washing machine

Abstract

To achieve a vertical type washing machine capable of providing an automatic input part even in a limited space.SOLUTION: A vertical type washing machine includes: a washing tub including a water tub, and a rotary tub provided rotatably in the water tub; a body part for storing the washing tub; an upper cover part provided on the upper side of the body part; an automatic input part for inputting a washing treatment agent stored in a plurality of tanks into the washing tub; a manual input part where a washing treatment agent for one time is inputted; and a water pouring part including an automatic input path communicating with the automatic input part, and a manual input path communicating with the manual input part. The manual input part and the water pouring part are connected by a pipe part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine having a washing tub. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, in addition to a manual detergent storage case, it has been proposed to equip drum-type washing machines with an automatic dispenser that stores multiple loads of laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener in the tank in advance, and automatically dispenses the required amount from the tank into the water tub by driving a pump during the wash cycle (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-74080 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned washing machines, when an automatic feeding device is installed in a vertical washing machine, there is a problem that it must be installed in a space that is smaller than that of a drum-type washing machine. The present invention aims to realize a vertical washing machine that can be provided with an automatic feeding section even in a limited space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The vertical washing machine of the present invention comprises a washing tub including a water tub and a rotating tub rotatably arranged within the water tub, a main body that houses the washing tub, an upper cover that is arranged above the main body, an automatic dispenser that dispenses laundry treatment agents contained in multiple tanks into the washing tub, and a manual dispenser into which a single dose of laundry treatment agent is dispensed, wherein the automatic dispenser is located on the rear side of the upper cover in the front-to-rear direction, and the manual dispenser is located on either side of the upper cover in the arrangement direction of the tanks or on the front side in the front-to-rear direction. The vertical washing machine of the present invention comprises a washing tub including a water tub and a rotating tub rotatably arranged within the water tub, a main body that houses the washing tub, an upper cover that is arranged on the upper side of the main body, an automatic dispenser that dispenses laundry treatment agents contained in multiple tanks into the washing tub, and a manual dispenser into which a single dose of laundry treatment agent is dispensed, wherein the automatic dispenser is located on the rear side of the upper cover in the front-to-rear direction, and the manual dispenser is located outside the multiple tanks in the tank arrangement direction and is aligned in the tank arrangement direction with the tank located at the end of the tank arrangement direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the above configuration, the automatic insertion unit can be provided even in a limited space. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the washing machine with the lid open. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the front-rear direction, seen from the front side. [Figure 4] This is a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction as seen from the right side. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper cover portion and the lid portion separated from each other. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view of the automatic feeding unit and its surroundings in an exploded state, seen from above. FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a perspective view of the automatic insertion unit and its surroundings in an exploded state, seen from below. FIG. [Figure 8] 1A and 1B are perspective views of the supply unit, in which FIG. 1A is a view from above the front side, and FIG. 1B is a view from below the rear side. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams of the manual insertion unit with the cover removed, where (a) is a diagram seen from above, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the AA section of (a) seen from the arrow side. [Figure 10]1A and 1B are exploded perspective views of the manual insertion unit with the cover removed, where FIG. 1A is a view from above the front side, and FIG. 1B is a view from below the rear side. [Figure 11] 10A is a view of the water injection section from above, and FIG. 10B is a view of the water injection section from above with the upper body removed, illustrating the injection path. [Figure 12] 1A and 1B are perspective views of the water injection section, where (a) is a view from above the front side, and (b) is a view from below the rear side. [Figure 13] 1 is a perspective view of a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction of the automatic insertion unit and its surrounding area, as viewed from above on the front side. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tank housing portion and the tank in a disassembled state, viewed from above on the front side. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tank housing portion and the tank in a disassembled state, as viewed from below and rearward; [Figure 16] 1A and 1B are perspective views of the tank body with the filter removed, where FIG. 1A is a view from above the front side, and FIG. 1B is a view from above the rear side. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the connection between the water injection unit and the automatic insertion unit. [Figure 18] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the feeding path of the water injection unit in another form.

[0008] <Embodiment> 1. Overview As shown in FIG. 1, the washing machine 1 is a vertical type. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, washing machine 1 is provided with, in housing 18, washing tub 11, motor 12 for rotating washing tub 11 etc., operation unit 13 for inputting and selecting a washing process operation course, display unit 14 for displaying the operating status of the washing process etc., water supply unit 15 (see Figure 5) for supplying water to washing tub 11, water injection unit 16 for pouring the supplied water into washing tub 11, drain unit 17 for draining water from washing tub 11, treatment agent injection unit for adding laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener to water injection unit 16, a control unit for controlling motor 12 etc. to perform washing process etc., and a power supply unit for supplying power to driving means such as motor 12 and control unit. A vertical type washing machine is a washing machine in which the central axis of washing tub 11 extends in the vertical direction or is tilted at a predetermined angle, for example, within 10 degrees, relative to the vertical direction.

[0009] The treatment agent dispenser includes an automatic dispenser 21 for automatically dispensing laundry treatment agents contained in multiple tanks 27, and a manual dispenser 23 for manually dispensing laundry treatment agents. The tanks 27 store laundry treatment agents for multiple washing runs. Washing machine 1 is equipped with bath water dispenser 25 (see FIG. 5) that sucks bath water and dispenses it into washing tub 11. The control unit controls the amount and timing of dispensed water by automatic dispenser 21, and here is provided as circuit unit 26 in a circuit configuration together with the power supply unit. 1, the side where water supply unit 15 is located is defined as the rear side in the front-to-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the up-down direction and the front-to-rear direction is defined as the left-to-right direction. The description will be given taking as an example a case where operation unit 13 and display unit 14 are located on the front side, sandwiching lid unit 182 for opening and closing opening 181a for inserting laundry, but they are not limited to this position. The left-to-right direction is based on the state viewed from the front side in the front-to-rear direction. For example, "A is located on one (other) side of direction B" includes the case where the center of A in direction B is located on one (other) side of the center of direction B of the washing machine, and the same applies to "A is (exists) on one (other) side of direction B." Also, for example, "A is located behind (to the left of) C" includes the case where the center of A in the front-to-back (left-to-right) direction is located behind (to the left of) the center of C in the front-to-back (left-to-right) direction, and the same applies to "A is (exists) behind (to the left of) C," and "on the front (right) side." Furthermore, "the rear (left) side of D" may include the rear (left) part of D and the rear (left side) of D. The main parts will be explained below.

[0010] 2. Main part (1) Washing tub Washing tub 11 includes water tub 111 for storing washing water, and rotary tub 113 rotatably supported within water tub 111.

[0011] (2) Housing The housing 18 includes a main body 180, an upper cover 181 provided on the upper side of the main body 180, and a lid 182 for opening and closing an opening 181a of the upper cover 181 for inserting and removing laundry. The main body 180 is box-shaped with an open top, and mainly houses the washing tub 11. When viewed from above, the main body 180 has a rectangular shape or a shape close to a rectangular shape. The top end of the main body 180 is located higher than the top end of the washing tub 11.

[0012] As shown in Figure 5, upper cover part 181 has opening 181a and is rectangular or nearly rectangular when viewed from above. Top wall part 181e is inclined downward toward the front, making it easier to put laundry into washing tub 11 and take it out of washing tub 11. The upper cover portion 181 has an inner wall portion 181f extending downward from the opening edge of the top wall portion 181e, and an outer wall portion 181g extending downward from the outer edge of the top wall portion 181e, and by utilizing the space between the inner wall portion 181f and the outer wall portion 181g, the operation portion 13 and display portion 14 are arranged at the front, the automatic insertion portion 21, manual insertion portion 23, tank 27, water supply portion 15, water pouring portion 16 and bath water insertion portion 19 are arranged at the rear, and the circuit unit 26 (see Figure 3) is arranged on the other side in the left-right direction (the right side). That is, the automatic feeding unit 21 and the tank 27 are located at the rear, and the manual feeding unit 23 is located on one side in the left-right direction (the left side), next to the tank 27 located at the end in the direction in which the multiple tanks 27 are lined up. This allows the automatic feeding unit 21, the tank 27, and the manual feeding unit 23 to be arranged in a limited space. In addition, at least one of the automatic dispensing unit 21 and the tank 27 is located at the rear, the manual dispensing unit 23 is located on one side in the left-right direction, and the bath water dispensing unit 25 is located on the other side in the left-right direction. This allows at least one of the automatic dispensing unit 21 and the tank 27, the manual dispensing unit 23, and the bath water dispensing unit 25 to be arranged in a limited space. Furthermore, at least one of automatic dispenser 21 and tank 27 is located at the rear, manual dispenser 23 and water supply unit 15 are located on one side in the left-right direction, bath water dispenser 25 is located on the other side in the left-right direction, water pouring unit 16 is located below at least one of automatic dispenser 21 and tank 27, and manual dispenser 23 is located in front of water supply unit 15. This allows automatic dispenser 21, manual dispenser 23, water supply unit 15, water pouring unit 16, and bath water dispenser 25 to be arranged in a limited space. Furthermore, because top wall 181e is inclined upward at the rear, the required amount of laundry treatment agent can be stored in automatic dispenser 21 and automatic dispenser 21. Automatic dispenser 21 and tank 27 are located at the rear, tank 27 is exposed to the washing tub 11 side, and automatic dispenser 21 is disposed near the rear side of tank 27. This improves the operability of tank 27 and also makes it easy to connect automatic dispenser 21 and tank 27. The upper cover portion 181 is provided with an opening for a faucet connection portion 151 for connecting to a water faucet, an opening for connecting to a bath water suction hose, an opening for adding laundry treatment agent to the manual insertion portion 23, and an opening 181d for inserting and removing the tank 27 of the automatic insertion portion 21.

[0013] 5, the lid part 182 has a lid portion 182a that opens and closes the opening 181a of the upper cover part 181, and a protruding portion 182b that protrudes rearward from the rear end of the lid part 182a, and the protruding portion 182b is rotatably supported by a rotary shaft 183 with a damper. The rotary shaft extends in the left-right direction and is located on the rear side of the upper cover part 181. As shown in FIG. 2, the lid portion 182 is provided with a retaining means 184 for maintaining the open state. The retaining means 184 is a plate-like body, a so-called flap. When the lid portion 182 is in the open state, the upper end of the retaining means 184 is supported by the lid portion 182 so as to be rotatable around the left-right direction as a rotation axis. When the lid portion 182 is opened, the retaining means 184 rotates such that the lower side moves forward due to its own weight and fits into a groove portion 181b of the upper cover portion 181. Note that a protrusion portion 181c is provided on the front side of the groove portion 181b to prevent the retaining means 184 from coming off the groove portion 181b. The groove portion 181b and the protrusion portion 181c extend in the left-right direction.

[0014] (3) Water supply section As shown in Figures 5 to 7, water supply unit 15 is disposed to the left of automatic insertion unit 21 and behind manual insertion unit 23. Water supply unit 15 is fixed via water supply base 33 to support frame 31 installed on the upper rear end of main body 180 of housing 18. As shown in Figure 8, the water supply unit 15 includes a faucet connection unit 151, multiple (e.g., three) water channel units 152, 153, and 154, a distribution unit 155 that distributes water supplied from the faucet connection unit 151 to each of the water channel units 152, 153, and 154, and an on-off valve 156 provided in each of the water channel units 152, 153, and 154. Water channel section 152 is connected to automatic insertion section 21 via hose 157, water channel section 153 is connected to manual insertion section 23 via hose 158, and water channel section 154 is directly connected to manual insertion section 23. Cylindrical water supply port 154a of water channel section 154 is inserted into first inlet 231c of outer case 231, as shown in FIG. The distribution section 155 and the water channel sections 152, 153, 154 are configured by a resin box body having a water channel therein. The box body is fixed to the water supply base 33.

[0015] (4) Manual input section Manual dispenser 23 is provided inside upper cover 181 of housing 18. A user sets the detergent treatment agent to be used for one washing run in manual dispenser 23 for each wash, and when the washing run starts, water is supplied from water supply 15 and the detergent treatment agent is dispensed into washing tub 11. Manual throw-in unit 23 is located upstream of water injection unit 16 in the flow path of water supplied from water supply unit 15, and is located above water injection unit 16 in terms of vertical position (height). This allows water to flow more easily within manual throw-in unit 23, making it less likely for water to remain within manual throw-in unit 23. From another perspective, if manual throw-in unit 23 is located behind upper cover unit 181 in the front-to-rear direction with the height difference as described above, the height of the front side of upper cover unit 181 can be lowered, making it possible to make the unit more compact. 9 and 10, the manual insertion unit 23 includes an outer case 231, an inner case 233 disposed in the outer case 231 and temporarily accommodating the laundry treatment agent, and a lid 235 (see FIG. 6) that closes the opening 231a of the outer case 231. Note that the lid 235 may be configured as the upper cover unit 181 instead of the manual insertion unit.

[0016] Outer case 231 is box-shaped with opening 231a at the top end, and the side wall portion facing inner circumferential wall portion 181f of upper cover portion 181 is curved in an arc shape. Outer case 231 has first inlet 231c for tap water inflow in rear wall portion 231b, second inlet 231e for tap water inflow in side wall portion 231d on the outer side in the left-right direction (the side farther from washing tub 11), and outlet 231f for tap water outflow in bottom wall portion 231g. First inlet 231c is connected to water channel 154 of water supply unit 15, and second inlet 231e is connected to water channel 153, so that water is supplied from two independent paths. Second inlet 231e is provided with connector 238 for connecting to hose 158 (see FIG. 7) that connects to water supply unit 15. Hose 239 (see Figures 6 and 7) connected to outlet 231f of manual throw-in unit 23 is connected to second inlet 164a (tubular portion 162e) of manual throw-in path 164 of water pouring unit 16. Since there is a difference in height between manual throw-in unit 23 and water pouring unit 16, it is preferable that hose 239 extends downward from manual throw-in unit 23 toward water pouring unit 16, but hose 239 may be routed so that there is no difference in height in any part of hose 239 (so that part is horizontal). Note that hose 239 corresponds to an example of the "pipe portion" of invention 3, but a non-bendable pipe may be used instead of hose 239.

[0017] Inner case 233 has first container 233a for the treatment agent and second container 233b for the treatment agent in the front-rear direction. First container 233a is located on the rear side and has a larger dimension in the left-right direction than second container 233b. The first storage section 233a has an inlet 233e at the upper side of the rear wall section 233d, an outlet 233f at the upper side of the rear wall section 233d, outlets 233j and 233k in the side wall sections 233g and 233h, and an outlet 233n in the bottom wall section 233m. At least one of a detergent (liquid or powder) and a bleaching agent is poured into the first storage section 233a. When water is supplied, the treatment agent flows from the first storage section 233a through the outlets 233f, 233j, 233k, and 233n toward the outer case 231. The first inlet 231c is provided with a guide section 233o that guides the flowing water downward. The outlets 233f, 233j, 233k are provided in the side wall portions 233g, 233h and the rear wall portion 233d in order to prevent detergent from remaining on the peripheral walls. The second storage section 233b has an inlet 233q at the upper side of the side wall section 233p and outlets 233s and 233t in the side wall sections 233p and 233r, respectively. Fabric softener is poured into the second storage section 233b. The treatment agent is stored in the bottom wall section 233u. When water is supplied, water accumulates in the second storage section 233b and flows out from the inside of the cylindrical guide 237 toward the outer case 231. In other words, in order to discharge the treatment agent by utilizing the siphon effect, the guide 237 is provided in the second storage section 233b, covering from above the cylindrical section having an outlet at its upper end. The outlets 233s and 233t are provided in the side wall sections 233p and 233r to prevent the fabric softener from remaining on the peripheral walls. The lid 235 is attached so as to be able to open and close to the upper cover part 181. Here, the rear end part is supported so as to be able to rotate around a rotation axis in the left-right direction.

[0018] (5) Bath water inlet 6 and 7, the bath water inlet 25 is equipped with a pump 251, which is fixed in place on the pump support base 311 of the support frame 31. The sucked bath water is discharged to the water inlet 16 via a hose 253.

[0019] (6) Water injection section The water injection unit 16 is disposed between the water supply unit 15 and the washing tub 11 in the water flow path. Water injection section 16 is disposed above and behind washing tub 11. Water injection section 16 is provided across the left-right direction. Water injection section 16 is located below automatic dispenser 21 and tank 27. This allows the flow path between automatic dispenser 21 and the water injection section to be short.

[0020] (6-1) Route As shown in Fig. 7, water injection unit 16 is connected to water supply unit 15, manual injection unit 23, and bathwater injection unit 25. As shown in Fig. 11(b), water injection unit 16 has separate automatic injection path 163 through which laundry treatment agent is injected from automatic injection unit 21, and manual injection path 164 through which laundry treatment agent is injected from manual injection unit 23. By separating automatic injection path 163 and manual injection path 164 in this way, automatic injection path 163 and manual injection path 164 become narrower than when the automatic injection path and manual injection path are the same path, and water flowing through the paths has more force, making it possible to prevent water from remaining in the paths. Here, the water pouring section 16 further has a bath water pouring path 165 through which bath water flows. The automatic supply path 163 is connected to the automatic supply section 21, the manual supply path 164 is connected to the manual supply section 23, and the bath water supply path 165 is connected to the bath water supply section 25.

[0021] The automatic dispensing path 163 has a first path 163b which has a first inlet 163a through which water flows in from the water supply section 15 and which extends along the arrangement direction of the tanks 27 (here, the left-right direction), and a second path 163d which is connected to the first path 163b and has a first discharge outlet 163c for discharging the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub 11. The term "stretching along the A direction" includes stretching in the A direction, stretching in a direction parallel to the A direction, and stretching in a direction intersecting the A direction at an angle of 45° or less.

[0022] First path 163b extends from one side where water supply unit 15 is located to the other side, and first inlet 163a is located on one side. This allows the distance to water supply unit 15 to be shortened, and can be shortened when using a connector such as a hose. First path 163b has multiple inlets 163e formed along the left-right direction, through which laundry treatment agent is dispensed from automatic dispenser 21. In this example, there are four tanks 27, so there are four inlets to match the number of tanks 27. However, as long as there are two or more tanks 27, the number of inlets may be set according to the number, or there may be one inlet for two adjacent tanks 27. 17, the bottom surface of the first path 163b is inclined so that one side is lower than the other side in the left-right direction. This allows water to flow smoothly through the first path 163b. Here, the vertical gap (vertical width) of the first path 163b becomes larger from one side to the other. Inlet 163e of water injection unit 16 is formed above first path 163b facing the vertical direction (perpendicular to the vertical direction), and detergent treatment agent is dispensed from outlet 282a by automatic dispensing means 28. As a result, the laundry treatment agent is dispensed into the water flowing smoothly through the path, and the dispensed laundry treatment agent can be flowed toward washing tub 11. Incidentally, outlet 282a is formed at the tip of tubular (e.g., cylindrical) discharge side connector 282.

[0023] The first path 163b is configured so that when water is supplied from the first inlet 163a, the water reaches at least one inlet 163e, into which the detergent treatment agent is dispensed. When water is supplied from the water supply unit 15, at least one of the multiple inlets 163e is submerged in water. Specifically, the flow rate of the water channel portion 152 of the water supply unit 15 connected to the first inlet 163a is increased, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the first path 163b is reduced. As a result, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 17, it is possible to prevent the laundry treatment agent from adhering to at least one inlet 163e, thereby improving the hygiene of the inlet 163e. It is more preferable from a hygiene standpoint that water reaches as many inlets 163e as possible. By immersing the outlet 282a of the discharge side connection part 282 of the automatic dispensing means 28 in water, the laundry treatment agent adhering to the outlet 282a can be flushed away (washed away), and the outlet 282a and the inlet 163e can be prevented from being clogged with the laundry treatment agent. The first inlet 163a, the inlet 163e, and the third inlet 165a are shown in FIG. 11(b) so that their positions can be seen.

[0024] The second path 163d extends forward in the front-rear direction from the other end of the first path 163b in the left-right direction. Here, the second path 163d extends so as to approach one side in the left-right direction (the manual insertion path 164 side) as it moves forward. This allows a space to be formed in front of the first path 163b on the other side in the left-right direction. In other words, the left-right width of the front side of the water injection unit 16 can be shortened.

[0025] The manual feeding path 164 has a second inlet 164a through which the laundry treatment agent flows in and a second outlet 164b through which the laundry treatment agent is discharged into the washing tub 11. The manual feeding path 164 has a first path 164c having the second inlet 164a and extending in the left-right direction in front of the first path of the automatic feeding path 163, and a second path 164d communicating with the first path 164c and having the second outlet 164b. The second path 164d extends forward in the front-rear direction from the other end of the first path 164c in the left-right direction. Here, the second path 164d extends so as to approach the other side in the left-right direction (the second path 163d side of the automatic feeding path 163) as it moves toward the front. The second inlet 164a is located on one side in the left-right direction of the water injection unit 16. The second outlet 164b is located on the other side in the left-right direction compared to the second inlet 164a. The second outlet 164b is located on one side in the left-right direction compared to the first outlet 163c. This allows the first outlet 163c and the second outlet 164b to be provided in the left-right direction. When viewed from above, the automatic insertion path 163 is L-shaped or U-shaped, and the manual insertion path 164 is V-shaped. This allows the V-shaped manual insertion path 164 to be placed in an area of ​​the rectangular area formed by the L where the automatic insertion path 163 does not exist. In this way, the space inside the L-shaped or U-shaped automatic insertion path 163 can be used effectively.

[0026] The bath water input path 165 has a third inlet 165a through which bath water flows in from the bath water input section 25. The third inlet 165a corresponds to an example of the "inlet of the bath water input path" of Invention 1. The third inlet 165a is located on the other side in the left-right direction compared to the first path 163b of the automatic input path 163. The bath water input path 165 extends in the front-to-rear direction and merges with the second path 163d of the automatic input path 163. Therefore, the first outlet 163c also serves as the third outlet of the bath water input path 165. First discharge outlet 163c and second discharge outlet 164b are elongated holes extending in the left-right direction. This allows the discharge opening to be enlarged and the dimensions in the front-to-back direction to be reduced. First discharge outlet 163c and second discharge outlet 164b are located above washing tub 11.

[0027] (6-2) Pathway formation As shown in Figure 12, the water injection unit 16 has a path formation body that forms paths such as an automatic input path 163, a manual input path 164, and a bathwater input path 165. The path formation body here integrally includes the automatic input path 163, the manual input path 164, and the bathwater input path 165. The path formation body has an upper forming body 161 and a lower forming body 162. The upper forming body 161 and the lower forming body 162 are integrated with screws or the like.

[0028] The upper forming body 161 has an upper plate-shaped portion 161a and an upper protruding portion that protrudes downward from the upper plate-shaped portion 161a. The upper protrusion has upper protrusion 161b which forms the upper part of the side wall of automatic input path 163, upper protrusion 161c which forms the upper part of the side wall of manual input path 164, and upper protrusion 161d which forms the upper part of the side wall of bath water input path 165. Upper plate-shaped portion 161a has, within the area surrounded by upper protrusion 161b, a first inlet 163a for water supplied from water supply portion 15 and an inlet 163e for laundry treatment agent dispensed from automatic dispenser 21. First inlet 163a and inlet 163e are formed by upwardly extending cylindrical portions 161e and 161f, respectively. Upper plate-shaped portion 161a has, within the area surrounded by upper protrusion 161d, a third inlet 165a for bath water supplied from bath water dispenser 25. Third inlet 165a is formed by upwardly extending cylindrical portion 161g.

[0029] The lower forming body 162 has a lower plate-shaped portion 162a and a lower protruding portion that protrudes upward from the lower plate-shaped portion 162a. The lower protrusion has lower protrusion 162b which forms the lower part of the side wall of automatic input path 163, lower protrusion 162c which forms the lower part of the side wall of manual input path 164, and lower protrusion 162d which forms the lower part of the side wall of bath water input path 165. The lower plate-like portion 162a has a second inlet 164a for water (tap water or tap water containing a laundry treatment agent) dispensed from the manual dispenser 23, located upstream of the area surrounded by the lower protruding portion 162c so as to connect to the area. The second inlet 164a is formed by a cylindrical portion 162e extending to one side in the left-right direction. The lower plate-shaped portion 162a has a first outlet 163c in an area surrounded by the lower protruding portion 162b. The lower plate-shaped portion 162a has a second outlet 164b in an area surrounded by the lower protruding portion 162c. The portions of the lower plate portion 162a that make up the automatic pouring path 163, the manual pouring path 164, and the bathwater pouring path 165 become lower as they move downstream in the water flow path. In Fig. 12(a), the protrusions of the lower protrusions 162b, 162c, and 162d are greater on the downstream side than on the upstream side of each path. This allows water to flow smoothly through the automatic pouring path 163, the manual pouring path 164, and the bathwater pouring path 165.

[0030] (7) Tank The tank 27 has a storage section for storing the laundry treatment agent and a cover section provided for the storage section. The plurality of tanks 27 (four in this example) constitute a tank section. 13, the tank 27 includes at least a tank body 270 constituting the storage section and an upper cover body 271 constituting the cover section. The tank 27 here includes a suction pipe 272 for sucking the laundry treatment agent in the tank body 270, and a filter 273 for preventing dust and the like from being sucked into the suction pipe 272. The tank 27 is provided with a mounting fixture 274 on the tank body 270 for mounting the upper cover body 271 to the tank body 270. The mounting fixture 274 can also function as a handle, as will be described later. The tank 27 has a lid 275 on the upper cover 271 that covers an opening 271a for refilling the interior with laundry treatment agent.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 16, the tank body 270 is box-shaped with an open top and includes a front chamber 276 and a rear chamber 277. The rear chamber 277 extends rearward from the top of the front chamber 276 and has a shape resembling a rotated "L" when viewed from the left and right. In other words, a rear bottom wall (rear bottom surface) 277a of the rear chamber 277 is higher than a front bottom wall (front bottom surface) 276a of the front chamber 276. The rear bottom wall 277a is inclined downward toward the front. This makes it difficult for laundry treatment agent to remain in the rear chamber 277. An automatic dispensing means 28 is disposed behind the front chamber 276 and below the rear chamber 277. A suction pipe 272 is attached to a rear wall portion 276b of the front chamber 276. The suction pipe 272 extends forward and then curves and extends downward. A base portion (a cylindrical portion extending forward) 272a of the suction pipe 272 is provided with an on-off valve 278 (see FIG. 13) that opens and closes in accordance with the attachment and detachment of the tank 27 to and from the tank accommodating portion 35. The suction pipe 272 is attached by using an attachment portion 272c that extends in the vertical direction, etc., from the rear end of the base portion 272a. The tank body 270 has, on the outer surface (front surface) of the front wall portion 270b, a plurality of vertical rib portions 270c extending in the up-down direction and spaced apart in the left-right direction, and horizontal rib portions 270e connecting the lower ends of the vertical rib portions 270c in the left-right direction.

[0032] The filter 273 is provided so as to surround the suction pipe 272. Here, since one side wall portion (left side wall portion) 270a of the tank body 270 is used, the filter 273 has at least a front wall portion 273a, a side wall portion 273b on the other side, and an upper wall portion 273c. Here, an inclined wall portion 273d is provided between the upper wall portion 273c and the front wall portion 273a. A through-hole 273e for a laundry treatment agent is formed in the front wall 273a, the side wall 273b, and the upper wall 273c. The filter 273 is detachably provided, and a lower end portion of the front wall 273a and a rear end portion of the upper wall 273c are engaged with an engaging portion 276c of a front bottom wall (front bottom surface) 276a and a rear wall 276b of the front chamber 276. The engagement is achieved by inserting (sandwiching) the end portions of the front wall 273a and the upper wall 273c of the filter 273 between the pair of elastic pieces with the lower end of the front wall 273a fitted into a groove portion 276d of the front bottom wall 276a.

[0033] 14 and 15, the upper cover body 271 has a plate-shaped portion 271b and an opening 271a in front of the plate-shaped portion 271b. This allows the laundry treatment agent to be replenished with the tank 27 pulled out from the tank housing portion 35. The lid body 275 is configured to be openable and closable around a pair of protrusions on the rear side of the opening 271a in the upper cover body 271 as a rotation axis.

[0034] The mounting fixture 274 has a plate-shaped portion 274a, a pair of side plate portions 274b extending rearward from both the left and right ends of the plate-shaped portion 274a, and an engaging portion 274c formed at the upper end of the plate-shaped portion 274a and engaging with the engaged portion 271c of the upper cover body 271. The mounting fixture 274 is attached to the tank body 270 at the lower end of the side plate portion 274b so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis in the left-right direction. When the mounting fixture 274 rotates, the engaging portion 274c engages with the engaged portion 271c of the upper cover body 271. The upper cover body 271 is attached to the tank body 270 by engaging the engaging portion 271c at the front end with the engaging portion 274c of the attachment device 274 and by engaging the engaging portion 271d at the rear end (the elastic piece and the through hole formed in the elastic piece) with the engaging portion 270f of the tank body 270.

[0035] The wearing fixture 274 has an opening edge 274e on the plate-shaped part 274a that forms an opening 274d for inserting the user's finger. This makes it easy to pull out the tank 27. In addition, a space is formed between the front wall part 270b of the tank body 270 and the plate-shaped part 274a by the vertical rib part 270c, making it easy for the user to insert a finger. The tank body 270 is made of a transparent resin material, so that the amount of laundry treatment agent in the tank 270 can be seen through the opening 274d of the attachment 274. In other words, the portion of the front wall 270b of the tank body 270 located behind the opening 274d of the attachment 274 can be considered a transparent window 270g. A scale may be provided on this window 270g to make it easier to see the remaining amount. "Transparent" here refers to a degree that allows the amount of stored laundry treatment agent to be seen. The multiple vertical ribs 270c of the tank body 270 are arranged so as not to overlap with the opening 274d, and when the attachment 274 is in the engaged state, the window 270g faces the opening 274d of the plate-shaped portion 274a. In the engaged state, the mounting fixture 274 is inclined so that it descends rearward as it moves upward. This allows the user to easily check the amount of detergent treatment agent in the tank 27 through the window 270g, even when the tank 27 is housed in the tank housing portion 35.

[0036] (8) Automatic liquid supply unit Automatic dispensing unit 21 is provided on the rear side of upper cover 181 of housing 18. Automatic dispensing unit 21 is located in the center in the left-right direction, and manual dispensing unit 23 and bathwater dispensing unit 25 are located on both sides of it in the left-right direction. This allows the wide space between main body 180 and washing tub 11, which is the rear corner part of main body 180, to be used effectively. In automatic dispenser 21, the user sets the detergent treatment agent to be used for multiple wash cycles, and when the wash cycle starts, water is supplied from water supply unit 15 and the laundry treatment agent is automatically dispensed into washing tub 11. More specifically, automatic dispenser 21 dispenses the laundry treatment agent into the water that is supplied and flows through automatic dispense path 163 of water injection unit 16. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, automatic dispensing unit 21 has automatic dispensing means 28 that dispenses laundry treatment agent from tank 27, which contains laundry treatment agent to be automatically dispensed into washing tub 11. Here, there are multiple tanks 27 (four in this case), lined up in the left-right direction. Detergent may be stored in all of the multiple tanks 27, or x (x = an integer greater than or equal to 1) tanks 27 of the multiple tanks 27 may store fabric softener, and the remaining y (y = an integer greater than or equal to 1) tanks 27 may store detergent. Automatic dispensing means 28 are provided for each tank 27, and there are a total of the same number of automatic dispensing means 28 as the tanks 27, lined up in the direction in which the tanks 27 are arranged. The tank 27 is housed in a tank housing section 35, and the tank housing section 35 is provided with an automatic feeding means 28.

[0037] 13, the automatic dispensing means 28 is provided in the tank housing section 35, positioned below the rear part of the tank 27. Specifically, it is positioned below (directly below) the rear bottom wall section 277a (rear chamber 277) of the tank 27. This allows the size of the automatic dispensing section 21 in the front-rear direction to be reduced while ensuring the storage amount of laundry treatment agent. A pump that sucks and discharges the laundry treatment agent can be used as automatic dispensing means 28. Automatic dispensing means 28 includes a suction side connector 281 that connects to suction pipe 272 of attached tank 27, a discharge side connector 282 that connects to water injection section 16, a cylinder 283 that communicates with suction side connector 281 and discharge side connector 282, a piston 284 that moves within cylinder 283, and a motor 285 that moves piston 284. As shown in Figure 14, the suction side connection part 281 extends from the upright wall part 371c of the lower housing body 37 of the tank housing part 35. The extension direction is opposite to the direction of movement of the tank 27 when the tank 27 is attached, specifically, forward. The suction side connection part 281 has an opening / closing pin 286 that opens and closes the opening / closing valve 278 (see Figure 13) of the tank 27 in accordance with the attachment and detachment of the tank 27.

[0038] Discharge side connecting part 282 extends toward water injection part 16. More specifically, as shown in Figure 17, it extends downward and connects (fits) with tubular part 161f (automatic feeding path 163) of water injection part 16. Here, a packing 288 is arranged between tubular part 161f and discharge side connecting part 282 to improve airtightness. Discharge side connecting part 282 is provided with an on-off valve 287 (see Figure 17) that opens and closes in accordance with the movement of piston 284. Cylinder 283 extends in the front-rear direction, and piston 284 moves back and forth by motor 285. When piston 284 moves rearward, it sucks in laundry treatment agent, and when it moves forward, opening valve 287 opens and discharges the laundry treatment agent. As shown in FIG. 17, on-off valve 287 is fixed by fixture 289 such as a snap ring at a position inward from the tip of each discharge side connecting portion 282. In other words, space 282c exists between discharge port 282b, which is the opening of on-off valve 287, and outlet 282a of discharge side connecting portion 282. It is configured so that water enters at least one of spaces 282c when water is supplied from water supply unit 15 to automatic feeding path 163 (first path 163b). As a result, when the water supply is stopped, water that has entered space 282c flows through outlet 282a of discharge side connecting portion 282 and inlet 163e of water pouring unit 16 to first path 163b (washing tub 11), so outlet 282a and inlet 163e can be kept clean, improving hygiene. It is preferable from a hygiene standpoint that water reaches as many spaces 282c as possible.

[0039] (9) Tank housing section The tank accommodating section 35 has a accommodating section that accommodates the tank 27 so that it can be taken in and out from the front side, and a cover section that is provided on the accommodating section. As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the tank accommodating section 35 is provided on the rear side of the opening 181d of the inner circumferential wall section 181f of the upper cover section 181. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 , the tank housing 35 includes a lower housing body 37 that constitutes the housing body and an upper housing body 39 that constitutes the cover body. As shown in FIG. 13 , the tank housing 35 is located above (directly above) the water injection unit 16 and is fixed to the water injection unit 16. In this embodiment, the automatic dispensing unit 21 and the tank 27 are located above (directly above) the water injection unit 16. However, it is also possible to move the water injection unit 16 rearward, shorten the front-to-rear width of the tank 27, and shorten the front-to-rear length of the rear chamber 277 of the tank 27, or eliminate the rear chamber 277, so that the water injection unit 16 and the tank 27 do not overlap in the vertical direction. In this case, a separate flow path may be formed using a hose, pipe, nozzle, or a combination thereof connected to the water injection unit 16, allowing the water to be discharged into the rotating tub 114.

[0040] (9-1) Lower storage unit The lower housing body 37 has a support portion 371 that supports the bottom wall portion of the tank 27, side wall portions 372 provided at both ends of the support portion 371 in the arrangement direction of the tanks 27, and a rear wall portion 373 provided at the rear end of the support portion 371. The lower housing body 37 has positioning portions 374 on the support portion 371 that position adjacent tanks 27 in the arrangement direction. The positioning portions 374 are formed by rib portions that extend upward and in the front-to-rear direction. The support portion 371 has a front bottom wall portion 371a, a rear bottom wall portion 371b, and an erected wall portion 371c so as to face the front bottom wall portion 276a and the rear bottom wall portion 277a of the tank 27 and the rear wall portion 276b of the front chamber 276. The rear bottom wall portion 371b is located higher than the front bottom wall portion 371a, and the erected wall portion 371c connects the rear end of the front bottom wall portion 371a and the front end of the rear bottom wall portion 371b. The automatic dispensing means 28 is attached to the support portion 371 from the rear side so that the suction side connection portion 281 of the automatic dispensing means 28 extends therefrom. The upper ends of the side wall portion 372 and the rear wall portion 373 are flush with the upper surface of the tank 27 placed on the support portion 371 .

[0041] (9-2) Upper storage unit The upper housing body 39 has a top wall portion 391. When the upper housing body 39 covers the lower housing body 37, the top wall portion 391 and the upper surface of the tank 27 are closely opposed to each other. This reduces rattle (play) of the tank 27 in the up and down direction when the tank 27 is taken in or out. The upper housing 39 has bent portions 392 that bend downward from both the left and right ends and the rear end of the top wall portion 391. The upper housing 39 is attached to the lower housing 37 with the bent portions 392 abutting against the upper end of the outer surface of the lower housing 37. The attachment is performed by utilizing an engagement structure in which an engaging portion (an opening formed in the elastic piece portion) 393 of the upper housing 39 engages with an engaged portion (a convex portion) 376 of the lower housing 37. The tank housing portion 35 and the tank 27 have a stopper structure that prevents the tank 27 from coming out of the tank housing portion 35 when the tank 27 is pulled out from the tank housing portion 35 (pulled-out state). The stopper structure on the tank housing portion 35 side is a housing-side engaging portion 394 formed on the top wall portion 391 of the upper housing body 39, and the stopper structure on the tank 27 side is a tank-side engaging portion 271f formed on the upper cover body 271. The housing-side engaging portion 394 protrudes downward in a plate-like shape and is configured to be elastically deformable in the up-down direction, and the tank-side engaging portion 271f protrudes upward. The stopper structures are provided at two locations on both left and right sides for each tank 27.

[0042] <Water injection section> Although the water injection unit 16 has the automatic injection path 163 and the manual injection path 164 as separate paths, it may have a merging path where the automatic injection path and the manual injection path merge.

[0043] 1. Example 1 As shown in FIG. 18(a), the water pouring section 1016 is provided with at least an automatic pouring path 1163 and a manual pouring path 1164, and here also includes a bathwater pouring path 1165. The automatic feeding path 1163 has at least a first path 1163b which has a first inlet 1163a through which water from the water supply flows in and which extends along the arrangement direction of the tanks 27, and here has a second path 1163d which is connected to the first path 1163b and which extends along the front-to-back direction. The manual input path 1164 has a second inlet 1164a through which the laundry treatment agent flows in, and has a first path 1164c extending in the direction in which the tanks 27 are arranged. The confluence path 1166 is a path where the downstream part of the automatic feeding path 1163 and the downstream part of the manual feeding path 1164 join together, and has a third outlet 1166a for discharging the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub 11. The confluence path 1166 extends along the arrangement direction of the tanks 27, and has a plurality of third outlets 1166a (the plurality of outlets may be combined into one elongated hole shape) spaced apart in the arrangement direction. The part where junction path 1166 joins automatic feeding path 1163 and manual feeding path 1164 is formed, for example, in a "V" shape, with the two paths approaching each other as they move forward, so that the laundry treatment agent flowing through automatic feeding path 1163 and manual feeding path 1164 can be smoothly fed into washing tub 11. Third discharge outlet 1166a is located on the other side of at least one of first inlet 1163a of automatic feeding path 1163 and second inlet 1164a of manual feeding path 1164 in the arrangement direction. This ensures the length of manual feeding path 1164. The bath water supply path 1165 is connected to the second path 116d of the automatic water supply path 1163. As a result, automatic dispensing unit 21 dispenses the laundry treatment agent in tank 27 into washing tub 11 through automatic dispensing path 1163 and junction path 1166, and manual dispensing unit 23 dispenses the laundry treatment agent into washing tub 11 through manual dispensing path 1164 (first path 1164c), which is a path different from automatic dispensing path 1163, and junction path 1166. In addition, bath water dispensing unit 25 dispenses the laundry treatment agent into washing tub 11 through bath water dispensing path 1165 and junction path 1166.

[0044] 2. Example 2 As shown in FIG. 18(a), the water injection section 2016 includes an automatic injection path 2163, a manual injection path 2164, and a bathwater injection path 2165. The automatic supply path 2163 has a first path 2163b which has a first inlet 2163a for water supply and extends along the arrangement direction of the tanks 27, and a second path 2163d which is connected to the first path 2163b and extends along the front-to-rear direction. The manual input path 2164 has a second inlet 2164a for the laundry treatment agent, and has a first path 2164c extending in the direction in which the tanks 27 are arranged. The junction path 2166 is a path where the downstream portion of the automatic feeding path 2163, the downstream portion of the manual feeding path 2164, and the downstream portion of the bathwater feeding path 2165 join together, and has a third discharge port 2166a for discharging the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub 11. The third discharge port 2166a is located on the other side of at least one of the first inlet 2163a of the automatic feeding path 2163 and the second inlet 2164a of the manual feeding path 2164 in the arrangement direction. As a result, the automatic dispensing unit 21 dispenses the laundry treatment agent in the tank 27 into the washing tub 11 through the automatic dispensing path 2163 and the junction path 2166, and the manual dispensing unit 23 dispenses the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub 11 through the manual dispensing path 2164 (first path 2164c), which is a path different from the automatic dispensing path 2163, and the junction path 1166.

[0045] <Modification> Although the embodiments have been described, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and may be modified as follows, for example. Furthermore, the embodiments and modified examples, or modified examples may be combined. Furthermore, examples not described in the embodiments and modifications, and design changes within the scope of the present invention are also included in the present invention.

[0046] (1) Although the manual insertion unit 23 is disposed on the rear side of the upper cover unit 181, it may be disposed on either the left or right side of the upper cover unit 181 or on the front side in the front-rear direction. (2) The manual input unit 23 was arranged in line with the tank 27 located on the outside (end side) of the arrangement direction (left and right direction) of the tanks 27, but the manual input unit 23 does not have to be arranged with the tank 27 on the outside of the arrangement direction. For example, the water supply unit 15 or the bath water input unit 25 may be arranged between the manual input unit 23 and the tank 27. The manual insertion unit 23 is located on one side in the arrangement direction of the tanks 27, but may be located on the other side, or may be located on the front side in the front-rear direction. (3) The water filling section 16 has an automatic input path 163, a manual input path 164, and a bath water input path 165 integrated into it, but the water filling section 16 may not have the bath water input path 165 and the bath water input path 165 may be an independent path, or the water filling section 16 may have the automatic input path 163 and the bath water input path 165 and not have the manual input path 164 and the manual input path 164 may be an independent path, or the water filling section 16 may not have the manual input path 164 and the bath water input path 165 and have the automatic input path 163.

[0047] (4) The water injection unit 16 has the automatic dispensing path 163 and the manual dispensing path 164 as separate paths, but these paths may be the same path. For example, one dispensing path may be connected downstream of the other dispensing path, or the automatic dispensing unit 21 may dispense the laundry treatment agent into the manual dispensing path 164, or the manual dispensing unit 23 may dispense the laundry treatment agent into the automatic dispensing path 163. (5) The multiple automatic dispensing means 28 are arranged along the line-up direction of the multiple tanks 27, but they do not have to be arranged along the line-up direction. As a first example, the multiple automatic dispensing means 28 may be arranged along the vertical direction and connected to the tanks 27 by hoses or the like. As a second example, the automatic dispensing means 28 on both sides in the left-right direction may be arranged below or above the automatic dispensing means 28 in the middle in the line-up direction. Furthermore, the automatic dispensing unit 21 and the tanks 27 may be arranged apart in the front-rear direction. (6) In the automatic feeding path 163, the first path 163b having the first inlet 163a extends along the arrangement direction, but the first path 163b may extend along the front-to-back direction, and the second path 163d may extend along the arrangement direction. (7) The water injection unit 16 has the inlet (third inlet) 165a of the bathwater input path 165 on the other side of the arrangement in relation to the manual input unit 23 arranged on one side of the arrangement, but if the manual input unit 23 is not arranged on one side of the arrangement, the inlet 165a of the bathwater input path 165 may or may not be on the other side. If it is not on the other side, this can be achieved by using a hose or the like.

[0048] (8) The water injection section 1016 has the third discharge outlet 1166a on the other side of the arrangement direction compared to the first inlet 1163a of the automatic insertion path 1163 and the second inlet 1164a of the manual insertion path 1164, but it may also be on one side of the arrangement direction. (9) The water supply unit 15 is arranged so that it sandwiches the automatic dispensing unit 21 (which may or may not include the tank 27) with the bath water dispensing unit 25, and the manual dispensing unit 23 is arranged in front of the water supply unit 15. However, the manual dispensing unit 23 and the bath water dispensing unit 25 may be arranged so that they sandwich the automatic dispensing unit 21, and the water supply unit 15 excluding the faucet connection unit 151 may be arranged below the manual dispensing unit 23. (10) Manual throw-in unit 23 and water injection unit 16 are connected by a pipe (hose 239), but laundry may be thrown directly into washing tub 11 from manual throw-in unit 23 without such a connection. In the case of this direct manual throw-in mode, manual throw-in paths 164, 1164, 2164 in water injection unit 16 can be eliminated. Also, in the direct manual throw-in mode, manual throw-in unit 23 may be located on the front side (however, because discharge ports 164b, 1166a, 2166a of manual throw-in unit 23 are located above washing tub 11, they will protrude more toward washing tub 11). (11) The automatic dispenser 21 is disposed at a central position in the left-right direction behind the upper cover 181, but may be disposed at one side, the center, or the other side in the left-right direction as long as it is at the rear side in the front-to-rear direction. Similarly, the tank 27 is disposed at a central position in the left-to-right direction behind the upper cover 181, but may be disposed at a central position in the left-to-right direction as long as it is at the rear side in the front-to-rear direction.

[0049] (12) The water injection section 16 is composed of two components, the upper forming body 161 and the lower forming body 162, but it may also be composed of three or more components. For example, components corresponding to each of the paths 163, 164, and 165 may be attached to the lower forming body 162 as components corresponding to the upper forming body 161, or components corresponding to each of the paths 163, 164, and 165 may be attached to the upper forming body 161 as components corresponding to the lower forming body 162. (13) The water injection unit 16 includes the upper forming body 161 and the lower forming body 162, but may also include other components. As a first example, the upper protrusions 161b, 161c, and 161d of the upper forming body 161 may be provided on the lower housing body 37 of the tank housing section 35. As a second example, the lower protrusions 162b, 162c, and 162d of the lower forming body 162 may be provided on the support frame 31. (14) In the water injection unit 16, the first path 163b of the automatic dispensing path 163 is located at the rear side, and the first path 164c of the manual dispensing path 164 is located at the front side, but the front and rear may be reversed. However, considering the types of laundry treatment agents (number of tanks) to be dispensed into the automatic dispensing path 163, it is preferable to have the automatic dispensing path 163 at the rear side, as this allows the path to be longer.

[0050] (15) Water filling unit 16 has bath water input path 165 connected to second path 163d of automatic input path 163, but it may be connected to manual input path 164, or bath water input path 165 may have an outlet for directly discharging bath water into washing tub 11 and exist independently of water filling unit 16. In this case, bath water input path 165 of water filling unit 16 can be eliminated. (16) The water injection section 1016, 2016 has an automatic injection path 1163, 2163, a manual injection path 1164, 2164, a bath water injection path 1165, 2165, and a merging path 1166, 2166, but it is sufficient if it has at least the automatic injection path 1163, 2163, the manual injection path 1164, 2164, and the merging path 1166, 2166. The water injection section 1016 has a plurality of third outlets 1166a in the arrangement direction of the tanks 27, but may have one or more elongated holes in the arrangement direction. (17) The tanks 27 are arranged adjacent to each other in the left-right direction (arrangement direction), but they may be arranged spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, or may be arranged in two separate regions in the left-right direction.

[0051] <<Invention>> The above-described embodiment and modifications include at least the following inventions. Each of the following inventions is not bound by the specific features or configurations of the embodiments of other inventions.

[0052] <Invention 1> 1. Prior art JP 2017-74080 A proposes that in a drum-type washing machine, in addition to a manual detergent storage case, an automatic dispensing device be provided that stores multiple doses of laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener in the tank in advance, and that automatically dispenses the required amount from the tank into the water tub by driving a pump during the wash cycle. 2. Problems that Invention 1 aims to solve In the above-mentioned washing machines, when an automatic feeding device is installed in a vertical washing machine, there is a problem that it must be installed in a space that is smaller than that of a drum-type washing machine. Invention 1 aims to realize a vertical washing machine that can be equipped with an automatic feeding section even in a limited space.

[0053] 3. Invention 1 (1) The first vertical washing machine The first vertical washing machine is A washing tub including a water tub and a rotary tub rotatably provided within the water tub; A main body that houses the washing tub; an upper cover portion provided on an upper side of the main body portion; an automatic dispenser that dispenses laundry treatment agents contained in a plurality of tanks into the washing tub; A manual dispenser into which one dose of laundry treatment agent is dispensed; Equipped with the automatic insertion unit is located at the rear of the upper cover unit in the front-rear direction, The manual insertion portion is located on either side of the upper cover portion in the arrangement direction of the tanks or on the front side in the front-to-rear direction. This makes it possible to provide an automatic insertion unit even in a limited space.

[0054] (2) The second vertical washing machine The second vertical washing machine is A washing tub including a water tub and a rotary tub rotatably provided within the water tub; A main body that houses the washing tub; an upper cover portion provided on an upper side of the main body portion; an automatic dispenser that dispenses laundry treatment agents contained in a plurality of tanks into the washing tub; A manual dispenser into which one dose of laundry treatment agent is dispensed; Equipped with the automatic insertion unit is located at the rear of the upper cover unit in the front-rear direction, the manual insertion unit is located outside the plurality of tanks in the tank arrangement direction and is aligned with a tank located at an end of the arrangement direction in the arrangement direction. It is a vertical washing machine. This allows the automatic dispenser to be installed even in a limited space, and also prevents the automatic dispenser and the manual dispenser from becoming too large in the direction in which the tanks are arranged. Here, "aligned in the aligning direction with the tank" means that the manual insertion unit and the tank at least partially overlap when viewed from the aligning direction.

[0055] (3) The third vertical washing machine The third vertical washing machine is the first or second vertical washing machine, A water injection unit having an automatic injection path and a manual injection path is provided, The automatic dispensing unit dispenses the laundry treatment agent from the tank into the washing tub through the automatic dispensing path, The manual dispensing unit dispenses the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub through the manual dispensing path, which is different from the automatic dispensing path. This allows the automatic injection route and the manual injection route to be separate routes, and the water flowing through each injection route has momentum, which helps prevent water from remaining in the injection route.

[0056] (4) The fourth vertical washing machine The fourth vertical washing machine is a first to third vertical washing machine, The automatic dispensing unit has an automatic dispensing means for dispensing the laundry treatment agent into each of the plurality of tanks, The plurality of automatic dispensing means are arranged in the direction in which the tanks are arranged. This allows the automatic dispensing means to be located near a plurality of tanks.

[0057] (5) The fifth vertical washing machine The fifth vertical washing machine is the third vertical washing machine, the automatic dispensing path includes a first path having a first inlet through which water from the water supply flows in and extending along the arrangement direction of the tanks, and a second path communicating with the first path and having a first outlet for discharging the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub, the first discharge port is located on the other side along the arrangement direction relative to the first inlet, The manual input path has a second inlet through which the laundry treatment agent flows in, and a second discharge outlet for discharging the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub, the second discharge outlet being located on the other side along the arrangement direction compared to the second inlet, The first outlet is located on the other side in the arrangement direction compared to the second outlet. This allows the first outlet and the second outlet to be arranged side by side, preventing the water injection section from becoming too large in the front-to-rear direction.

[0058] (6) The sixth vertical washing machine The sixth vertical washing machine is the third vertical washing machine, The water injection section has a bath water injection path through which bath water flows, the automatic feeding path has a first path extending along the arrangement direction, The entrance of the bath water input path is located on the other side along the arrangement direction compared to the first path. This prevents the multiple input paths from becoming complicated, and prevents the dimensions in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple tanks from becoming large.

[0059] (7) The seventh vertical washing machine The seventh vertical washing machine is the first or second vertical washing machine, A water injection unit having an automatic injection path, a manual injection path, and a merging path is provided, The automatic dispensing unit dispenses the laundry treatment agent in the tank into the washing tub through the automatic dispensing path and the joining path, The manual feeding unit feeds the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub through the manual feeding path, which is a path different from the automatic feeding path, and the junction path, The merging route is a route where the automatic insertion route and the manual insertion route merge. This allows the route to be shared, preventing the input route from becoming complicated.

[0060] (8) The 8th vertical washing machine The eighth vertical washing machine is the seventh vertical washing machine, the automatic feeding path has a first inlet through which water from the water supply flows in and a first path extending along the arrangement direction of the tanks, The manual input path has a second inlet through which the laundry treatment agent flows, The joining path has a third outlet for discharging the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub, The third outlet is located on the other side of at least one of the first inlet and the second inlet along the arrangement direction. This makes it possible to prevent the size in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple tanks from increasing. (9) 9th vertical washing machine The ninth vertical washing machine is the third, fifth to eighth vertical washing machines, The water injection unit is located below the automatic injection unit.

[0061] <Invention 2> 1. Prior art JP 2017-74080 A proposes that in a drum-type washing machine, in addition to a manual detergent storage case, an automatic dispensing device be provided that stores multiple doses of laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener in the tank in advance, and that automatically dispenses the required amount from the tank into the water tub by driving a pump during the wash cycle. 2. Problems that Invention 2 aims to solve In the above-mentioned washing machines, when an automatic feeding device is installed in a vertical washing machine, there is a problem that it must be installed in a space that is smaller than that of a drum-type washing machine. Invention 2 is to realize a vertical washing machine that can be equipped with an automatic feeding section even in a limited space.

[0062] 3. Invention 2 (1) The first vertical washing machine The first vertical washing machine is A washing tub including a water tub and a rotary tub rotatably provided within the water tub; A main body that houses the washing tub; an upper cover portion provided on an upper side of the main body portion; an automatic dispenser that dispenses laundry treatment agents contained in a plurality of tanks into the washing tub; A manual dispenser into which one dose of laundry treatment agent is dispensed; A water supply unit that supplies water to the washing tub; A bath water input unit that absorbs bath water and inputs it into the washing tub; Equipped with The automatic water supply unit is located between the water supply unit and the bath water supply unit. This makes it possible to provide an automatic insertion unit even in a limited space.

[0063] (2) The second vertical washing machine The second vertical washing machine is the first vertical washing machine, The manual input unit is located in front of the water supply unit. This allows for effective use of the space on the side of the automatic insertion section. (3) The third vertical washing machine The third vertical washing machine is the first or second vertical washing machine, A water pouring unit is provided which has an automatic pouring path and a bath water pouring path through which bath water flows, The automatic dispensing unit dispenses the laundry treatment agent in the tank into the washing tub through the automatic dispensing path, the automatic feeding path has a first path extending along the arrangement direction of the tanks, If the automatic dispensing unit is used as a reference and the direction toward the water supply unit is considered to be one of the arrangement directions, and the direction toward the bath water dispensing unit is considered to be the other of the arrangement directions, the entrance to the bath water dispensing path is located on the other side along the arrangement direction compared to the first path. This prevents the multiple input paths from becoming complicated, and prevents the dimensions in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple tanks from becoming large. (4) The fourth vertical washing machine The fourth vertical washing machine is the first or second vertical washing machine, A water pouring unit is provided which has an automatic pouring path and a bath water pouring path through which bath water flows, The automatic dispensing unit dispenses the laundry treatment agent in the tank into the washing tub through the automatic dispensing path, The water injection unit is located below the automatic injection unit. This allows the automatic dispenser and the water injection unit to be placed close to each other, and also makes it possible to directly connect the automatic dispenser and the water injection unit.

[0064] <Invention 3> 1. Prior art JP 2017-74080 A proposes that in a drum-type washing machine, in addition to a manual detergent storage case, an automatic dispensing device be provided that stores multiple doses of laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener in the tank in advance, and that automatically dispenses the required amount from the tank into the water tub by driving a pump during the wash cycle. 2. Problems that Invention 3 aims to solve In the above-mentioned washing machines, when an automatic feeding device is installed in a vertical washing machine, there is a problem that it must be installed in a space that is smaller than that of a drum-type washing machine. Invention 3 is to realize a vertical washing machine that can be provided with an automatic feeding section even in a limited space.

[0065] 3. Invention 3 (1) The first vertical washing machine The first vertical washing machine is A washing tub including a water tub and a rotary tub rotatably provided within the water tub; A main body that houses the washing tub; an upper cover portion provided on an upper side of the main body portion; an automatic dispenser that dispenses laundry treatment agents contained in a plurality of tanks into the washing tub; A manual dispenser into which one dose of laundry treatment agent is dispensed; a water injection unit having an automatic injection path communicating with the automatic injection unit and a manual injection path communicating with the manual injection unit; Equipped with The manual input section and the water injection section are connected by a pipe section. As a result, when laundry is directly loaded into the washing tub from the manual loading section, the manual loading section protrudes above the washing tub, but since laundry is loaded from the manual loading section into the water injection section, the protrusion of the manual loading section can be reduced, and the laundry can be placed in a small space.

[0066] (2) The second vertical washing machine The second vertical washing machine is the first vertical washing machine, The manual insertion unit is located behind the upper cover unit. This simplifies the front side of the upper cover, making it easier to put laundry in and take it out.

[0067] (3) The third vertical washing machine The third vertical washing machine is the first or second vertical washing machine, The manual dispenser has a manual dispenser case above the water injection section into which the laundry treatment agent is dispensed. This allows the water to flow easily due to the difference in elevation, preventing water from remaining in the manual insertion case. (4) The fourth vertical washing machine The fourth vertical washing machine is a vertical washing machine according to the first to third embodiments. The water injection unit is located below the automatic injection unit. This allows the automatic dispenser and the water injection unit to be placed close to each other, and also makes it possible to directly connect the automatic dispenser and the water injection unit.

[0068] <Invention 4> 1. Prior art JP 2017-74080 A proposes that in a drum-type washing machine, in addition to a manual detergent storage case, an automatic dispensing device be provided that stores multiple doses of laundry treatment agents such as detergent and fabric softener in the tank in advance, and that automatically dispenses the required amount from the tank into the water tub by driving a pump during the wash cycle. 2. Problems that Invention 4 aims to solve In the above-mentioned washing machines, when an automatic feeding device is installed in a vertical washing machine, there is a problem that it must be installed in a space that is smaller than that of a drum-type washing machine. Invention 4 is to realize a vertical washing machine that can be provided with an automatic feeding section even in a limited space.

[0069] 3. Invention 4 (1) The first vertical washing machine The first vertical washing machine is A washing tub including a water tub and a rotary tub rotatably provided within the water tub; A main body that houses the washing tub; an upper cover portion provided on an upper side of the main body portion; an automatic dispenser that dispenses laundry treatment agents contained in a plurality of tanks into the washing tub; Equipped with The automatic dispensing unit is located below the plurality of tanks. This allows the automatic insertion unit to be small in size in the front-to-rear direction, making it possible to place it in a small space. Note that invention 4 is an invention that focuses on the automatic insertion unit and the tank, and may include a configuration in which there is no manual insertion unit.

[0070] (2) The second vertical washing machine The second vertical washing machine is the first vertical washing machine, A water injection unit having an automatic injection path communicating with the automatic injection unit is provided below the plurality of tanks. This allows the dimensions of the water injection section in the front-to-rear direction and in the direction in which the tanks are arranged to be reduced.

[0071] (3) The third vertical washing machine The third vertical washing machine is the first vertical washing machine, a water injection unit having an automatic injection path communicating with the automatic injection unit; The automatic injection unit is located between the tank and the water injection unit. This allows the vertical dimension of the automatic insertion unit to be reduced. (4) The fourth vertical washing machine The fourth vertical washing machine is a first to third vertical washing machine, In each of the plurality of tanks, a rear bottom portion located on the rear side is higher in bottom height than a front bottom portion located on the front side, The automatic dispensing unit has an automatic dispensing means for dispensing the laundry treatment agent into each of the plurality of tanks, The automatic dispensing means is located below the rear bottom surface of the corresponding tank. This allows the automatic feeding means to be provided in a compact manner.

[0072] <Invention 5> 1. Prior art JP 2020-80920 A proposes a washing machine having "a water tank, a water supply path connected to an external water source for supplying water from the external water source to the water tank, a water supply valve for opening and closing the water supply path, a treatment agent tank capable of storing multiple loads of laundry treatment agent, and a treatment agent injection path connecting the treatment agent tank and the water supply path for injecting the laundry treatment agent in the treatment agent tank into the water supply path, and an automatic dosing device that can dispense a predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent stored in the treatment agent tank from the treatment agent injection path via the water supply path into the water tank. The water supply path has a water residual portion where water remains when the water supply valve is closed. An injection port that serves as an outlet for the treatment agent injection path is provided in the water residual portion." This configuration makes it possible to prevent the treatment agent remaining around the injection port from drying, solidifying, and clogging in machines equipped with a function for automatically injecting the laundry treatment agent. 2. Problems that Invention 5 aims to solve In the above-mentioned washing machine, water is constantly entering the treatment agent injection path from the injection port connected to the water remaining section, which may become a breeding ground for microorganisms such as mold (posing a hygiene problem). Invention 5 aims to realize a vertical washing machine that can improve the hygiene of the area where laundry treatment agents are dispensed from the automatic dispenser.

[0073] 3. Invention 5 (1) First washing machine The first washing machine is A washing tub including a water tub and a rotary tub rotatably provided within the water tub; A water supply unit that supplies water to the washing tub; an automatic dispensing unit that dispenses laundry treatment agents contained in a plurality of tanks into the washing tub through an automatic dispensing path; a water injection section having the automatic injection path and a plurality of inlets that are open in the vertical direction and that discharge the laundry treatment agent into the automatic injection path; Equipped with When water is supplied to the automatic charging path, the water reaches at least one of the plurality of inlets. This improves hygiene around the entrance.

[0074] (2) Second washing machine The second washing machine is the first washing machine, The automatic insertion unit is a discharge port facing each of the plurality of inlets and configured to discharge a laundry treatment agent toward the inlet; a plurality of spaces defined between the inlet and the discharge port facing the inlet; When water is supplied to the automatic feeding path, the water enters at least one of the plurality of spaces. This improves hygiene around the entrance.

[0075] (3) The third washing machine The third washing machine is the first or second washing machine, the automatic charging path includes a first path extending along an arrangement direction of the plurality of tanks, and the plurality of inlets are arranged along the arrangement direction; The width of the first path in the vertical direction increases from the upstream side to the downstream side. This allows water to flow more easily through the first path.

[0076] <Other> In invention 1, the automatic insertion unit is provided on the rear side of the upper cover unit. In invention 2, a bath water inlet section is provided, and an automatic inlet section is located between the water supply section and the bath water inlet section. In the invention 3, the manual insertion section and the water injection section are connected by a pipe section. In Invention 4, an automatic dispensing section is located below multiple tanks. In the fifth aspect, the laundry treatment agent is dispensed from the automatic dispenser to the water injection unit through an inlet. Each invention focuses on the above-mentioned invention-specifying matters, and may or may not include the invention-specifying matters of other inventions. The same applies to inventions described in the specification other than inventions 1 to 5. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1 washing machine 11 Washing machine 15 Water supply section 16 Water injection section 21 Automatic loading section 23 Manual input section 25 Bath water inlet 27 Tank 28 Automatic loading means 35 Tank housing 180 Main body 181 Upper cover part

Claims

1. A washing tub including a water tub and a rotary tub rotatably provided within the water tub; A main body that houses the washing tub; an upper cover portion provided on an upper side of the main body portion; an automatic dispenser that dispenses laundry treatment agents contained in a plurality of tanks into the washing tub; a manual input section into which a single dose of laundry treatment agent is input; a water injection unit having a path formation member that forms an automatic injection path communicating with the automatic injection unit and a manual injection path communicating with the manual injection unit; a water supply unit for supplying water to the washing tub; Equipped with the manual input unit and the water injection unit are connected by a pipe unit, Each of the automatic feeding path and the manual feeding path has a discharge port for discharging the laundry treatment agent into the washing tub, The water supply unit distributes and supplies water to the automatic input path and the manual input portion, The automatic dispensing unit dispenses the laundry treatment agents contained in the plurality of tanks into the automatic dispensing path. Vertical washing machine.

2. The manual insertion unit is located behind the upper cover unit. The top-loading washing machine according to claim 1.

3. The manual dispenser has a manual dispenser case, above the water dispenser, into which the laundry treatment agent is dispensed.

3. The vertical washing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The water injection unit is located below the automatic injection unit.

3. The vertical washing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The position of the water injection unit is lower than the manual insertion unit.

3. The vertical washing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The pipe portion is provided so as to descend from the manual insertion portion toward the water injection portion.

3. The vertical washing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

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