Automatic clothes washing device

Abstract

To provide a device capable of automatically washing clothing simply, efficiently and effectively.SOLUTION: A clothing automatic washing device includes a clothing storage chamber 4 for storing clothing in a suspended state in a housing 2. A clothing washing mechanism 9 has a head movement device 30 for moving a washing head 20 in three directions. A monitor 5 capable of specifying a washing object portion of clothing is on an outer surface of the housing 2. A control device 10 executes: suction treatment for moving only a suction motor 44, and for moving the washing head 20 across the whole area or part of the clothing in a state where a wiping port 24 is adsorbed to the clothing; and portion washing treatment for moving both a water supply pump 41 and the suction motor 44, and for moving the washing head 20 only in the washing object portion of the clothing in a state where washing water is jetted while the wiping port 24 is adsorbed to the clothing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to an automatic washing device for general household use that is suitable for clothes such as suits. [Background technology]

[0002] Many clothes, such as suits, cannot be washed in a home washing machine because they lose their shape and become wrinkled. Therefore, it is common to leave the cleaning of such clothes to a professional dry cleaning service.

[0003] In response to this, technologies that allow such clothes to be washed easily at home have been studied. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a clothes washing device that can automatically wash such clothes in their entirety.

[0004] Specifically, the laundry washing machine has a vertically long case equipped with a storage section for storing clothes hung on hangers, and a laundry washing section that sprays wash water onto the clothes while circulating it with a water pump. The laundry washing section has a horizontally long spray section and a collection section that are arranged facing each other with the clothes sandwiched between them.

[0005] The spray unit has multiple nozzles arranged horizontally at regular intervals. During washing, the nozzles spray wash water onto the clothes, and the water that passes through the clothes is collected by the collection unit, which moves up and down.

[0006] There is also disclosed a configuration (configuration 2) in which the laundry washing section further has a suction pump so that the recovery section can suck in washing water. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-143744 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The clothes washing device of Patent Document 1 leaves room for improvement and is not easy to put into practical use.

[0009] For example, in the clothes washing device of Patent Document 1, since the washing water must be sprayed so that it hits the entire width of the clothes, it is necessary to circulate a reasonable amount of washing water, even if it is not a large amount. It is also difficult to spray the washing water so that it hits the entire width of the clothes evenly.

[0010] Furthermore, since the width of a garment usually differs between the top and bottom, and the washing water is sprayed so that it hits the entire width of the garment, i.e., an area wider than the maximum width of the garment, some of the sprayed washing water does not hit the garment and is collected as is. In other words, some of the sprayed washing water is wasted.

[0011] Even in a configuration where the recovery unit sucks in wash water, there are cases where the water is sucked in directly without passing through the clothes, which increases the waste of wash water. In order to properly recover wash water and ensure the necessary circulation volume, a relatively large tank for storing wash water is also required.

[0012] Wash water that hits the clothes but does not pass through them remains on the clothes and drips off. As a result, dirt collects at the bottom of the clothes along with the wash water, making it easy for stains to form at the bottom of the clothes. Since the entire clothes are soaked in water, drying them is also difficult. Therefore, the clothes washing device of Patent Document 1 has room for improvement and is not easy to put into practical use.

[0013] On the other hand, everyday stains on clothing such as suits can be divided into two types: stains (adherent stains) that are formed when hair, dandruff, dust, etc. adhere to the surface of the clothing, and stains (stain stains) that are formed when sauce stains and other stains soak into the clothing.

[0014] In the case of adhered stains, spraying wash water as in the clothing washing device of Patent Document 1 may cause the wet stains to adhere firmly to the clothing. Also, in the case of outerwear such as suits, partial stains (partial stains) that are sudden and severely stained locally, such as sauce stains, are often the target of washing. Washing the entire garment as in the clothing washing device of Patent Document 1 for such partial stains is inefficient. There is also a risk that the partial stains will spread throughout the garment.

[0015] The purpose of the disclosed technology is to provide a device that can automatically clean both full and partial stains on clothes easily, efficiently, and effectively. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] The disclosed technology relates to an automatic clothes washing device that can automatically wash clothes by storing the clothes in a housing and performing a predetermined operation.

[0017] The housing includes a clothing storage chamber for storing the clothing in a hanging state, a clothing cleaning mechanism for cleaning the clothing, a control device for controlling the operation of the clothing cleaning mechanism, and an operating device for operating the control device.

[0018] The clothing washing mechanism has an internal suction space that communicates with the outside through a wiping port at the tip, and a washing head in which a spray nozzle is installed in the suction space so as to point toward the wiping port; a water supply pump that supplies washing water stored in a water supply tank to the spray nozzle through a water supply tube; a suction device that sucks the inside of the suction space through a pressure-resistant hose; and a head moving device that moves the washing head in three directions inside the clothing storage chamber: up and down, left and right, and front and back.

[0019] The operating device has a monitor in the housing that enables identification of the area of ​​the clothing to be washed. The control device, in response to operation of the operating device, executes a suction process in which the suction device is activated without activating the water supply pump, and the cleaning head is moved over the entire area of ​​the clothing or a portion thereof while the wiping nozzle is adsorbed to a portion of the clothing, and a partial cleaning process in which both the water supply pump and the suction device are activated, and the cleaning head is moved over only the area of ​​the clothing to be washed while the wiping nozzle is adsorbed to the portion of the clothing and the cleaning water is sprayed onto the portion of the clothing.

[0020] That is, with this automatic clothes washing device, clothes can be washed by hanging them in the clothes storage compartment, so it can be handled just like a closet. Therefore, clothes can be washed easily. The area of ​​the clothes to be washed can be identified on the monitor, so only the areas of the clothes that are partially soiled can be selectively washed.

[0021] Furthermore, the laundry washing mechanism has a specific washing head that can perform suction and spraying of washing water. In other words, this washing head can selectively perform the process of sucking the clothes with the wiping nozzle (i.e., the process of removing adhering dirt) or the process of wetting the clothes with washing water and sucking the water contained in the clothes by spraying washing water and sucking the clothes with the wiping nozzle (i.e., the process of removing stains). The latter process does not require a large amount of washing water, so related equipment such as a water tank and a drain tank can be made smaller.

[0022] The cleaning head is configured to be able to move in three directions inside the clothing storage compartment: up and down, left and right, and front and back, so that it can be used to treat any part of the clothing, including the entire garment.

[0023] Furthermore, depending on the operation, the machine can perform a suction process, which sucks the entire garment or a portion of it, and a partial cleaning process, which sprays cleaning water onto only the area to be cleaned while suctioning. The suction process can effectively remove dirt that has spread to the entire garment or a portion of it. In the partial cleaning process, cleaning water is sprayed onto only heavily soiled areas, wetting the garment while suctioning and cleaning, so the entire garment does not need to be wet, only a small amount of cleaning water is required, and stains can be removed efficiently and effectively. Therefore, both entire and partial stains on garments can be washed easily, efficiently, and effectively.

[0024] The suction device may include a suction motor that generates suction force, a gas-liquid separation mechanism arranged between the suction motor and the pressure-resistant hose, and a drainage tank that stores drainage water separated by the gas-liquid separation mechanism.

[0025] This allows the sucked dust to be collected in the drainage tank during suction processing, and the cleaning water can be separated from the sucked air containing the cleaning water and collected in the drainage tank during partial cleaning processing. Therefore, since it is only necessary to process the wastewater collected in the drainage tank, post-cleaning processing can be easily performed.

[0026] The control device may not operate the suction device during the ascending process of moving the cleaning head from bottom to top, but may operate the suction device during the descending process of moving the cleaning head from top to bottom with the wiping nozzle in contact with the clothes.

[0027] This means that the clothes are sucked in and wiped only while being pulled, so that the clothes can be adsorbed in an appropriate state without any special support, and the occurrence of wrinkles and fraying can be effectively prevented.

[0028] The control device may be configured such that, in the process of moving the cleaning head in the left-right direction, the cleaning head is moved at a pitch that is equal to or less than the width of the wiping port, and the ascending process and the descending process are repeated each time the cleaning head moves by the pitch until the cleaning head reaches a target left-right position.

[0029] This allows the wiping port to be attached to the entire area of ​​the clothing in the left-right direction, allowing for thorough wiping.

[0030] The control device may perform a retreating process following the descending process to retreat the cleaning head so that the wiping nozzle is away from the clothes, and may perform an advancing process following the ascending process to advance the cleaning head so that the wiping nozzle comes into contact with the clothes.

[0031] This allows the cleaning head to be reliably separated from the clothes when moving independently of the cleaning operation, preventing any adverse effects on the clothes. During the cleaning process, the cleaning head can be set to an optimal position that can adequately attract the clothes, resulting in effective cleaning.

[0032] The housing may further include a camera that photographs the clothes while hanging, the monitor may display the clothes photographed by the camera, and the areas of the clothes to be cleaned may be identified based on the clothes displayed on the monitor.

[0033] This allows the areas to be identified based on the actual clothes to be cleaned. Since the areas to be cleaned can be identified with high accuracy, the areas to be cleaned can be minimized, allowing for efficient and effective partial cleaning.

[0034] When the partial cleaning process is performed, the control device may perform the suction process as a pre-processing of the partial cleaning process.

[0035] The suction process is a process for dealing with adhesion stains caused by fine dust such as dandruff and pollen, while the partial cleaning process is a process for dealing with partial stain stains (spot stains). It is preferable to suck up the adhesion stains directly onto the clothing. On the other hand, for spot stains, washing the entire clothing with wash water is inefficient. There is also a risk that the spot stains will spread throughout the clothing. Therefore, for spot stains, it is preferable to wash only the target area of ​​the clothing.

[0036] In the case of adhering dirt, spraying cleaning water can cause the wet dirt to adhere to the clothes and become hardened as it dries. However, if you perform a partial cleaning process after removing the adhering dirt, you can reduce this problem and properly clean the clothes.

[0037] The cleaning head may be set to move slower during the lowering process of the partial cleaning process than during any other process including the lowering process of the suction process.

[0038] It takes a certain amount of time for stains to dissolve sufficiently in the washing water that has soaked the clothes, and it also takes a certain amount of time for all the dirty washing water to be sucked up. Therefore, by setting the movement of the washing head to be slow, stains can be properly removed. Furthermore, even if the washing speed is set to be slow, the movement range of the washing head is limited to the area to be washed, so delays in processing time can be suppressed.

[0039] The cleaning head may be detachably attached to the head moving device, and by operating the operating device, it may be possible to perform a manual suction process in which the suction device is activated without activating the water supply pump, and a manual cleaning process in which both the water supply pump and the suction device are activated, independently of the head moving device.

[0040] Depending on the type of clothing or the location of the stain (such as the underside of the collar or the lining), the automatic washing process may not be sufficient. However, if the washing head is detachable and the manual suction process and manual washing process can be performed separately, the user can select the area to wash, which can be handled in such cases. Therefore, the convenience of the automatic clothing washing device is improved.

[0041] Two of the cleaning heads and two of the head moving devices may be installed in the clothing storage compartment so as to be positioned on either side of the clothing.

[0042] This allows both sides of the clothes to be washed at once, halving the processing time and enabling automatic washing in a short time, improving convenience.

[0043] When the wiping nozzles are attached to the clothes, it is preferable that the wiping nozzles are set so that they do not overlap with the clothes sandwiched between them.

[0044] When the wiping nozzles are attached to the clothes, if the two nozzles overlap front and back, sandwiching the clothes, the clothes will be sucked from both the front and back. This can cause excessive suction force to act on the clothes, which can cause them to wrinkle, unravel, or even tear. However, this automatic washing device does not have this risk. Therefore, clothes can be automatically washed in the appropriate condition. [Effects of the Invention]

[0045] The automatic clothes washing device using the disclosed technology can easily, efficiently, and effectively wash both full and partial stains on clothes depending on the type of stain on the clothes. Therefore, it becomes possible to wash clothes such as suits that are difficult to wash even in an ordinary household, improving convenience. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0046] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of an automatic clothes washing device. [Figure 2] 2A and 2B are schematic cross-sectional views indicated by arrow line A1a and arrow line A1b in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a stationary unit. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a cleaning head, a pressure-resistant hose, a hose connection port, etc. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the relationship between a control device and its peripheral devices. [Figure 6A] 1 is an example of a display screen of a monitor. [Figure 6B] 10 is another example of a display screen of the monitor. [Figure 7]10 is a flowchart showing the basic flow of laundry washing processing. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of a suction process. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of partial cleaning processing. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining main operations of the automatic cleaning device in the suction process. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining main operations of the automatic cleaning device in the suction process. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining main operations of the automatic cleaning device in the partial cleaning process. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining main operations of the automatic cleaning device in the partial cleaning process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosed technology will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the following description is essentially merely an example. Note that the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions used in the description are based on the automatic laundry washing device. Also, the Z-axis direction, X-axis direction, and Y-axis direction used in the description correspond to the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions, respectively.

[0048] <Structure of automatic clothes washing device> 1 and 2 illustrate an automatic clothing washing device 1 to which the disclosed technology is applied. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of the automatic clothing washing device 1. Diagram F2a on the left side of FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A1a in FIG. 1. Diagram F2b on the right side of FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view indicated by arrow A1b in FIG. 1.

[0049] This automatic clothing washing device 1 is configured to automatically wash clothes, mainly outerwear such as suits, shirts, and dresses, by storing these clothes and performing a predetermined operation. Note that the word "washing" here does not only mean washing with washing water, but also means removing dirt attached to clothes in a broad sense.

[0050] The automatic laundry washing device 1 has a rectangular box-shaped housing 2 made up of frames, panels, etc., and is formed in a closet-like appearance. An equipment compartment 3 is installed in the lower part of the housing 2. Above the equipment compartment 3, a clothing storage compartment 4 for storing hanging clothing is installed by dividing the interior of the housing 2 with a floor panel 2a.

[0051] A pair of doors 2b, 2b that swing open and close from side to side are installed on the front of the housing 2. Opening these doors 2b, 2b opens the front of the clothing storage compartment 4. One of the doors, 2b, is equipped with a touch-operable monitor 5. When the user operates this monitor 5, the automatic clothing washing device 1 executes a predetermined washing process. In other words, the monitor 5 constitutes an operating device.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 2, in the case of the automatic clothing washing device 1 of this embodiment, cameras 6 are installed in approximately the center of the front and rear inner wall surfaces of the housing 2 facing the clothing storage compartment 4. These cameras 6 are installed to photograph the front and back of the clothing hanging on the hangers 8. The type, number, and placement of the cameras 6 can be changed depending on the specifications. The key point is that they are capable of photographing the front and back of the clothing hanging on the hangers 8.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 1, two tank entrances 2c, 2c are open on the front of the equipment room 3, allowing the drainage tank 42 and the water supply tank 40 to be loaded and unloaded. Disposal of wastewater stored in the drainage tank 42 and replenishment of flush water stored in the water supply tank 40 are carried out through these tank entrances 2c, 2c.

[0054] As shown in Figure 2, a hanging bar 7 is installed above the clothing storage compartment 4. The hanging bar 7 is located approximately in the center of the clothing storage compartment 4 in the front-to-back direction and extends in the left-to-right direction, with both ends attached to the left and right side surfaces of the housing 2. A hanging portion 7a is provided approximately in the center of the hanging bar 7 in the left-to-right direction.

[0055] By hanging a hanger 8 with a garment on the hanging portion 7a, the garment is positioned in a predetermined position in the garment storage compartment 4. Specifically, the hanger 8 is arranged to extend in the left-right direction, and the garment is accordingly positioned so that it faces the front-to-back direction.

[0056] As shown in F2a, the housing 2 contains a clothes washing mechanism 9 that washes clothes, and a control device 10 that controls the operation of the clothes washing mechanism 9 in accordance with operations on the monitor 5. The control device 10 is disposed in the equipment compartment 3. The clothes washing mechanism 9 is composed of a movable unit 9A disposed in the clothes storage compartment 4 and a stationary unit 9B disposed in the equipment compartment 3.

[0057] In the automatic clothes washing device 1 shown in this embodiment, two movable units 9A are installed symmetrically in the front and rear direction, as shown in F2b (a front movable unit 9Af and a rear movable unit 9Ar). The front movable unit 9Af and the rear movable unit 9Ar have the same basic configuration. Therefore, unless a distinction is required, they will be collectively described as the movable unit 9A.

[0058] The movable unit 9A is mainly composed of a cleaning head 20 and a head moving device 30. The cleaning head 20 is a device that directly acts on clothes to clean them, and is supported by the corresponding head moving device 30. Hose connection ports 11 are provided in two locations on the floor panel 2a. The upper ends of pressure-resistant hoses 12 connected to each of these hose connection ports 11, 11 are connected to each cleaning head 20 (details of the cleaning head 20, pressure-resistant hose 12, etc. will be described later).

[0059] Each head moving device 30 moves the cleaning head 20 in three directions—up and down, left and right, and front and back—inside the clothing storage chamber 4, and includes a pair of Y-axis sliders 31, 31, an X-axis slider 32, a Z-axis slider 33, and a head support portion 34. The pair of Y-axis sliders 31, 31 are installed to extend in the up and down direction along the left and right sides of the clothing storage chamber 4. The Y-axis sliders 31, 31 of the front movable unit 9Af are positioned near the front edge of the clothing storage chamber 4, and the Y-axis sliders 31, 31 of the rear movable unit 9Ar are positioned near the rear edge of the clothing storage chamber 4.

[0060] The X-axis slider 32 extends in the left-right direction, with both ends supported by the Y-axis sliders 31, 31. The Z-axis slider 33 extends in the front-rear direction, with one end supported in a cantilevered manner by the X-axis slider 32. A head support part 34 is installed at the other end of the Z-axis slider 33 (the end protruding inward into the clothing storage compartment 4), and the cleaning head 20 is supported by the head support part 34.

[0061] Each of the Y-axis slider 31, X-axis slider 32, and Z-axis slider 33 incorporates a device that constitutes a linear actuator, such as a ball screw or a servo motor (not shown). This enables highly accurate movement according to position control, and the X-axis slider 32 slides up and down as indicated by arrow Ay in response to operation of the actuator of the Y-axis slider 31. The Z-axis slider 33 slides left and right as indicated by arrow Ax in response to operation of the actuator of the X-axis slider 32. The head support part 34 slides back and forth as indicated by arrow Az in response to operation of the actuator of the Z-axis slider 33.

[0062] Figure 3 shows the structure of the stationary unit 9B. F3a in Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the inside of the equipment room 3 as seen from above. F3b in Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of F3a taken along the arrow line A3a. F3c in Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of F3a taken along the arrow line A3b. Note that equipment other than the stationary unit 9B is not shown in Figure 3.

[0063] The stationary unit 9B is composed of a water supply tank 40, a water supply pump 41, a drainage tank 42, a gas-liquid separation mechanism 43, a suction motor 44 (an example of a suction device), etc. The water supply tank 40 and the drainage tank 42 are box-shaped containers that can store water, and are housed in the equipment room 3 in a removable state as described above.

[0064] The interior of water supply tank 40 is divided into two water storage areas corresponding to each of movable units 9A. A water outlet 40a is provided at the bottom of each water storage area to remove water stored in the water storage area. Each water outlet 40a is connected to the water inlet of water supply pump 41 via a relay tube 45. Water supply pump 41 is an electric pump and is located at the rear of water supply tank 40.

[0065] The water supply pump 41 has two water supply ports connected to water supply tubes 46. When the water supply pump 41 is activated, water stored in the water supply tank 40 is discharged at a predetermined pressure from one or both of these water supply ports.

[0066] A gas-liquid separation mechanism 43 is installed above the drainage tank 42. The gas-liquid separation mechanism 43 has two upstream gas-liquid separation chambers 43a, 43a formed corresponding to each of the movable units 9A. A downstream air vent 43b communicating with the drainage tank 42 is opened in the lower surface of each upstream gas-liquid separation chamber 43a. An upstream air vent 43c communicating with the hose connection port 11 via an upstream suction duct 47 is opened in the side surface of each upstream gas-liquid separation chamber 43a.

[0067] A downstream gas-liquid separation chamber 43d, which communicates with the drainage tank 42, is provided behind the two upstream gas-liquid separation chambers 43a. An air outlet 43e opens at the rear surface of the downstream gas-liquid separation chamber 43d. The air outlet 43e communicates with the suction port of the suction motor 44 via a downstream suction duct 48. A detachable filter 49 that captures water and dust is installed in the downstream suction duct 48.

[0068] The passages connecting the suction port of the suction motor 44 and the hose connection port 11, i.e., the downstream suction duct 48, the drain tank 42, the gas-liquid separation mechanism 43, and the upstream suction duct 47, are all connected in a sealed state to prevent air leakage. As a result, when the suction motor 44 is operated, a suction force is generated at the hose connection port 11.

[0069] (Cleaning head 20 etc.) 4 shows the cleaning head 20, the pressure-resistant hose 12, the hose connection port 11, etc. Fd in FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the arrow A4, showing the internal structure of the cleaning head 20.

[0070] Pressure-resistant hose 12 has a double-pipe structure, and water supply tube 46 extending from water supply pump 41 is inserted inside pressure-resistant hose 12. Correspondingly, a tube introduction section 11a is provided below floor panel 2a at hose connection port 11, and is bent in an L shape and connected to upstream suction duct 47. Utilizing the bent portion of tube introduction section 11a, water supply tube 46 is inserted into tube introduction section 11a while maintaining a tight seal.

[0071] The cleaning head 20 has a head main body 21, a hose connection part 22, and a wiping cover 23. The head main body 21 is a hollow resin molded product that has a roughly L-shape when viewed from the side. The head main body 21 has a roughly cylindrical grip part 21a and a protrusion 21b that connects to the top of the grip part 21a. The protrusion 21b is formed so that it widens horizontally as it approaches the tip.

[0072] A horizontally long rectangular wiping opening 24 opens at the tip of protrusion 21b. A wiping cover 23 of a predetermined shape is attached to wiping opening 24. Wiping cover 23 is composed of a rectangular mounting frame 23a that is attached to the edge of wiping opening 24, and a mesh 23b that covers the inside of mounting frame 23a.

[0073] The lower end of the grip portion 21a is integrated with the hose connection portion 22. The hose connection portion 22 is connected to the upper end of the pressure-resistant hose 12 in a sealed state. As a result, the space (suction space 21c) extending inside the head main body portion 21 communicates with the inside of the pressure-resistant hose 12 and also communicates with the outside of the head main body portion 21 through the wiping port 24.

[0074] The cleaning head 20 is supported by the head support portion 34 in a state where the grip portion 21a extends vertically and the wiping port 24 is positioned so as to face in the front-rear direction.

[0075] A spray nozzle 25 is installed in the suction space 21c so as to be directed toward the wiping port 24. The spray nozzle 25 is fixed to a rib 21d provided on the inner wall surface of the protrusion 21b. A spray hole 25a for spraying cleaning water is provided at the tip of the spray nozzle 25. The cleaning water sprayed from the spray hole 25a is set to be directed toward the wiping port 24 while diffusing at a predetermined spray angle.

[0076] The downstream end of water supply piping 26, through which cleaning water flows, is connected to the base end of spray nozzle 25. A check valve 27 is installed in water supply piping 26 to prevent cleaning water from flowing in the opposite direction to the spray direction. The upstream end of water supply piping 26 is located at the lower end of grip portion 21a and is connected to water supply tube 46.

[0077] Therefore, when the suction motor 44 is activated, the inside of the suction space 21c is sucked through the pressure-resistant hose 12. If clothes are present near the wiping port 24, the clothes are sucked in and come into close contact with the wiping cover 23. This makes it possible to suck up and remove dirt adhering to the clothes. When the water supply pump 41 is activated in this state, wash water stored in the water supply tank 40 is sent through the water supply tube 46 to the spray nozzle 25, and the wash water is sprayed toward the wiping port 24.

[0078] As a result, the wash water collides with the suction area of ​​the clothes, wetting the suction area, and the wash water contained in the suction area of ​​the clothes is sucked into the suction space 21c, so dirt that has soaked into the suction area of ​​the clothes can be removed with a small amount of wash water. Because the amount of wash water is small, there is no need to connect to a water supply or the like to supply water. The water supply tank 40 is also compact, making it easy to supply water.

[0079] The sucked dirt and wash water flow into the gas-liquid separation mechanism 43 through the pressure-resistant hose 12 and the upstream suction duct 47. As it passes through the gas-liquid separation mechanism 43, the wash water (wastewater) containing dust and dirt is separated from the air and stored in the drainage tank 42. Because the amount of wastewater is small, the drainage tank 42 is compact and can be easily disposed of.

[0080] (Control device) 5 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the control device 10 and its peripheral devices. The control device 10 is composed of hardware such as a processor 10a, a memory 10b, and an input / output device 10c, and software such as a control program and control data stored in the memory 10b. The control device 10 executes predetermined processes related to the operation of the automatic laundry washing device 1 through cooperation between the hardware and software.

[0081] The control device 10 is electrically connected to the camera 6, monitor 5, water supply pump 41, suction motor 44, and head moving device 30. The control device 10 performs input and output of data between these peripheral devices. For example, the camera 6 takes a picture of the clothes and outputs the image data to the control device 10. The control device 10 outputs operation screen data required for operation to the monitor 5, displaying buttons and the like. The monitor 5 outputs operation data input by touch operation to the control device 10. Then, based on the operation data, the control device 10 controls the operation of the water supply pump 41, suction motor 44, and head moving device 30, and performs an automatic washing process according to the degree of dirt on the clothes.

[0082] That is, everyday stains on clothing such as suits include stains (adherent stains) formed by hair loss, dandruff, dust, etc. adhering to the surface of the clothing, and stains (stain stains) formed by sauce stains and the like soaking into the clothing. This automatic clothing washing device 1 is configured to automatically wash both these adherent stains and stain stains efficiently and effectively.

[0083] Specifically, in response to the operation of the monitor 5, the control device 10 operates the suction motor 44 without operating the water supply pump 41, and performs a process (suction process) in which the cleaning head 20 moves over the entire area of ​​the clothing or part of it while the wiping nozzle 24 is adsorbed to part of the clothing, and a process (partial cleaning process) in which both the water supply pump 41 and the suction motor 44 are operated, and the cleaning head 20 moves only over the part of the clothing to be cleaned while the wiping nozzle 24 is adsorbed to part of the clothing and cleaning water is sprayed onto that part of the clothing.

[0084] Suction treatment is a treatment for stains, while partial cleaning treatment is a treatment for stains. In the case of outerwear such as a suit, stains that occur on a daily basis are stains that adhere to the entire garment or part of the outer surface of the garment, so suction is preferable. However, stains usually extend over the entire garment. Therefore, for stains, suction treatment is preferable for the entire garment as the target for cleaning.

[0085] In contrast, sudden stains rarely affect the entire garment, and are often localized (so-called spot stains). Washing the entire garment with wash water to remove such spot stains is inefficient. There is also a risk of the spot stains spreading throughout the garment. Therefore, for stain stains, it is preferable to perform a spot cleaning process, which cleans only the target area of ​​the garment.

[0086] In particular, when performing partial cleaning, the control device 10 performs suction processing as a pre-processing for the partial cleaning. That is, in the case of adhering dirt, spraying cleaning water may cause wet dirt to adhere to the clothes and become hardened when it dries. In contrast, performing partial cleaning after removing the adhering dirt can reduce such problems and allow the clothes to be properly washed.

[0087] (Identifying areas to be cleaned) In order to carry out partial washing, it is necessary to identify the area of ​​the clothes to be washed (the area to be washed) in advance. In contrast, in the case of the automatic clothes washing device 1 of this embodiment, the camera 6 photographs the clothes to be washed and displays the clothes on the monitor 5, so that the area of ​​the clothes to be washed can be identified based on the actual clothes displayed on the monitor 5.

[0088] FIG. 6A shows an example of the display screen when identifying the area of ​​clothing to be cleaned on monitor 5. Monitor 5 displays the clothing photographed by camera 6, i.e., the clothing stored in clothing storage compartment 4 while hanging on hangers 8. Stains are indicated by the symbol D. Note that while the display in FIG. 6A shows the front of the clothing, the screen can be switched to display the back of the clothing in the same way.

[0089] The screen of the monitor 5 also displays a plurality of division lines L in a grid pattern, and these division lines L divide the garment into a plurality of areas (subdivision areas). The user selects one of these division areas (the area indicated by the arrow R in FIG. 6A) that contains localized soiling, and touches the screen of the monitor 5. This identifies the division area as the area to be washed, and the data is output to the control device 10.

[0090] It is also possible to specify multiple areas to be cleaned. It is preferable that the number of divisions into subdivided areas can be adjusted by the user. Alternatively, the display of subdivided areas may be omitted, and the user may simply touch the area with localized soiling to specify that area and its surrounding areas as areas to be cleaned.

[0091] Alternatively, the actual display of the clothing may be omitted, and a simple model M of the clothing may be displayed on the monitor 5, allowing the user to specify the area to be cleaned based on the model. An example of such a display screen is shown in FIG. 6B. As in the display of FIG. 6A, the model M is divided into multiple sub-areas by dividing lines L.

[0092] The user selects a segmented area containing localized dirt from these segmented areas and touches the screen of the monitor 5. In this case, the accuracy of identifying the area to be cleaned decreases, but there is an advantage that the installation of a camera 6 or the like can be omitted.

[0093] <Automatic clothing washing device operation> The laundry washing process performed by the automatic laundry washing device 1 and the associated operation of the automatic laundry washing device 1 will be described below. Fig. 7 illustrates the flow of the basic laundry washing process performed by the control device 10. Fig. 8 illustrates the flow of the suction process. Fig. 9 illustrates the flow of the partial washing process.

[0094] 10 and 11 illustrate the main operations of the automatic clothes washing device 1 during the suction process. 12 and 13 illustrate the main operations of the automatic clothes washing device 1 during the partial washing process. The front movable unit 9Af and the rear movable unit 9Ar operate simultaneously and in conjunction with each other, but each of FIGS. 10 to 13 shows the operation of the front movable unit 9Af, and omits the operation of the rear movable unit 9Ar. Of the diagrams illustrating each process, the diagrams on the left are views from the front, and the diagrams on the right are views from the right side.

[0095] F10a in Figure 10 represents the initial state of the head moving device 30. The X-axis slider 32 is at its lower limit position, the Z-axis slider 33 is at its left limit position, and the head support part 34 is at its forward limit position. This position, at the lower left front corner of the clothing storage chamber 4 where the cleaning head 20 is separated from the clothes, is set as the origin of the head support part 34. Similarly, the rear movable unit 9Ar also has its origin set at the lower left rear corner of the clothing storage chamber 4.

[0096] The user hangs soiled clothes on hangers 8 and places them in the clothes storage compartment 4, then closes the door 2b to start operation of the automatic clothes washing device 1. The control device 10 then processes image data of the clothes input from the camera 6 to obtain position information of the clothes. The control device 10 also requests the user to input via the monitor 5 whether there is any partial soiling.

[0097] As a result, if the control device 10 determines that there is no partial soiling (No in step S1), as shown in Fig. 7, it executes the suction process (step S2). On the other hand, if the control device 10 determines that there is partial soiling (Yes in step S1), it processes the image data of the clothing and displays an image of the clothing on the monitor 5 as shown in Fig. 6A (step S3).

[0098] This allows the user to specify a subdivided area, so the user selects the subdivided area containing the local soiling and touches the screen of the monitor 5. If a subdivided area is specified (Yes in step S4), the control device 10 identifies the subdivided area as the area to be washed (step S5). Since the specification can be based on the actual display of the clothing, the area to be washed can be specified with high accuracy.

[0099] Then, the control device 10 executes a suction process as a pre-processing (step S6), and then executes a partial cleaning process (step S7). When the suction process or the partial cleaning process is completed, the control device 10 issues a notification using a buzzer or the like, thereby completing the automatic cleaning process.

[0100] The front and rear movable units 9Af and 9Ar individually perform the washing process based on the instructions for the front and rear sides of the clothes, which are displayed by switching the screen of the monitor 5. For example, if the clothes are only partially soiled on the front side, the rear movable unit 9Ar only performs the suction process. If the clothes are partially soiled on both the front and rear sides, both the front and rear movable units 9Af and 9Ar perform the partial washing process according to the respective partial soiling.

[0101] (Suction treatment) Based on the position information of the clothes, the control device 10 identifies the target movement position that is the boundary of the movement range in the up / down and left / right directions within which the cleaning head 20 can properly pick up the clothes. The target movement position identified on the left side is set as the movement start position in the X-axis direction. Note that if the camera 6 is not present, the position information of the clothes cannot be obtained, so the origin position is set as the movement start position, and the head moving device 30 can move within the entire range of its movement.

[0102] 8 and 10, when the suction process is started, the control device 10 operates the X-axis slider 32 to move the cleaning head 20 to the right until it reaches the identified movement start position in the X-axis direction (Yes in step S10), and then operates the Y-axis slider 31 to move (raise) the cleaning head 20 to the identified upper target position in the Y-axis direction (step S11).

[0103] When the cleaning head 20 reaches the upper target position in the Y-axis direction, the control device 10 operates the Z-axis slider 33 to move (advance) the cleaning head 20 to the target position (step S12), as shown in F10b in Fig. 10. The target position in the Z-axis direction is a position where the wiping port 24 is positioned near the clothes so that the clothes can be properly adsorbed, and is set in advance in the control device 10.

[0104] When the cleaning head 20 reaches the target position in the Z-axis direction, the control device 10 activates the suction motor 44 (step S13), as shown in Fig. 8. As a result, the clothes are sucked into the wiping port 24, and dirt adhering to the suction area is collected in the drain tank 42 through the suction space 21c and the pressure-resistant hose 12.

[0105] Then, the control device 10 operates the Y-axis slider 31 at a predetermined wiping speed, and moves (lowers) it to the target position as shown by F10c in Fig. 10 (step S14). As a result, dirt adhering to the clothing in the vertical direction can be removed by the width of the wiping opening 24.

[0106] When the cleaning head 20 reaches the target position on the lower side in the Y-axis direction, the control device 10 stops the suction motor 44 and activates the Z-axis slider 33 to move (retract) the cleaning head 20 to its original position (step S15), as shown by F10d in Fig. 10. This eliminates the suction force and moves the wiping port 24 away from the clothes, preventing unnecessary force from acting on the clothes and preventing wrinkles and fraying.

[0107] The control device 10 determines whether the end position of movement in the X-axis direction, that is, the target position of movement specified on the right side, has been reached (step S16). If the end position of movement in the X-axis direction has not been reached (No in step S16), the control device 10 operates the X-axis slider 32 to move the cleaning head 20 to the right at a predetermined pitch P, as shown by F11a in Fig. 11 (step S17). The predetermined pitch P is set within a range equal to or less than the width of the wiping spout 24. This allows the wiping spout 24 to adsorb the entire garment, ensuring complete wiping.

[0108] Then, the Y-axis slider 31 is operated to move (raise) it to the upper target position in the Y-axis direction, and the processing from step S11 onward is repeated. That is, as shown by F11a to F11d in Fig. 11, the above-described ascending process, forward moving process, descending process, and backward moving process are repeatedly executed each time the pitch P is moved.

[0109] During the downward movement of the cleaning head 20, the suction motor 44 is operated with the wiping port 24 in contact with the clothes. In contrast, during the upward movement of the cleaning head 20, the suction motor 44 is not operated. Therefore, the hanging clothes are only wiped while being pulled, allowing the clothes to be adsorbed in an appropriate state and effectively preventing wrinkles and fraying.

[0110] When the cleaning head 20 reaches the end position of the X-axis movement (Yes in step S16), the wiping port 24 has been sucked onto the entire area of ​​the clothes, meaning that removal of adhering dirt has been completed, so the control device 10 operates the X-axis slider 32 to return the cleaning head 20 to the origin position (step S18), thereby completing the suction process.

[0111] The rear movable unit 9Ar also operates simultaneously with the front movable unit 9Af, and suction processing is performed on both the front and rear surfaces of the garment. However, when the wiping ports 24 are attached to the garment, the two wiping ports 24 are set so as not to overlap with each other, sandwiching the garment. Specifically, one cleaning head 20 is set to follow the movement of the other cleaning head 20 with a delay so that the wiping ports 24 do not overlap with each other in the front and rear.

[0112] If the wiping nozzles 24 overlap front to back while adsorbing to the clothes, the clothes will be adsorbed from both the front and back. This will cause excessive suction force to act on the clothes, which may cause wrinkles, fraying, or even tears. However, if one cleaning head 20 is set to follow the movement of the other cleaning head 20 with a delay so that the wiping nozzles 24 do not overlap front to back, overlapping of the wiping nozzles 24 can be reliably prevented with simple control that simply sets a time difference.

[0113] (Partial cleaning treatment) After removing all or part of the dirt from the clothes by the suction process, the partial cleaning process is performed. As shown in F12a in Fig. 12, the partial cleaning process starts with the cleaning head 20 positioned at the origin position. Unlike the suction process, the partial cleaning process performs a predetermined process only on the specified area to be cleaned.

[0114] Therefore, the left end of the area to be cleaned becomes the movement start position in the X-axis direction. As shown in Figures 9 and 12, when the partial cleaning process starts, the control device 10 operates the X-axis slider 32 to move the cleaning head 20 rightward until it reaches the movement start position (Yes in step S20). Next, it operates the Y-axis slider 31 to move (raise) the cleaning head 20 to the target position on the upper side in the Y-axis direction, which corresponds to the top end of the area to be cleaned (step S21).

[0115] When the cleaning head 20 reaches the upper target position in the Y-axis direction, as shown in F12b in FIG. 12, the control device 10 actuates the Z-axis slider 33 to move (advance) the cleaning head 20 to the target position (step S22).

[0116] When the cleaning head 20 reaches the target position in the Z-axis direction, the control device 10 activates both the suction motor 44 and the water supply pump 41 (step S23), as shown in Fig. 9. As a result, the clothes are sucked into the wiping port 24, and the suctioned portion of the clothes is wetted by the spray of cleaning water.

[0117] If there is any stain on the suction area of ​​the clothes, the stain will dissolve in the wash water that has soaked into the clothes. The dirty wash water contained in the suction area of ​​the clothes is then collected in the drain tank 42 by the action of suction force through the suction space 21c and the pressure-resistant hose 12. Since most of the sprayed wash water is collected in the drain tank 42, the clothes storage compartment 4 can be effectively prevented from becoming soiled with wash water.

[0118] Then, the control device 10 operates the Y-axis slider 31 at a predetermined washing speed, and moves (lowers) it to a lower target position corresponding to the lower end of the area to be washed, as shown in F12c in Fig. 12 (step S24). This allows stains on the clothes in the vertical direction to be removed by the width of the wiping port 24.

[0119] The downward movement of the cleaning head 20 during the partial cleaning process is set to be slower than that during any other process, including the downward movement of the suction process.

[0120] That is, the cleaning speed is set slower than the wiping speed and the movement speed of the other cleaning heads 20. A certain amount of time is required for the stains to dissolve sufficiently in the cleaning water, and a certain amount of time is also required for all dirty cleaning water to be sucked up. Therefore, if the cleaning speed is set too fast, stains may remain, but by setting the cleaning speed slower, the stains can be properly removed. Furthermore, even if the cleaning speed is set slower, the movement range of the cleaning head 20 is limited to the area to be cleaned, so delays in processing time can be suppressed.

[0121] When the cleaning head 20 reaches the target position on the lower side in the Y-axis direction, the control device 10 stops both the suction motor 44 and the water supply pump 41, as shown in F12d of Figure 12, and activates the Z-axis slider 33 to move (retreat) the cleaning head 20 to its original position (step S25).

[0122] The control device 10 determines whether the cleaning head 20 has reached the movement end position in the X-axis direction, that is, the movement target position specified on the right side (the right end of the area to be cleaned) (step S26). If the movement end position in the X-axis direction has not been reached (No in step S26), the control device 10 operates the X-axis slider 32 to move the cleaning head 20 rightward by a predetermined pitch P, as shown in F13a in Fig. 13 (step S27).

[0123] Then, after moving (raising) the cleaning head 20 to the target position on the upper side in the Y-axis direction, the processing from step S21 is repeated, such as moving (advancing) the cleaning head 20 to the target position as shown in F13b in Fig. 13. That is, each time the pitch P is moved, the above-described ascending process, advancing process, descending process, and retreating process are repeatedly executed.

[0124] Then, when the end position of movement in the X-axis direction is reached (Yes in step S26), partial cleaning of the entire area to be cleaned is completed, and the control device 10 determines whether there is another area to be cleaned (step S28).

[0125] If there is another area to be cleaned (No in step S28), the control device 10 executes the series of processes from step S20 onwards for that area to be cleaned. On the other hand, if there is no other area to be cleaned (Yes in step S28), the control device 10 operates the X-axis slider 32 to return the cleaning head 20 to the origin position (step S29), thereby completing the partial cleaning process.

[0126] The rear movable unit 9Ar also operates simultaneously with the front movable unit 9Af, and the partial cleaning process is performed on both the front and rear surfaces of the garment. However, as with the suction process, when the wiping ports 24 are attached to the garment, the two wiping ports 24 are set so as not to overlap with each other, sandwiching the garment. Specifically, when the front and rear areas to be cleaned overlap, one cleaning head 20 is set to follow the movement of the other cleaning head 20 with a delay so that the wiping ports 24 do not overlap with each other.

[0127] (Variation) The cleaning head 20 is preferably detachably attached to the head support part 34. For example, the head support part 34 may be configured with a pair of arms that clamp the lower part of the cleaning head 20 from both the left and right sides, and the lower part of the cleaning head 20 may be press-fitted into these arms so that it fits and is supported by both arms. The cleaning head 20 is connected to a relatively long and flexible pressure-resistant hose 12, so it can be freely operated once removed from the head support part 34.

[0128] Then, manual operation modes corresponding to the adhesion stains and the stains are set in the control device 10. That is, by touching the monitor 5, it is possible to execute a process (manual suction process) in which the suction motor 44 is operated without operating the water supply pump 41 in a state independent of the head moving device 30, i.e., in a state in which the head moving device 30 is not operated, and a process (manual washing process) in which both the water supply pump 41 and the suction motor 44 are operated.

[0129] Depending on the type of clothing or the location of the stain (such as the underside of the collar or the lining), the automatic washing process described above may not be sufficient. However, if the washing head 20 can be detached from the head support part 34 and the manual suction process and manual washing process can be performed separately, the user can select the area to wash as desired, which can be handled in such cases. Therefore, the convenience of the automatic clothing washing device 1 is improved.

[0130] The disclosed technology is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but also includes various other configurations.

[0131] In the above-described embodiment, an automatic clothing washing device 1 is exemplified in which two cleaning heads 20, head moving devices 30, cameras 6, etc. are installed in the clothing storage compartment 4, but it is also possible to install one of these at either the front or back of the clothing storage compartment 4, and to wash both sides of the clothing by changing the orientation of the clothing stored in the clothing storage compartment 4.

[0132] Instead of the camera 6, a dirt detection sensor capable of detecting dirt, such as an infrared sensor, may be attached to the head support part 34, and the area to be cleaned may be identified based on the detection value of the dirt detection sensor. In this way, when performing the suction process, the dirt detection sensor can scan the entire area of ​​the clothing to detect the dirty areas, making it possible to accurately detect the dirty areas on the clothing with a relatively simple configuration.

[0133] If the laundry washing mechanism 9 has a function for spraying steam (heated mist of washing water), a steam spraying process may be performed before the partial washing process, in which steam is sprayed onto stains for a predetermined time while suction is being performed. This allows for more effective removal of stains. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 1 Automatic clothes washing device 2. Case 3 Equipment room 4 Clothing Storage Room 5 Monitor (operating device) 6. Camera 7 Hook bar 8 hangers 9. Clothes washing mechanism 9A Mobile Unit 9B Immobile Unit 10 Control device 12 Pressure hose 20 cleaning heads 21 Head body 21c Intake space 23 Wiping cover 24 Wiping port 25 spray nozzle 30 Head moving device 34 Head support 40 Water Tank 41 Water supply pump 42 Drainage tank 43 Gas-liquid separation mechanism 44 Suction motor (suction device) 46 Water supply tube

Claims

1. An automatic clothes washing device that can automatically wash clothes by storing the clothes in a housing and performing a predetermined operation, The housing includes: a clothing storage chamber for storing the clothing in a hanging state; a clothes washing mechanism for washing the clothes; a control device for controlling the operation of the laundry washing mechanism; an operating device that is operated by a user to operate the control device; Equipped with The clothes washing mechanism includes: a cleaning head having an internal suction space communicating with the outside through a wiping port provided at the tip, and an injection nozzle installed in the suction space so as to be directed toward the wiping port; a water supply pump that supplies cleaning water stored in a water supply tank to the spray nozzle through a water supply tube; a suction device that sucks the inside of the suction space through a pressure-resistant hose; a head moving device that moves the cleaning head in three directions, i.e., up and down, left and right, and front and back, inside the clothing storage chamber; and The operating device has a monitor in the housing that enables identification of the area of ​​the laundry to be cleaned, The control device, in response to the operation of the operation device, a suction process in which the suction device is operated without operating the water supply pump, and the cleaning head is moved over the entire area or a part of the clothes while the wiping nozzle is adsorbed to a part of the clothes; a partial cleaning process in which both the water supply pump and the suction device are operated, and the cleaning head is moved only to a portion of the clothing to be cleaned while the cleaning water is sprayed onto the portion of the clothing while the wiping nozzle is adsorbed to the portion of the clothing; An automatic clothes washing device that performs the above.

2. The automatic laundry washing device according to claim 1, The suction device is a suction motor that generates suction force; a gas-liquid separation mechanism disposed between the suction motor and the pressure-resistant hose; a drainage tank that stores the drainage water separated by the gas-liquid separation mechanism; An automatic clothes washing device having:

3. The automatic laundry washing device according to claim 1 or 2, The control device In this automatic clothes washing device, the suction device is not activated during the ascending process of moving the cleaning head from below to above, and the suction device is activated during the descending process of moving the cleaning head from above to below with the wiping opening in contact with the clothes.

4. The automatic laundry washing device according to claim 3, In the process of moving the cleaning head in the left-right direction, the control device moves the cleaning head at a pitch that is equal to or less than the width of the wiping port, and repeats the raising process and the lowering process each time the pitch is moved until the cleaning head reaches a target left-right position.

5. The automatic laundry washing device according to claim 4, The control device executes a retreating process of retracting the cleaning head so that the wiping nozzle is separated from the clothes, following the descending process, and executes an advancing process of advancing the cleaning head so that the wiping nozzle comes into contact with the clothes, following the ascending process, in the automatic clothes washing device.

6. The automatic laundry washing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The housing further includes a camera that takes an image of the garment in a hanging state, the monitor displays the garment photographed by the camera; The automatic clothes washing device identifies the area of ​​the clothes to be washed based on the clothes displayed on the monitor.

7. The automatic laundry washing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, When the partial cleaning process is performed, the control device performs the suction process as a pre-processing of the partial cleaning process.

8. The automatic laundry washing device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, The automatic clothes washing device is configured so that the washing head moves slower during the descending process of the partial washing process than during any other process, including the descending process of the suction process.

9. The automatic laundry washing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The cleaning head is detachably attached to the head moving device, An automatic clothes washing device that can perform a manual suction process in which the suction device is activated without activating the water supply pump, and a manual washing process in which both the water supply pump and the suction device are activated, independently of the head moving device, by operating the operating device.

10. The automatic laundry washing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The automatic clothes washing device has two washing heads and two head moving devices installed in the clothes storage chamber so as to be positioned on both sides of the clothes.

11. The automatic laundry washing device according to claim 10, In the automatic clothes washing device, when the wiping openings are attached to the clothes, the wiping openings are set so as not to overlap with each other and sandwich the clothes.

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