the lid 20. The lid 20 has a function of opening and closing the opening at the upper part of the main body 10, that is, the opening for taking in and out the laundry. The lid 20 slopes downward from the user side, that is, from the rear to the front, when the opening is closed. The lid 20 is not limited to being sloped downward toward the front of the washing machine 1, and may be provided to be horizontal with respect to the floor surface.

[0016] The lid 20 is rotatably provided on the upper part of the top cover body 41. In this case, the lid 20 has a damper hinge (not shown), which is provided at the rear edge portion of the lid 20 and is configured, for example, by an oil damper. The damper hinge has a function of making the opening and closing operation of the lid 20 smooth. And the lid 20 is rotatably connected to the top cover body 41 via the damper hinge.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 etc., the operation device 30 is provided at the upper part of the front side of the top cover 40, that is, at the upper part of the front side of the washing machine 1. The operation device 30 is for the user to perform input operations and is electrically connected to a control device (not shown). The upper surface of the operation device 30 is located below the upper surface of the lid 20. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the width dimension of the operation device 30 in the left-right direction is set smaller than the width dimension of the top cover main body 41 in the left-right direction.

[0018] The operation device 30 has an operation receiving member 31, a device main body 32, and exterior parts 33. As shown in FIG. 2 etc., the operation receiving member 31 is provided, for example, at a portion closer to the right side in the left-right direction of the washing machine 1. However, it is not limited to this and may be provided at a portion closer to the left side or near the center etc. in the left-right direction of the washing machine 1. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the operation receiving member 31 is constituted by, for example, a single sheet-like member, specifically, an elastic resin material such as polyethylene terephthalate resin having a thickness of about 0. several mm. The operation receiving member 31 may be transparent or translucent, and may be colorless or colored.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 5, the operation receiving member 31 is attached to the top cover main body 41 via a fixing member 51. The fixing member 51 is constituted by, for example, an adhesive or double-sided tape. In this embodiment, the fixing member 51 is constituted by double-sided tape. Note that the fixing member 51 may be constituted by a screw member etc.

[0020] In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, a part of the operation receiving member 31 is adjacent to a part of the drain hole 412 when attached to the top cover body 41. "Adjacent" means that the operation receiving member 31 and the drain hole 412 are adjacent to each other without any other member in between. In this embodiment, there is a gap 415 between a part of the operation receiving member 31 and the drain hole 412, but there is no other member that obstructs the flow of water, for example. And the dimension of the gap 415, that is, the dimension corresponding to the distance between the operation receiving member 31 and the drain hole 412, is configured such that water can flow smoothly between the operation receiving member 31 and the drain hole 412. Therefore, for example, the water adhering to the upper surface of the operation receiving member 31 is smoothly guided to the drain hole 412 through the gap 415.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, the operation receiving member 31 has a plurality of, in this case two, operation parts 311. As shown in FIG. 5, the operation part 311 is configured to protrude upward from the portion of the operation receiving member 31 other than the operation part 311. Thereby, it is possible to make it easier for the user to touch the operation part 311 of the operation receiving member 31. The operation part 311 is configured to be able to receive an input operation from the user and functions as, for example, a power key.

[0022] On each operation part 311, characters or figures such as "ON" or "OFF" are always displayed, for example, by a printing member (not shown), that is, in a state that is always visible to the user. And the plurality of operation parts 311 are arranged in, for example, one of two different directions, in this case the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the plurality of operation parts 311 are provided side by side in a row in the left-right direction.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 5, the device main body 32 is provided on the back side of the operation receiving member 31 and is provided inside the top cover main body 41. The device main body 32 can be configured to have an input part displaceable by, for example, the pressing force applied by the user to the operation part 311 and a detection part that detects the input operation from the user by contacting the input part. In this case, the device main body 32 can be configured using a mechanical sensor such as a push button. In this case, the user can operate the operating device 30 by pressing the operation part 311 of the operation receiving member 31. Note that the device main body 32 is not limited to a mechanical sensor and can also be configured by, for example, a capacitive touch sensor. Further, the operating device 30 may include an operation key (not shown) for setting the operation content and a display part (not shown) for displaying the set content.

[0024] The exterior part 33 is made of a synthetic resin such as ABS resin having, for example, water resistance and chemical resistance. As shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the exterior part 33 constitutes the surface of the operating device 30. The exterior part 33 is disposed on the front side of the operation receiving member 31. Also, the peripheral edge of the exterior part 33 is covered by the top cover main body 41. In this case, the exterior part 33 is located on the rear side of the front wall part 414 of the top cover main body 41.

[0025] The exterior part 33 is subjected to decorative processing such as painting or plating on at least the exposed part that is exposed to the outside when attached to the washing machine 1. In the case of this embodiment, the surface of the exterior part 33 is painted. Note that the decorative processing is not limited to the part exposed to the outside and may also be applied to the part not exposed to the outside, in this case, the peripheral edge of the exterior part 33 and the like.

[0026] The exterior component 33 can be configured to include an exterior component main body 331, an upright portion 332, and an opening hole 333. The exterior component main body 331 constitutes the main body of the exterior component 33 and is formed, for example, in a substantially flat plate shape with a thickness of about several millimeters. As shown in FIG. 5, the upright portion 332 is formed by rising from the bottom surface of the exterior component main body 331. The upright portion 332 is configured to be accommodatable in the groove portion 411 of the top cover main body 41. When the upright portion 332 of the exterior component 33 is accommodated in the groove portion 411, the forward and backward movement of the exterior component 33 with respect to the top cover main body 41 is restricted.

[0027] Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the exterior component main body 331 is fixed via an adhesive member 52 provided between the back surface of the exterior component main body 331 and either one or both of the operation receiving member 31 or the top cover main body 41. That is, the exterior component 33 is fixed to either one or both of the operation receiving member 31 or the top cover main body 41 by the adhesive member 52. The adhesive member 52 can be configured, for example, as a double-sided tape with a thickness of about 0. several millimeters.

[0028] In the present embodiment, a plurality of adhesive members 52 are provided. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the plurality of adhesive members 52 are provided at a total of three locations, for example, on both the left and right sides on the upper surface of the operation receiving member 31, and at a position spanning the rear side on the upper surface of the operation receiving member 31 and the upper surface of the horizontal rib 412a. In this case, no adhesive member 52 is provided on the front side on the upper surface of the operation receiving member 31. Therefore, a gap corresponding to the thickness of the adhesive member 52 is formed between the front side on the upper surface of the operation receiving member 31 and the back surface of the exterior component main body 331.

[0029] Here, as described above, in the case of the present embodiment, the top cover 40 is configured in a shape that slopes downward toward the front of the washing machine 1. Therefore, by not providing the adhesive member 52 on the front side on the upper surface of the operation receiving member 31, water adhering to the surface of the operation receiving member 31, for example, can be smoothly guided downward from the front side on the upper surface of the operation receiving member 31 through the gap.

[0030] And in a state where the appearance component main body 331 is fixed, the drain hole 412 of the top cover main body 41 is covered by the appearance component main body 331. As a result, the drain hole 412 cannot be visually recognized from the outside, and it is suppressed that the appearance of the washing machine 1 is impaired by the drain hole 412.

[0031] The opening hole 333 is formed to communicate in the thickness direction of the appearance component 33. As shown also in FIGS. 3 and 5, the opening hole 333 is provided at a position corresponding to the plurality of operation parts 311 of the operation receiving member 31. That is, the plurality of operation parts 311 are arranged inside the opening hole 333. In this case, the plurality of operation parts 311 are accommodated in the region in the thickness direction of the opening hole 333. That is, the plurality of operation parts 311 are located below, that is, inside the surface of the appearance component 33. And the operation receiving member 31 overlaps with the portion around the opening hole 333.

[0032] The appearance component 33 can be configured to have an inclined surface portion 334. As shown in FIG. 5, the inclined surface portion 334 forms the outer peripheral portion of the opening hole 333. The inclined surface portion 334 is inclined downward as it goes toward the center of the opening hole 333. Note that the inclination angles of the respective surface portions of the inclined surface portion 334 may be the same or different from each other.

[0033] According to the embodiment described above, the washing machine 1 includes a main body 10 and an operation device 30. The operation device 30 is provided above the main body 10 and the user performs an input operation. And the operation device 30 has an operation receiving member 31 and an appearance component 33. The operation receiving member 31 has an operation part 311 that receives an operation from the user. The appearance component 33 is arranged on the surface side of the operation receiving member 31. The appearance component 33 has an opening hole 333. The opening hole 333 is provided at a position corresponding to the operation part 31 and is formed to communicate in the thickness direction.

[0034] According to this, by providing the appearance component 33 on the surface side of the operation receiving member 31 and making the operation portion 311 not appear on the surface of the operation device 30, the operation portion 311 can be made less conspicuous in appearance. Thereby, the design property around the operation device 30 can be improved. As a result, the design property of the entire washing machine 1 can be improved. Further, since the operation portion 311 is located inside the appearance, it is possible to suppress an erroneous operation in which the user erroneously operates the operation portion 311.

[0035] Also, the operation receiving member 31 overlaps with the portion around the opening hole 333 in the appearance component 33. According to this, since the operation receiving member 31 and the portion around the opening hole 333 of the appearance component 33 overlap, the main body 10 located on the back side of the operation device 30 becomes invisible from around the opening hole 333, and an impression of a clean appearance around the opening hole 333 can be given. Further, by overlapping the operation receiving member 31 and the appearance component 33, it is possible to suppress the intrusion of water into the inside of the main body 10.

[0036] Furthermore, the appearance component 33 is fixed to either one or both of the operation receiving member 31 or the main body 10 via an adhesive member 52. According to this, by reducing the gap generated between the appearance component 33 and the operation receiving member 31 or the main body 10 as much as possible, the risk of water intrusion from the gap can be reduced. Also, since the appearance component 33 and the operation receiving member 31 or the main body 10 can be in a state of being separated substantially uniformly by the thickness of the adhesive member 52, the appearance component 33 and the operation receiving member 31 or the main body 10 can give an integrated impression, and the design property around the operation device 30 can be further improved.

[0037] Also, the appearance component 33 is subjected to a decorative process at least on the exposed portion exposed to the outside. According to this, a high-class feeling can be produced in the appearance of the washing machine 1, so that the design property of the entire washing machine 1 can be further improved. Further, for example, by applying a decoration different from that of the main body 10 to the surface of the appearance component 33, various designs can be expressed.

[0038] Further, the operation device 30 has a device main body 32. The device main body 32 is disposed on the back side of the operation receiving member 31 and inside the main body 10, and detects an input operation from the user. And the operation receiving member 31 is attached to the main body 10. According to this, by attaching the operation receiving member 31 to the main body 10, for example, it becomes easier to align the operation receiving member 31 with the device main body 32 provided inside the main body 10. Thereby, the position adjustment between the operation receiving member 31 and the device main body 32 can be simplified and the labor can be reduced, and the assembly workability of the washing machine 1 can be improved.

[0039] Furthermore, a plurality of operation units 311 are provided. And the plurality of operation units 311 are arranged in a row. According to this, by arranging the plurality of operation units 311 in a row only in one of the vertical or horizontal directions, for example, it is possible to minimize one of the dimensions in the vertical or horizontal direction of the opening area surrounding the plurality of operation units 311. Thereby, the possibility that the user accidentally touches the operation unit 311 is reduced, and it is possible to prevent an erroneous operation on the operation unit 311.

[0040] Also, the main body 10 has a drain hole 412. The drain hole 412 is formed to penetrate the main body 10 in the thickness direction and is for discharging the water on the upper surface of the main body 10. The drain hole 412 is provided at a position adjacent to the operation receiving member 31 and in a portion covered by the appearance component 33. According to this, by providing the drain hole 412 at a position adjacent to the operation receiving member 31 and in a portion covered by the appearance component 33 in the main body 10, it is possible to prevent the drain hole 412 from being visually recognized from the outside while efficiently discharging the water that has entered the upper surface of the main body 10 from the periphery of the operation receiving member 31.

[0041] As described above, although one embodiment of the present invention has been explained, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0042] 1... washing machine, 10... main body, 30... operating device, 31... operation receiving member, 311... operation part, 32... device main body, 33... exterior parts, 333... opening hole, 412... drain hole, 52... adhesive member

Claims

1. A main body, and an operating device provided on the upper part of the main body for a user to perform an input operation, wherein the operating device has an operation receiving member having an operation part for receiving an operation from the user, and has an appearance part provided at a position corresponding to the operation part and having an opening hole formed to communicate in the thickness direction, and is disposed on the surface side of the operation receiving member, wherein the operation part is located inside the surface of the appearance part, a washing machine.

2. A main body, and an operating device provided on the upper part of the main body for a user to perform an input operation, wherein the operating device has an operation receiving member having an operation part for receiving an operation from the user, and has an appearance part provided at a position corresponding to the operation part and having an opening hole formed to communicate in the thickness direction, and is disposed on the surface side of the operation receiving member, wherein a part of the operation receiving member, which is a region adjacent to the operation part, is exposed from the opening hole when the operation part is not receiving an operation from the user, a washing machine.

3. A plurality of the operation parts are provided, and the plurality of operation parts are disposed inside the same opening hole, the washing machine according to Claim 1 or 2.

4. The appearance part is fixed to either one or both of the operation receiving member and the main body via an adhesive member, the washing machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

5. A plurality of the operation parts are provided, and the plurality of operation parts are arranged in a row, the washing machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 4.

6. The main body has a drain hole formed to penetrate the main body in the thickness direction for draining water on the upper surface of the main body, and the drain hole is provided at a position adjacent to the operation receiving member and covered by the appearance part, the washing machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 5.

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