washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine having a tank with a lowest profile.SOLUTION: A washing machine comprises a washing machine body, a water tank disposed inside the washing machine body, and an automatic feeding device which automatically feeds a specific quantity of a washing treatment agent during washing operation. The automatic feeding device has a treatment agent tank which can store the washing treatment agent for two or more washes and a tank housing part for detachably housing the treatment agent tank disposed in the washing machine body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In recent years, in order to meet the demand for improved user convenience, washing machines have been developed that store multiple loads of laundry treatment agents, such as detergent and fabric softener, in a tank in advance and automatically dispense the required amount from the tank into the water tub during the wash cycle. Considering the ease with which users can fill the tank with laundry treatment agents and clean the tank, it is preferable that the tank be detachable from the washing machine body. However, because multiple loads of laundry treatment agents are stored in the tank, the tank filled with laundry treatment agents tends to be relatively heavy.

[0003] In this case, it is conceivable to provide a handle on the tank to make it easier for the user to operate the tank, but providing a handle on the tank makes the handle conspicuous from an external perspective, which can reduce the design quality of the washing machine. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-11618 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine equipped with an automatic dispenser for laundry treatment agents, in which the handle portion and the like provided on the tank are made as inconspicuous as possible, thereby providing a beautiful appearance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The washing machine of the present embodiment includes a washing machine main body, a water tub provided inside the washing machine main body, and an automatic dosing device that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into the water tub during a wash operation. The automatic dosing device has a treatment agent tank that can store enough laundry treatment agent for multiple loads, and a tank housing that is provided in the washing machine main body and detachably houses the treatment agent tank. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a schematic configuration of a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a washing machine according to an embodiment from the front side; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a washing machine according to an embodiment from the rear side; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the periphery of an automatic dispensing device in a state where a tank lid is closed in a washing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the periphery of an automatic dispensing device in a state where a tank lid is open in a washing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing an automatic dosing device for a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a tank housing section of a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a rib restricting portion provided on the rear wall of the tank housing portion in a washing machine according to one embodiment, with the tank housing portion cut away; [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a treatment agent tank from a lower rear side in a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing an exploded view of a treatment agent tank in a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 11] 7 is a cross-sectional plan view of the washing machine according to one embodiment taken along line X11-X11 of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view showing an automatic dispensing device in a state where a tank lid is open in a washing machine according to an embodiment; [Figure 13]FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view (part 1) illustrating a process of inserting a treatment agent tank into a tank housing portion of a washing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal side view (part 2) illustrating a process of inserting a treatment agent tank into a tank housing portion of a washing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view (part 3) illustrating a process of inserting a treatment agent tank into a tank housing portion of a washing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are longitudinal side views illustrating a process of removing the treatment agent tank from the tank housing portion in the washing machine according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, a washing machine according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a washing machine main body 20, a water tub 11, a spinning tub 12, a motor 13, a drain valve 14, a water injection device 30, and an automatic dispenser 40. The left side of FIG. 1 is the front side of the washing machine 10, and the right side of FIG. 1 is the rear side of the washing machine 10. In this case, it is assumed that a user normally stands in front of the washing machine 10. The side of the installation surface of the washing machine 10, i.e., the vertically lower side, is the lower side of the washing machine 10, and the opposite side of the installation surface, i.e., the vertically upper side, is the upper side of the washing machine 10. The direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear and up-to-down directions of the washing machine 10 is the width direction, i.e., the left-to-right direction, of the washing machine 10. The washing machine 10 is a so-called vertical axis washing machine in which the rotation axis of the spinning tub 12 is oriented vertically.

[0009] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, washing machine main body 20 has outer box 21, top cover 22, main body lid 23, and back cover 24. Outer box 21 forms the outer shell of washing machine 10. Outer box 21 is formed, for example, from a steel plate or the like into a substantially rectangular box shape and is open at the top. Water tub 11 is housed inside washing machine main body 20, i.e., inside outer box 21. Rotating tub 12 is housed inside water tub 11. Water tub 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an open top. Similarly, rotating tub 12 is also formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an open top.

[0010] As shown in Fig. 1, top cover 22 has an opening 221 and is configured in a rectangular ring shape. Top cover 22 is provided on the upper part of outer box 21. Body lid 23 is provided on top cover 22 and opens and closes opening 221 of top cover 22. As also shown in Figs. 4 and 5, back cover 24 is configured in a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction of washing machine 10. Back cover 24 is provided at the rear end of the upper part of top cover 22, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 3 and other figures, back cover 24 has upper surface portion 241, lower surface portion 242, and vertical surface portion 243. Upper surface portion 241 forms the front surface of back cover 24 and is located at the highest position on the top surface of washing machine 10. Lower surface portion 242 forms the rear surface of upper surface portion 241 and is located behind and lower than upper surface portion 241. Vertical surface portion 243 is a surface connecting upper surface portion 241 and lower surface portion 242 and forms a vertical surface. As a result, on the top surface of washing machine main body 20, upper surface portion 241, lower surface portion 242, and vertical surface portion 243 form a step portion 244 extending in the left-right direction of washing machine 10, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of back cover 24. Note that vertical surface portion 243 does not need to be strictly vertical and may be inclined.

[0012] Motor 13 is provided on the outside of the bottom of water tub 11 and is connected to rotating tub 12 through water tub 11. Motor 13 is, for example, an outer rotor type DC brushless motor. Motor 13 rotates rotating tub 12.

[0013] Drain valve 14 is an electromagnetically actuable on-off valve for liquid, and is controlled by a control device (not shown). The input side of drain valve 14 is connected to the inside of water tub 11, and the output side of drain valve 14 is connected to the outside of washing machine 10. Drain valve 14 opens and closes a drain path for draining water stored in water tub 11 to the outside of the machine. When drain valve 14 is closed, water tub 11 is able to store water. When drain valve 14 is opened, water stored in water tub 11 can be drained to the outside of the machine.

[0014] Water injection device 30 is provided inside top cover 22 at the upper rear portion of washing machine main body 20. Water injection device 30 has a water supply valve 31, a water injection case 32, a treatment agent case 33, and a water injection hose 34. Water injection device 30 is connected to an external water source, such as a water faucet (not shown), via water supply hose 100.

[0015] Water supply valve 31 is an electromagnetically actuable on-off valve for liquid, and is controlled by a control device (not shown). The input side of water supply valve 31 is connected to an external water source such as a water line, and the output side of water supply valve 31 is connected to water supply case 32. Water supply valve 31 opens and closes a water supply path for supplying water from an external water source such as a water line to water tank 11 via water supply case 32.

[0016] Water injection case 32 constitutes the outer shell of water injection device 30, and is made of, for example, resin and formed in a box shape. The upstream side of water injection case 32 is connected to water supply valve 31, and the downstream side of water injection case 32 is connected to water tank 11 via water injection hose 34.

[0017] The treatment agent case 33 is, for example, a container made of resin, and is configured to be able to store the amounts of detergent and fabric softener used in one wash run. The treatment agent case 33 is configured, for example, to be able to be pulled out forward inside the top cover 22. When housed in the water injection case 32, the treatment agent case 33 is positioned to receive water supplied into the water injection case 32 via the water supply valve 31. With the treatment agent case 33 pulled out forward, the user pours detergent and fabric softener into the treatment agent case 33. The treatment agent stored in the treatment agent case 33 is poured down into the water tub 11 together with the water poured into the water tub 11 via the water injection device 30.

[0018] Automatic dispenser 40 has the function of storing a plurality of loads of laundry treatment agent in advance and automatically supplying a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent over a plurality of washing runs into tub 11. In the present embodiment, automatic dispenser 40 is located within outer casing 21 above tub 11 and near one side in the left-right direction of washing machine 10, for example, near the left side, as shown in FIGS.

[0019] 1 and 6, the automatic dispensing device 40 has a supply pump 41, a tank housing portion 50, and a treatment agent tank 60. The tank housing portion 50 is fixed to the washing machine main body 20 and detachably houses the treatment agent tank 60. The treatment agent tank 60 is configured to be able to store enough laundry treatment agent for multiple uses, and is attached to and detached from the tank housing portion 50 by a user operation.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 6, the tank housing portion 50 has a connection portion 51 that connects the inside and outside of the tank housing portion 50. The treatment agent tank 60 has a supply port portion 611 that connects the inside and outside of the treatment agent tank 60. When the treatment agent tank 60 is inserted into the tank housing portion 50 at the correct position, the supply port portion 611 connects to the connection portion 51 at the position of the insertion end of the treatment agent tank 60, as shown in Fig. 6. This allows the laundry treatment agent stored in the treatment agent tank 60 to flow out of the treatment agent tank 60 and the tank housing portion 50 through the supply port portion 611 and the connection portion 51.

[0021] The supply pump 41 is, for example, a piston-type pump, and is provided outside the tank housing 50 and connected to the connection part 51. With the treatment agent tank 60 housed in the tank housing 50 and the supply port part 611 connected to the connection part 51, the supply pump 41 sucks out a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 60 and feeds the sucked laundry treatment agent into the above-mentioned water supply path. By operating the supply pump 41 during water injection in the washing step or rinsing step of a wash operation, for example, the washing machine 10 can feed the laundry treatment agent required for the wash operation into the water tub 11 on the water flowing through the water supply path. The supply pump 41 may be provided in the treatment agent tank 60 or inside the tank housing 50.

[0022] Next, the details of the tank housing 50 and the treatment agent tank 60 will be described. In the following description, the front-rear, top-bottom, left-right, or width directions of the tank housing 50 and the treatment agent tank 60 are based on the position where a user is expected to normally stand when using the washing machine 10. In other words, the front-rear, top-bottom, left-right, or width directions of the tank housing 50 and the treatment agent tank 60 indicate the relative positional relationship between the user and the tank housing 50 and the treatment agent tank 60. Therefore, the front-rear, top-bottom, left-right, or width directions of the tank housing 50 and the treatment agent tank 60 do not necessarily have to coincide with the front-rear, top-bottom, left-right, or width directions of the washing machine 10, but in this embodiment, for convenience of description, they are defined to coincide with the washing machine 10.

[0023] The direction of movement of the treatment agent tank 60 when the supply port 611 is connected to the connection portion 51 in the correct position is defined as the connection direction. In this embodiment, the connection direction of the supply port 611 to the connection portion 51, i.e., the insertion direction of the treatment agent tank 60 into the tank housing portion 50, is set so that the vertical vector component is larger than the horizontal vector component. In this case, the connection direction is set downward along the direction of gravity. Note that the connection direction is not limited to downward, and may be diagonally downward. In this case, if the connection direction is diagonally downward, it is preferable that it descends toward the rear of the washing machine 10. Note that the connection direction does not necessarily have to include a vertical vector component, and may also be a horizontal direction that does not include a vertical vector component.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 1, the tank housing portion 50 is provided in the washing machine main body 20. In the present embodiment, the tank housing portion 50 is provided below the back cover 24 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The tank housing portion 50 is made of, for example, resin, and is configured in the shape of a rectangular container as a whole as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

[0025] As shown in Figures 7 and 11, the tank housing 50 has a connection portion 51, a housing bottom portion 52, housing peripheral wall portions 53, 54, and 55, and two sets of four rib restricting portions 56. The housing bottom portion 52 forms the bottom of the tank housing 50. The housing peripheral wall portions 53, 54, and 55 form the peripheral wall of the tank housing 50 and are arranged to surround the housing bottom portion 52. In this case, the tank housing 50 is formed in a container shape with a tank bottom portion 612 as the bottom and an opening on the side opposite the tank bottom portion 612. This opening of the tank housing 50 is referred to as an insertion opening 57. Note that the bottom of the tank housing 50 refers to the bottom relative to the insertion opening 57, i.e., the wall portion that forms the surface of the tank housing 50 opposite the insertion opening 57, and is not necessarily limited to the lower side in the direction of gravity.

[0026] Of the storage compartment peripheral walls 53, 54, and 55, the storage compartment peripheral wall 53 located on the front side of the tank storage compartment 50 is referred to as the storage compartment front wall 53. The storage compartment peripheral wall 54 located on the rear side of the tank storage compartment 50 is referred to as the storage compartment rear wall 54. The storage compartment peripheral walls 55 located on both the left and right sides of the tank storage compartment 50 are referred to as the storage compartment side walls 55. In this case, the storage compartment front wall 53 and the storage compartment rear wall 54 face each other in the front-to-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the height dimension H1 of the storage compartment rear wall 54 relative to the storage compartment bottom 52 is smaller than the height dimension H2 of the storage compartment front wall 53 relative to the storage compartment bottom 52. The two left and right storage compartment side walls 55, 55 face each other in the left-to-right direction, i.e., the width direction, as shown in FIG. 11.

[0027] The storage unit front wall 53 is slightly inclined relative to the insertion direction of the treatment agent tank 60, from the insertion opening 57 of the tank storage unit 50 toward the connection unit 51. The angle of inclination of the storage unit front wall 53 relative to the connection direction is smaller than the angle of inclination of the inclined portion 616 relative to the connection direction. In this embodiment, the angle of inclination of the storage unit front wall 53 is 4° or less, and is set to, for example, about 1° to 3°. The angle of inclination of the inclined portion 616 is 4° or more, and is set to, for example, about 5°.

[0028] 7 and 8, the accommodation unit rear wall 54 has a guide receiving portion 541. The guide receiving portion 541 is a region that constitutes part of the inner surface of the accommodation unit rear wall 54, and is provided in the region of the inner surface of the accommodation unit rear wall 54 on the insertion opening 57 side, i.e., the region opposite the tank bottom 612. The guide receiving portion 541 is formed on a surface along the connection direction, i.e., a surface parallel to the up-down direction.

[0029] The rib restricting portion 56 is provided in the region of the accommodation portion rear wall 54 below the guide receiving portion 541, i.e., in the region on the connection portion 51 side. The rib restricting portion 56 is formed integrally with the accommodation portion rear wall 54. The rib restricting portion 56 is formed in a rod or plate shape that protrudes from the inner surface of the accommodation portion rear wall 54 toward the center of the tank accommodation portion 50 in the front-to-rear direction (in this case, toward the front). As shown in Figures 9 and 11, the rib restricting portion 56 is formed as a set of two rib restricting portions 56 that are provided spaced apart from each other. The two sets of rib restricting portions 56 are provided spaced apart in the width direction of the tank accommodation portion 50.

[0030] In this embodiment, the rib restricting portion 56 is formed in a triangular plate shape that is inclined toward the connecting portion 51 as it approaches the connecting portion 51 in the connection direction, when viewed from the left and right storage portion sidewall portions 55. In other words, the rib restricting portion 56 is inclined toward the front as it extends downward. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7 , the vertical length dimension of the guide receiving portion 541, i.e., the dimension H11 along the connection direction, is smaller than the vertical length dimension of the rib restricting portion 56, i.e., the dimension H12 along the connection direction.

[0031] As shown in Figures 7 to 11, the treatment agent tank 60 has a tank body 61, a frame member 62, and a tank lid 63. The tank body 61 is made of, for example, resin, and is configured in the shape of a rectangular container overall. As shown in Figure 10, the tank body 61 is open on the side opposite to the connection direction, in this case the upper side. The tank body 61 has a tank bottom 612 and a supply port 611.

[0032] The tank bottom 612 forms the interior bottom of the treatment agent tank 60 and slopes downward from the periphery toward the center of the tank bottom 612. The supply port 611 is provided in the center of the tank bottom 612, in this case, at the lowest part of the tank bottom 612, and connects the outside and inside of the treatment agent tank 60. As shown in FIG. 11 , the supply port 611 is provided at the center P1 in the left-right direction, i.e., the width direction, of the treatment agent tank 60 when viewed from above in a plan view. The supply port 611 is also provided closer to the front than the center P2 in the front-to-rear direction of the treatment agent tank 60 when viewed from above in a plan view, i.e., closer to the opposite side from the sloped portion 616. In this case, the supply port 611 is located on a vertical line J passing through the center of gravity of the treatment agent tank 60 when the laundry treatment agent is stored in the treatment agent tank 60.

[0033] Although not shown in detail, the supply port 611 has a valve mechanism that opens and closes communication between the inside and outside of the processing agent tank 60. This valve mechanism has the function of maintaining communication between the inside and outside of the processing agent tank 60 closed when the processing agent tank 60 is not attached to the tank housing part 50 in the correct position, and opening communication between the inside and outside of the processing agent tank 60 when the processing agent tank 60 is attached to the tank housing part 50 in the correct position. This makes it possible to prevent the processing agent stored in the processing agent tank 60 from leaking out from the supply port 611 when the processing agent tank 60 is not attached to the tank housing part 50.

[0034] The tank body 61 has tank peripheral wall portions 613, 614, and 615 that form the peripheral wall of the treatment agent tank 60. The tank peripheral wall portions 613, 614, and 615 are arranged to surround the periphery of the tank bottom portion 612, so that the tank body 61 is formed in the shape of a container with the tank bottom portion 612 as the bottom and the opposite side of the tank bottom portion 612 being open.

[0035] Of the tank peripheral walls 613, 614, 615, the tank peripheral wall 613 located on the front side of the processing agent tank 60 will be referred to as the tank front wall 613. Furthermore, the tank peripheral wall 614 located on the rear side of the processing agent tank 60 will be referred to as the tank rear wall 614. Furthermore, the tank peripheral walls 615 located on both the left and right sides of the processing agent tank 60 will be referred to as the tank side walls 615. In this case, the tank front wall 613 and the tank rear wall 614 face each other in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, the two left and right tank side walls 615, 615 face each other in the left-to-right direction, i.e., the width direction.

[0036] The tank body 61 has at least one inclined portion 616, at least one rib 617, and a first guide portion 618. In this embodiment, the tank body 61 has two inclined portions 616 and two ribs 617. The tank rear wall portion 614 is configured in a stepped shape recessed midway in the connection direction, in this case at the lower end of the first guide portion 618. The rib 617 is provided below the first guide portion 618. The first guide portion 618 faces the guide receiving portion 541 and is formed parallel to the connection direction.

[0037] The inclined portion 616 is provided on the outside of the tank peripheral wall portions 613, 614, 615, and in this embodiment, on the outside of the tank rear wall portion 614. The inclined portion 616 is inclined relative to the insertion direction of the treatment agent tank 60 so as to taper in the direction approaching the supply port portion 611 as it moves from the opening side of the tank body 61 toward the supply port portion 611.

[0038] In this embodiment, the inclined portion 616 is formed integrally with the rib 617. The rib 617 is provided on the outside of the tank peripheral wall portions 613, 614, 615, in this case, on the outside of the tank rear wall portion 614. The rib 617 is formed in a plate shape that protrudes outward from the tank rear wall portion 614 and extends along the insertion direction. In this case, the thickness direction of the rib 617 coincides with the width direction of the treatment agent tank 60.

[0039] 9, the end face of the rib 617 opposite to the tank inner wall portion 614 is inclined from the opening side of the tank body 61 toward the supply port portion 611, that is, from the top to the bottom, so as to approach the supply port portion 611. Therefore, the end face of the rib 617 functions as an inclined portion 616. In other words, the rib 617 has the inclined portion 616 integrally therewith.

[0040] As shown in Figure 11, the two ribs 617 are positioned so that they fit between each pair of two rib regulating portions 56 provided on the inner surface of the tank accommodating portion 50 when the processing agent tank 60 is inserted into the tank accommodating portion 50.

[0041] When the processing agent tank 60 is inserted into the tank housing portion 50, the end faces of the ribs 617, i.e., the inclined portions 616, move while contacting the inner surface of the housing portion rear wall portion 54, thereby guiding the processing agent tank 60 to the correct position in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, each of the ribs 617 fits between the two rib regulating portions 56, and the action of the ribs 617 and the rib regulating portions 56 restricts misalignment in the connection direction, i.e., movement in the width direction. This defines the widthwise position of the processing agent tank 60 relative to the tank housing portion 50 so that the widthwise center of the processing agent tank 60 coincides with the widthwise center P1 of the tank housing portion 50.

[0042] The tank front wall 613 and the tank rear wall 614 are also slightly inclined relative to the insertion direction of the treatment agent tank 60 so as to taper in a direction approaching the supply port 611 as they move from the opening side of the tank body 61 toward the supply port 611. In this case, the inclination angle of the tank front wall 613 and the tank rear wall 614 relative to the insertion direction is smaller than the inclination angle of the inclined portion 616.

[0043] The frame member 62 is made of, for example, resin, and is provided on the opening side of the tank body 61. As shown in FIG. 9, the frame member 62 integrally includes an inlet 621, a shaft 622, a second guide 623, and a handle 624. As shown in FIG. 10, the inlet 621 is an opening that penetrates the frame member 62 in the thickness direction, and connects the inside and outside of the treatment agent tank 60. The laundry treatment agent is introduced into the tank body 61 through the inlet 621. The shaft 622 is a part that serves as a fulcrum for the rotation of the tank lid 63. In other words, the shaft 622 is rotatably attached to the tank lid 63 and the tank lid 63 to open and close the inlet 621. Note that, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, when the tank lid 63 is closed, the outer surface of the tank lid 63 is continuous with the upper surface 241 of the back cover 24.

[0044] The second guide portion 623 is provided on the innermost surface of the periphery of the frame member 62. That is, the second guide portion 623 is the outer surface of the innermost surface of the frame member 62, and is formed parallel to the connection direction. When the treatment agent tank 60 is housed in the tank housing portion 50, the second guide portion 623 faces the guide receiver 541. The second guide portion 623 is a surface that continues to the first guide portion 618, and functions as a guide together with the first guide portion 618.

[0045] In this case, the combined vertical length of the first guide portion 618 and the second guide portion 623 is set to be equal to or less than the vertical length H11 of the guide receiving portion 541. The distance between the front outer surface of the frame member 62 and the outer surfaces of the guide portions 618, 623 is approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the distance between the inner surface of the storage portion front wall portion 53 and the inner surface of the storage portion rear wall portion 54.

[0046] The handle 624 is used by the user to operate the processing agent tank 60, and as shown in Fig. 6, the upper surface of the frame member 62, i.e., the upper surface of the processing agent tank 60, is formed in a concave shape that is recessed inward of the processing agent tank 60. The handle 624 is formed in a shape that is further recessed toward the user, i.e., the front, on the inside of the processing agent tank 60. In this case, the handle 624 is formed so as to fit under the tank lid 63.

[0047] 2 to 5, handle portion 624 is provided behind upper step surface portion 241 constituting step portion 244 provided on the top surface of washing machine body 20, that is, behind vertical surface portion 243, and below upper step surface portion 241. In this case, handle portion 624 is provided so as to recess the surface continuing to lower step surface portion 242 of back cover 24, as shown in FIG. 3. This handle portion 624 does not protrude outward from lower step surface portion 242, which is the surface of washing machine body 20, but is formed in a shape recessed toward the inside of washing machine body 20.

[0048] The handle portion may be provided on vertical surface portion 243 or rear surface portion 245, as long as it is behind and below upper surface portion 241. In this case as well, the handle portion does not protrude outward from vertical surface portion 243 or rear surface portion 245, but is formed in a shape recessed toward the inside of washing machine body 20, and is provided on a surface continuous with vertical surface portion 243 or rear surface portion 245.

[0049] According to the embodiment described above, washing machine 10 includes washing machine main body 20, water tub 11 provided inside washing machine main body 20, and automatic dosing device 40 that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into water tub 11 during a wash operation. Automatic dosing device 40 includes treatment agent tank 60 that can store enough laundry treatment agent for multiple loads, and tank housing portion 50 that is provided in washing machine main body 20 and detachably houses treatment agent tank 60. Tank housing portion 50 has connection portion 51 that connects the inside and outside of tank housing portion 50.

[0050] The treatment agent tank 60 has a supply port 611, tank peripheral walls 613, 614, and 615 that form the outer periphery of the treatment agent tank 60, an inclined portion 616, and guide portions 618 and 623. The supply port 611 is provided on a tank bottom 612 and connects the interior and exterior of the treatment agent tank 60. When the treatment agent tank 60 is inserted into the tank housing portion 50, the supply port 611 is connected to the connecting portion 51 at its insertion end. The inclined portion 616 is provided on the outside of the tank peripheral walls 613, 614, and 615 and is inclined toward the supply port 611 as it extends toward the supply port 611 with respect to the connecting direction of the supply port 611 to the connecting portion 51. The guide portions 618 and 623 are provided on the opposite side of the inclined portion 616 from the supply port 611 and are formed along the connecting direction.

[0051] Here, for example, if the outer surface of the treatment agent tank 60 is configured so as to fit snugly against the inner surface of the tank housing part 50, when inserting the treatment agent tank 60 into the tank housing part 50, the treatment agent tank 60 is not permitted to move in any direction other than the connection direction. In other words, in this case, the user must strictly control the insertion direction of the treatment agent tank 60 into the tank housing part 50, so that it is a direction along the inner surface of the tank housing part 50. Therefore, for example, in a case where the treatment agent tank 60 is inserted and removed vertically into and from the tank housing part 50, if the tank housing part 50 is located on the rear side of the washing machine 10, the user must reach all the way to the rear of the washing machine 10 to insert and remove the treatment agent tank 60 vertically, which makes the operation extremely difficult.

[0052] On the other hand, if a gap is formed between the outer surface of the processing agent tank 60 and the inner surface of the tank storage section 50, which allows movement such as rotation of the processing agent tank 60, the user can insert or remove the processing agent tank 60 while tilting it to a certain extent relative to the tank storage section 50, thereby eliminating the need for precise work in a direction along the inner surface of the tank storage section 50 and making it easier to insert or remove the processing agent tank 60.

[0053] However, with this configuration, when the treatment agent tank 60 is inserted into the tank storage section 50, the treatment agent tank 60 moves in an unnecessary direction within the tank storage section 50, causing the positions of the supply port section 611 and the connection section 51 to be inaccurately determined, resulting in a poor connection and, as a result, poor outflow of the laundry treatment agent.

[0054] In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the processing agent tank 60 has an inclined portion 616 and guide portions 618, 623. Accordingly, when inserting the processing agent tank 60 into the tank housing portion 50, the user can first insert the processing agent tank 60 into the tank housing portion 50 in the connection direction between the supply port portion 611 and the connection portion 51, in this case, in an oblique position inclined relative to the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 13 . The user then further inserts the processing agent tank 60 while aligning the inclined portion 616 of the processing agent tank 60 against the inner surface of the tank housing portion 50, in this case, the housing portion rear wall portion 54. Then, as shown in FIG. 14 , the processing agent tank 60 rotates along the inclined portion 616 so that the supply port portion 611 faces the connection portion 51.

[0055] When the user then further inserts the processing agent tank 60, the guide portions 618, 623 come into contact with the inner surface of the tank housing portion 50, in this case, the guide receiving portion 541 of the housing portion rear wall portion 54, and the position of the processing agent tank 60 in the front-to-rear direction within the tank housing portion 50 is determined. This allows the processing agent tank 60 to be housed in the correct position within the tank housing portion 50, and the supply port portion 611 and the connection portion 51 are correctly connected.

[0056] Thus, according to this embodiment, the inclined portion 616 allows the treatment agent tank 60 to be inserted or removed in an inclined position relative to the tank housing portion 50, thereby improving user operability. Furthermore, when inserting the treatment agent tank 60 into the tank housing portion 50, the guide portions 618, 623 allow the treatment agent tank 60 to be housed in the correct position in the tank housing portion 50, so that the positions of the supply port portion 611 and the connection portion 51 can be accurately determined. As a result, it is possible to improve user operability while preventing connection failures and thereby preventing poor outflow of laundry treatment agent.

[0057] The treatment agent tank 60 has a rib 617. The rib 617 is formed in a rod or plate shape that protrudes outward from the tank peripheral wall portions 613, 614, 615 (in this case, the tank rear wall portion 614) and extends along the connection direction between the supply port portion 611 and the connection portion 51. The inclined portion 616 is provided on the end surface of the rib 617. That is, in this embodiment, the end surface of the rib 617 that faces the inner surface of the tank accommodation portion 50 is formed as the inclined portion 616.

[0058] This makes it possible to minimize the area where the inclined portion 616 comes into contact with the inner surface of the tank housing portion 50, in this case the tank rear wall portion 614. This reduces friction caused by sliding between the inclined portion 616 and the tank rear wall portion 614, allowing the treatment agent tank 60 to be inserted more smoothly.

[0059] Here, by increasing the thickness of the guide portions 618, 623 in the connection direction, rattle during insertion of the processing agent tank 60 can be reduced, resulting in stable movement. However, since the guide portions 618, 623 are configured to fit as closely as possible to the guide receiver 541 to ensure accurate positioning in the front-to-rear direction, the gap between the guide portions 618, 623 and the guide receiver 541 is small. For this reason, the thicker the guide portions 618, 623, the more difficult it is for air accumulated below the processing agent tank 60 to escape between the guide portions 618, 623 and the inner surface of the tank accommodating portion 50. As a result, the air compressed in the processing agent tank 60 generates a repulsive force, requiring a large force for insertion.

[0060] In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the tank housing 50 has two sets of rib regulating portions 56. The two ribs 617 are provided at positions such that, when the processing agent tank 60 is inserted into the tank housing 50, they fit between each of the two sets of two rib regulating portions 56 provided on the inner surface of the tank housing 50. With each rib 617 fitting between the two sets of rib regulating portions 56, the action of the ribs 617 and the rib regulating portions 56 restricts misalignment in the connection direction, i.e., movement in the width direction, of the processing agent tank 60. This defines the widthwise position of the processing agent tank 60 relative to the tank housing 50 so that the widthwise center of the processing agent tank 60 coincides with the widthwise center of the tank housing 50. This also makes it possible to accurately determine the widthwise position of the processing agent tank 60 relative to the tank housing 50.

[0061] Therefore, according to this embodiment, the guide portions 618, 623 and the guide receiver 541 can accurately determine not only the position in the front-rear direction but also the position in the width direction. This stabilizes the movement direction when inserting or removing the processing agent tank 60, allowing the thickness of the guide portions 618, 623 in the connection direction, i.e., the up-down direction, to be thin. As a result, air trapped below the processing agent tank 60 can be easily released between the guide portions 618, 623 and the inner surface of the tank housing portion 50. This prevents air from being compressed in the tank bottom portion 612 of the processing agent tank 60, allowing the processing agent tank 60 to be inserted into the tank housing portion 50 with little force.

[0062] The connection direction between the connection portion 51 and the supply port 611, i.e., the direction of movement of the treatment agent tank 60 when connecting the supply port 611 to the connection portion 51, is set so that the vertical vector component is greater than the horizontal vector component. In the present embodiment, the connection direction is set vertically. As a result, when inserting the treatment agent tank 60 into the tank housing portion 50, a force in the connection direction is applied by the weight of the laundry treatment agent stored in the treatment agent tank 60. This allows the user to insert the treatment agent tank 60 into the tank housing portion 50 and connect the supply port 611 to the connection portion 51 without using a large amount of force.

[0063] Here, providing the inclined portion 616 to the treatment agent tank 60 makes it asymmetric when viewed in the front-to-rear direction, and therefore the position of the center of gravity when the treatment agent tank 60 is filled with laundry treatment agent is shifted forward from the center position of the treatment agent tank 60 in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the supply port 611 is provided on the opposite side of the inclined portion 616 from the center position of the treatment agent tank 60, that is, closer to the front. This allows the supply port 611 to be positioned closer to a vertical line J that passes through the center of gravity of the treatment agent tank 60 when the laundry treatment agent is filled in the treatment agent tank 60. Because a greater downward force acts on the supply port 611 due to the weight of the laundry treatment agent in the treatment agent tank 60, the supply port 611 and the connection portion 51 can be reliably connected with less force.

[0064] In this embodiment, the treatment agent tank 60 has a handle 624. The handle 624 is provided behind and below an upper surface 241 that constitutes a step 244 provided on the top surface of the washing machine main body 20.

[0065] This allows handle portion 624 to be hidden by step portion 244 and made less visible to the user. As a result, handle portion 624 can be made less noticeable, improving the overall design of washing machine 10.

[0066] Handle portion 624 does not protrude outward from the surface of washing machine body 20, but is formed in a concave shape recessed toward the inside of washing machine body 20. In this case, handle portion 624 does not protrude from any of upper surface portion 241, lower surface portion 242, and vertical surface portion 243 of back cover 24, and is formed in a concave shape recessed toward the inside of back cover 24. This makes it possible to make handle portion 624 less noticeable, further improving the overall design of washing machine 10.

[0067] The handle 624 is formed in a shape that is further recessed toward the user, i.e., the front, inside the treatment agent tank 60. In this case, the handle 624 is formed so as to recess below the tank lid 63. This allows the user to place their hand on the portion of the handle 624 that is further recessed toward the front, thereby improving operability.

[0068] 6, when the processing agent tank 60 is accommodated in the tank accommodation part 50, a gap S1 is formed between the end of the tank peripheral wall part 614 on the supply port part 611 side, on which the inclined part 616 is provided, and the tank accommodation part 50. That is, when the processing agent tank 60 is accommodated in the tank accommodation part 50, gaps S1 and S2 are formed between the lower end part of the tank peripheral wall part 614 and the accommodation part inner wall part 54, and between the lower end part of the rib 617 and the accommodation part inner wall part 54, respectively.

[0069] This ensures sufficient room to rotate the processing agent tank 60 when removing the processing agent tank 60 from the tank housing part 50, avoiding interference between the tank rear wall part 614 and the lower end part of the rib 617 and the housing part rear wall part 54. This allows the user to rotate the processing agent tank 60 toward the user at an earlier stage. As a result, the operability when removing the processing agent tank 60 from the tank housing part 50 can be improved.

[0070] 7, of the storage compartment peripheral walls 53, 54, 55, the storage compartment rear wall 54, which is the storage compartment peripheral wall on the far side as seen from the user, has a smaller height dimension from the storage compartment bottom 52 than the storage compartment front wall 53, which is the storage compartment peripheral wall on the near side as seen from the user. In other words, the height dimension H1 of the storage compartment rear wall 54 relative to the storage compartment bottom 52 is smaller than the height dimension H2 of the storage compartment front wall 53 relative to the storage compartment bottom 52.

[0071] 16 , when the processing agent tank 60 is removed from the tank housing 50, the lower end of the tank rear wall 614 passes above the upper end of the housing rear wall 54 earlier than the lower end of the tank front wall 613 passes above the upper end of the housing front wall 53. Therefore, the processing agent tank 60 can be rotated significantly toward the front about the upper end of the housing front wall 53 as the lower end of the tank rear wall 614 passes above the upper end of the housing rear wall 54. This allows the user to pull the processing agent tank 60 toward themselves more quickly, thereby further improving operability.

[0072] Of the storage section peripheral walls 53, 54, 55, storage section front wall 53, which is the storage section peripheral wall on the front side as seen from the user, is inclined in the connection direction so as to approach connection section 51 as it moves toward storage section bottom 52. As a result, when the treatment agent tank 60 is inserted into or removed from the tank storage section 50, the tank storage section 50 moves along the inclined storage section front wall 53. This makes it easier to attach and detach the treatment agent tank 60 to and from the tank storage section 50.

[0073] Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to a so-called vertical washing machine, this embodiment is not limited to a vertical washing machine and may also be applied to a so-called horizontal-axis drum washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotating tub is horizontal or inclined downward toward the rear. In the above embodiment, the tank body 61 and the frame member 62 may be integrally formed. In this case, the first guide portion 618 and the second guide portion 623 become one guide portion. Furthermore, the number of ribs 617 and rib restricting portions 56 is not limited to those described above. For example, the tank main body 61 may be configured to have one rib 617, and the tank accommodating portion 50 may be configured to have a set of two rib restricting portions 56 corresponding to this one rib 617.

[0074] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the inventions and their equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] In the drawings, 10 indicates a washing machine, 11 indicates a water tub, 20 indicates a washing machine body, 241 indicates an upper surface portion, 244 indicates a step portion, 40 indicates an automatic dispensing device, 50 indicates a tank storage portion, 51 indicates a connection portion, 53 indicates a storage portion front wall portion (storage portion peripheral wall portion), 54 indicates a storage portion rear wall portion (storage portion peripheral wall portion), 55 indicates a storage portion side wall portion (storage portion peripheral wall portion), 60 indicates a processing agent tank, 611 indicates a supply port portion, 613 indicates a tank front wall portion (tank peripheral wall portion), 614 indicates a tank rear wall portion (tank peripheral wall portion), and 615 indicates a tank side wall portion (tank peripheral wall portion).

Claims

1. a washing machine main body having a top cover and a main body lid for opening and closing an opening of the top cover; a water tub provided inside the washing machine body; an automatic dispenser that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into the water tub during a washing operation; The washing machine body has an outer box formed in a box shape with an open top and accommodating the water tub, The automatic insertion device is a treatment agent tank capable of storing a plurality of times of laundry treatment agent; a tank accommodating section that is provided in the washing machine main body and detachably accommodates the treatment agent tank, the processing agent tank and the tank housing are provided behind the main body lid, the treatment agent tank has an inlet that connects the inside and outside of the treatment agent tank, and a tank lid that opens and closes the inlet, The washing machine body has a lower surface portion provided rearward and below an upper surface of the tank lid, and a portion protruding rearward from the upper surface of the tank lid, the lower surface portion is an upper surface of the protruding portion, and is provided at a position higher than an upper end of the outer box and higher than a lower end of the treatment agent tank. washing machine.

2. The main body lid is inclined downward from the rear to the front, The upper surface of the tank lid is provided above the main body lid. The washing machine according to claim 1.

Images