Laundry equipment

Abstract

To provide a laundry device that can prevent water-soluble beads, which are for generating treatment water, from attaching to items to be washed.SOLUTION: A washing machine 1 which is an example of a laundry device includes a drum 6 that contains laundry L, a tank 21 that contains water-soluble beads B for treating the laundry L contained in the drum 6 and can store water, an inflow valve 23 through which water is supplied into the tank 21, a supply unit 25 via which treatment water, which is water into which the beads B have been dissolved at the inside of the tank 21, is supplied into the drum 6, and a mesh member 28 that is placed in the tank 21 and surrounds the beads B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to laundry appliances such as washing machines. [Background technology]

[0002] The washing machine described in Patent Document 1 below includes a main body, an outer tub disposed within the main body, a rotating drum disposed within the outer tub for holding laundry, a water supply valve disposed within the main body behind the outer tub, a water supply path connecting the outer tub and the water supply valve, a metal ion generating means provided in the water supply path, a circulation pump connected to the bottom of the outer tub, and a circulation hose extending from the circulation pump to the top of the outer tub. In this washing machine, after the final rinse cycle, the water supply valve opens, the circulation pump operates, and the rotating drum slowly rotates. Then, metal ions generated by the metal ion generating means dissolve in water flowing through the water supply path to become treated water, which is supplied to the outer tub, then flows through the circulation hose and is sprayed onto the laundry in the rotating drum from the top of the outer tub. This sterilizes and deodorizes the laundry to be washed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6857805 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The metal ion generating means in Patent Document 1 may be configured to dissolve beads, which are the source of metal ions, in water to generate treated water. In this configuration, if the beads break into small fragments due to dissolving in water, deterioration, or being subjected to vibrations from the washing machine, the broken fragments may be carried by the water into the rotating drum and adhere to the laundry.

[0005] The present invention has been made against this background, and aims to provide a laundry machine that can prevent water-soluble beads used to produce treated water from adhering to items to be washed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a laundry machine comprising a storage tank for storing items to be washed, a tank for storing water and for storing water-soluble beads for treating the items to be washed in the storage tank, a water supply unit for supplying water into the tank, a supply unit for supplying treated water, which is water in which the beads have been dissolved in the tank, into the storage tank, and a mesh member arranged in the tank and enclosing the beads.

[0007] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the mesh member is made of nonwoven fabric.

[0008] In addition, the present invention is characterized in that the mesh member has water absorbency.

[0009] The present invention is also characterized in that the laundry machine includes a pressing member that presses the mesh member against the inner surface of the tank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, in a laundry machine, when water is supplied into a tank containing water-soluble beads, the beads dissolve in the water, generating treated water that accumulates in the tank. Therefore, by supplying the treated water from the tank to the storage tub using a water supply unit, the treated water can be used to treat objects in the storage tub. Because the beads in the tank are wrapped in a mesh member, even if they break down into small fragments due to dissolution in water or deterioration, they do not flow out of the tank. This prevents the beads from adhering to objects in the storage tub. Furthermore, by wrapping the beads in a mesh member, the concentration of the treated water inside the mesh member is quickly increased. This treated water mixes with the water outside the mesh member in the tank, allowing high-concentration treated water to be quickly produced throughout the tank. In other words, the time required to produce high-concentration treated water is reduced compared to when a mesh member is not present.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the present invention, if the mesh member is made of nonwoven fabric, it is possible to keep the broken beads inside so that they do not flow out of the tank.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the absorbent mesh member is in a moist state, so by actively wetting the inner beads, they can be effectively dissolved in the water in the tank to produce highly concentrated treated water.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the pressing member presses the mesh member against the inner surface of the tank, thereby positioning the beads inside the mesh member, which further prevents the beads from leaking out of the tank and therefore further prevents the beads from adhering to the objects to be cleaned inside the storage tank. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional right side view of a laundry machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional front view of a treated water unit included in the laundry machine. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the laundry machine. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing a washing operation performed in the laundry machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional right side view of a washing machine 1 according to one embodiment of the laundry device of the present invention. The direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Fig. 1 is referred to as the left-right direction X of the washing machine 1, the left-right direction in Fig. 1 is referred to as the front-rear direction Y of the washing machine 1, and the up-down direction in Fig. 1 is referred to as the up-down direction Z of the washing machine 1.

[0016] In the left-right direction X, the back side of the paper in FIG. 1 is referred to as the left side X1, and the front side of the paper in FIG. 1 is referred to as the right side X2. In the front-rear direction Y, the left side in FIG. 1 is referred to as the front side Y1, and the right side in FIG. 1 is referred to as the rear side Y2. In the up-down direction Z, the upper side is referred to as the upper side Z1, and the lower side is referred to as the lower side Z2. The left-right direction X and the front-rear direction Y are included in the lateral direction. The lateral direction may be the horizontal direction H, or may be a substantially horizontal direction that is slightly inclined relative to the horizontal direction H.

[0017] In this embodiment, washing machine 1 will be described as a drum-type washer / dryer having a drying function, but the drying function may be omitted from washing machine 1. Washing machine 1 includes a housing 2, a water tub 3 arranged in housing 2, a water supply channel 4 and a drain channel 5 connected to water tub 3, a drum 6 as an example of a storage tub contained in water tub 3, and a motor 7 as an example of a drive unit that rotates drum 6. Washing machine 1 further includes a drying unit 8 that dries laundry L as an example of an object to be washed contained in drum 6, and a treated water unit 9 that supplies treated water for washing to the dried laundry L in drum 6.

[0018] The housing 2 is formed in a box shape. A front surface 2A of the housing 2 is, for example, a vertical surface. An opening 2B that connects the inside and outside of the housing 2 is formed in the front surface 2A. A door 11 that opens and closes the opening 2B is provided on the front surface 2A. The following description will be based on the state in which the door 11 closes the opening 2B.

[0019] The water tub 3 is supported by dampers 12 extending upward Z1 from the bottom wall 2C of the housing 2 and is suspended by a spring (not shown). As a result, the water tub 3 and the drum 6 inside it are entirely elastically supported by the housing 2. The water tub 3 has a cylindrical circumferential wall 3A centered on an axis J that extends in the front-to-rear direction Y along the horizontal direction H, a disk-shaped back wall 3B that closes the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 3A from the rear Y2, and a ring-shaped front wall 3C that is connected to the front edge of the circumferential wall 3A.

[0020] The rear wall 3B is disposed vertically along the up-down direction Z. A through-hole 3D is formed in the center of the rear wall 3B, penetrating the rear wall 3B in the front-to-rear direction Y along the axis J. The front wall 3C has an annular first portion 3E that protrudes from the front edge of the circumferential wall 3A toward the axis J, a cylindrical second portion 3F that protrudes from the inner peripheral edge of the first portion 3E toward the front Y1, and an annular third portion 3G that protrudes from the front edge of the second portion 3F toward the axis J. An access port 3H that communicates with the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 3A from the front Y1 is formed inside the third portion 3G. The access port 3H faces the opening 2B of the housing 2 from the rear Y2 and is in communication with it.

[0021] The water supply channel 4 has one end 4A connected to a faucet (not shown) and the other end 4B connected to, for example, the upper part of the rear wall 3B of the water tank 3. The drain channel 5 is connected to the lower end of the water tank 3, for example, the lower end of the circumferential wall 3A.

[0022] Washing machine 1 includes water supply valve 13 provided in water supply channel 4 that can be opened and closed, and drain valve 14 provided in drain channel 5 that can be opened and closed. Water supply valve 13 in the open state is in the ON state in which water supply channel 4 is open, and water supply valve 13 in the closed state is in the OFF state in which water supply channel 4 is closed. Drain valve 14 in the open state is in the ON state in which drain channel 5 is open, and drain valve 14 in the closed state is in the OFF state in which drain channel 5 is closed.

[0023] When water supply valve 13 is opened with drain valve 14 closed, tap water from the faucet flows through water supply channel 4. Hereinafter, tap water may be simply referred to as "water." The water that flows through water supply channel 4 flows into water tank 3 from the other end 4B of water supply channel 4 and accumulates there. When drain valve 14 is opened while water is accumulated in water tank 3, the water in water tank 3 is discharged through drain channel 5 to the outside of housing 2, i.e., outside the device.

[0024] Drum 6 is a cylindrical body having a central axis that coincides with axis J and is slightly smaller than water tub 3. In this embodiment, drum 6 is arranged horizontally so that the central axis is along horizontal direction H, but it may also be arranged obliquely so that the central axis of drum 6 is inclined relative to horizontal direction H. Drum 6 has a cylindrical circumferential wall 6A that is arranged coaxially with circumferential wall 3A of water tub 3, a disk-shaped back wall 6B that closes the hollow portion of circumferential wall 6A from the rear Y2, and an annular wall 6C that juts out from the front edge of circumferential wall 6A toward axis J.

[0025] Drum 6 has a plurality of through holes 6D formed at least in its circumferential wall 6A, and water in water tub 3 flows between water tub 3 and drum 6 through the through holes 6D and accumulates in drum 6. Therefore, the water level in water tub 3 and the water level in drum 6 are the same.

[0026] The inner peripheral surface of the circumferential wall 6A constitutes an inner peripheral surface portion 6E of the drum 6. The inner peripheral surface portion 6E may also include an outer peripheral portion in front of the rear wall 6B. A support shaft 6F extending rearward Y2 along the axis J is provided at the center of the rear wall 6B of the drum 6. The rear end of the support shaft 6F passes through a through-hole 3D in the rear wall 3B of the water tub 3 and is positioned rearward Y2 from the rear wall 3B.

[0027] An entrance 6G is formed inside the annular wall 6C, communicating with the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 6A from the front Y1. The entrance 6G faces the entrance 3H of the water tub 3 and the opening 2B of the housing 2 from the rear Y2 and communicates with them. The entrance 3H and the entrance 6G, along with the opening 2B, are opened and closed together by a door 11. A user places laundry L in and removes laundry L from the drum 6 through the opened opening 2B, the entrance 3H, and the entrance 6G. The door 11 is provided with a gasket 15 that comes into close contact with the third portion 3G of the front wall 3C of the water tub 3 when the door 11 closes the opening 2B, the entrance 3H, and the entrance 6G.

[0028] The motor 7 is disposed within the housing 2, behind the rear wall 3B of the water tub 3, on the side Y2. One example of the motor 7 is a direct drive (DD) motor. The motor 7 is connected to a support shaft 6F attached to the drum 6. The torque generated by the motor 7 is transmitted to the support shaft 6F, and the drum 6, receiving the torque of the motor 7, rotates around the axis J together with the support shaft 6F. A clutch mechanism (not shown) may be provided between the motor 7 and the support shaft 6F to transmit or interrupt the torque of the motor 7 to the support shaft 6F.

[0029] Drying unit 8 includes a circulation path 16 and a blower 17 for circulating air within water tub 3, and a heater 18 for heating the circulating air.

[0030] The circulation path 16 is a flow path located above the water tub 3 in the housing 2 (Z1). The circulation path 16 has an intermediate portion 16A extending in the front-to-rear direction Y, a rear portion 16B extending downward from the rear end of the intermediate portion 16A (Z2), and a front portion 16C extending downward from the front end of the intermediate portion 16A (Z2). An outlet 16D is formed at the front end of the lower end of the rear portion 16B. The outlet 16D is connected to the rear wall 3B of the water tub 3 and communicates with the interior of the water tub 3 from the rear (Y2). A return port 16E is formed at the lower end of the front portion 16C. The return port 16E is connected to the upper end of the second portion 3F of the front wall 3C of the water tub 3 and communicates with the interior of the water tub 3 from above (Z1).

[0031] Blower 17 is a so-called blower, and includes rotary blades 17A arranged in circulation path 16 and a motor (not shown) that rotates rotary blades 17A. When rotary blades 17A rotate, air in water tub 3, i.e., air in water tub 3 and drum 6, is taken out from outlet 16D into circulation path 16, as indicated by the thick dashed arrows, and then returned to water tub 3 from return port 16E. This causes the air in water tub 3 to circulate, flowing sequentially through water tub 3 and circulation path 16.

[0032] Heating unit 18 is a heat exchanger in a heat pump or a general heater, and at least a portion of it is provided inside circulation path 16. The portion of heating unit 18 that is provided inside circulation path 16 has heat dissipation unit 18A. When heating unit 18 is activated, heat dissipation unit 18A becomes hot, and air flowing inside circulation path 16 is heated as it passes around heat dissipation unit 18A, becoming hot air.

[0033] The treated water unit 9 includes a tank 21 located in the housing 2 above the water tank 3 at Z1, an inlet channel 22 branching from an upstream portion of the water supply channel 4 closer to one end 4A than the water supply valve 13 and connected to the tank 21, and an inlet valve 23 provided in the inlet channel 22 that can be opened and closed. The treated water unit 9 also includes a supply channel 24 extending downward Z2 from the tank 21 and having a lower end located in the water tank 3, a supply section 25 provided at the lower end of the supply channel 24, an outlet channel 26 extending downward Z2 from the tank 21 and connected to the water tank 3, and an outlet valve 27 provided in the outlet channel 26 that can be opened and closed.

[0034] 2, which is a schematic vertical cross-sectional front view of the treated water unit 9, the tank 21 includes a bottom wall 21A, an annular side wall 21B rising from the entire outer edge of the bottom wall 21A, and a top wall 21D that closes an internal space 21C of the tank 21, which is surrounded by the bottom wall 21A and the side wall 21B, from above Z1. The upper surface of the bottom wall 21A and the inner peripheral surface of the side wall 21B form the inner surface of the tank 21.

[0035] The top wall 21D is provided with a loading opening 21E that penetrates the top wall 21D in the vertical direction Z, and a cover 21F that opens and closes the loading opening 21E. A rib-shaped pressing member 21G that protrudes downward Z2 is provided on the underside of the cover 21F. The top wall 2D of the housing 2 is provided with an opening 2E for accessing the cover 21F (see FIG. 1).

[0036] The inflow path 22 is connected to the internal space 21C of the tank 21, for example, by bending upward Z1 midway and then connecting to the side wall 21B or the top wall 21D of the tank 21. When the inflow valve 23 is opened, tap water from the faucet flows through the water supply path 4 and the inflow path 22 and into the internal space 21C of the tank 21. Therefore, the inflow valve 23 functions as a water supply unit that supplies water into the tank 21. When the inflow valve 23 is closed, the supply of water into the tank 21 stops.

[0037] An upper end of supply path 24 is connected to bottom wall 21A of tank 21, and a lower end of supply path 24 passes through second portion 3F of front wall 3C of water tub 3, bends rearward Y2, and faces into drum 6 through opening 6G of drum 6 (see FIG. 1). An example of supply unit 25 is an ultrasonic vibrator, which is attached to the lower end of supply path 24. The function of supply unit 25 will be described later.

[0038] The outflow passage 26 extends downward Z2 from the bottom wall 21A of the tank 21 and is connected to the second portion 3F of the front wall 3C of the water tub 3 (see FIG. 1). When the inflow valve 23 opens with the outflow valve 27 closed, water accumulates in the internal space 21C of the tank 21. At this time, some of the water in the tank 21 is also present in an upstream region of the outflow passage 26 above the outflow valve 27 Z1. Therefore, this upstream region may be considered to be part of the internal space 21C of the tank 21. When the outflow valve 27 opens, the water in the tank 21 flows through the outflow passage 26 into the water tub 3 and is then discharged outside the apparatus through the drain passage 5 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, the outflow valve 27 functions as a drainage section that discharges water from the tank 21.

[0039] The treated water unit 9 further includes a mesh member 28 , a water level sensor 29 , a vibrator 30 and a heater 31 arranged in the tank 21 .

[0040] The mesh member 28 is formed into a bag shape using nonwoven fabric and has water-absorbent properties. 100% polyester fiber can be used as the material for the mesh member 28. One example of a suitable product for the mesh member 28 is "Germguard" manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd., which is readily available and has excellent durability, chemical resistance, antibacterial properties, and processability. The mesh member 28 contains water-soluble beads B for treating the laundry L in the drum 6. In this embodiment, the beads B are glass beads kneaded with silver, but they may also be titanium oxide beads used as a photocatalyst or hypochlorous acid beads. The mesh size of the mesh member 28 is set to a size that allows water to pass through the tank 21 while preventing the beads B from passing through as they become smaller with use.

[0041] The user accesses the cover 21F of the tank 21 through the opening 2E in the top wall 2D of the housing 2, opens the loading opening 21E, and loads the mesh member 28 enclosing a large number of beads B into the internal space 21C of the tank 21 through the loading opening 21E. When the user then closes the loading opening 21E with the cover 21F, the setting of the beads B is completed, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the beads B in the mesh member 28 are contained in the tank 21. The mesh member 28 enclosing the beads B may form a cartridge that is detachable from the tank 21.

[0042] The mesh member 28 is pressed from above Z1 against the upper surface of the bottom wall 21A of the tank 21 by the pressing member 21G of the cover 21F inside the tank 21. When water accumulates in the tank 21 in this state, treated water, which is water in which silver ions, a component of the beads B, are dissolved, is generated inside the tank 21. The treated water has cleaning effects such as a sterilizing effect, an antibacterial effect, and a deodorizing effect, and in particular an antibacterial effect. Note that another cleaning effect is a fragrance effect, and in this case the beads B may be composed of a fragrance.

[0043] Water level sensor 29 is a sensor that detects the water level in tank 21. A float switch may be used as water level sensor 29. Vibrator 30 is placed in tank 21 at a position where it is immersed in the water, and vibrates the water in tank 21. Heater 31 is placed in tank 21 at a position where it is immersed in the water, and heats the water in tank 21. By vibrating and heating the water in tank 21, the concentration of silver ions in the treated water in tank 21 can be quickly increased, and high-concentration treated water can be produced in a short period of time.

[0044] 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of washing machine 1. Washing machine 1 further includes control unit 32. Control unit 32 is configured as a microcomputer including, for example, a CPU, memories such as ROM and RAM, and a timer for measuring time, and is built into housing 2 (see FIG. 1). Motor 7, water supply valve 13, drain valve 14, blower unit 17, heater 18, inlet valve 23, supply unit 25, outlet valve 27, water level sensor 29, vibrator 30, and heater 31 are each electrically connected to control unit 32.

[0045] The control unit 32 controls the motor 7 so that the drum 6 rotates at a desired rotation speed. The control unit 32 controls the opening and closing of each of the water supply valve 13, the drain valve 14, the inlet valve 23, and the outlet valve 27. The control unit 32 controls the operation of each of the blower unit 17, the heating unit 18, the supply unit 25, the vibrator 30, and the heater 31. The detection result of the water level sensor 29 is input to the control unit 32 in real time.

[0046] The control unit 32 executes a washing operation. The washing operation includes an initial preparation step, a washing step after the preparation step, a rinsing step performed one or more times after the washing step, and a spin-drying step performed after the final rinsing step. The washing operation may also be a washing and drying operation that includes a drying step performed after the spin-drying step.

[0047] In the preparation step, the control unit 32 operates the motor 7 to rotate the drum 6 at, for example, 100 rpm, and detects the load amount of the laundry L in the drum 6 based on the resistance value of the current of the motor 7 at that time. The load amount corresponds to the capacity of the laundry L in the drum 6. An example of the capacity of the laundry L is the weight of the laundry L.

[0048] Based on the detected load amount, the control unit 32 determines the required amounts of detergent and fabric softener, and the target water levels in the water tub 3 for the washing and rinsing processes. The required amounts of detergent and fabric softener for each load amount and the target water levels for each load amount are determined in advance and stored in the memory of the control unit 32.

[0049] In the washing step, control unit 32 first executes the water supply process by opening water supply valve 13 while drain valve 14 is closed. This causes water from water supply channel 4 to flow into and accumulate in water tub 3, causing the water level in water tub 3 to rise. When the water level in water tub 3 rises to the target water level, control unit 32 closes water supply valve 13 to end the water supply process.

[0050] During the water supply process, a required amount of detergent is added to the water tub 3. The detergent may be added manually by the user or automatically by an automatic dispenser (not shown) provided in the washing machine 1. In either case, detergent water produced by dissolving the detergent in tap water accumulates in the water tub 3.

[0051] As a washing process after the water supply process, the control unit 32 controls the motor 7 to rotate the drum 6 forward and backward. This causes the laundry L in the drum 6 to be beaten. In the beating wash, the laundry L is lifted to a certain extent and then tumbling is repeated, with the laundry L then naturally falling to the water surface as the rotation direction of the drum 6 changes. The impact of the tumbling and the detergent components contained in the detergent water accumulated in the drum 6 remove dirt from the laundry L. After a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of tumbling, the control unit 32 opens the drain valve 14 to drain the water.

[0052] At the end of the washing cycle, the control unit 32 executes a spin-drying process. In the spin-drying process, the control unit 32 rotates the drum 6 for spin-drying with the drain valve 14 open. The laundry L in the drum 6 is dehydrated by centrifugal force generated by the spin-drying rotation of the drum 6. Water seeping out of the laundry L during spin-drying is discharged to the outside of the machine through the drain channel 5.

[0053] Next, control unit 32 executes the rinsing cycle. In the rinsing cycle, control unit 32 closes drain valve 14 and opens water supply valve 13 for at least a predetermined time to fill water tub 3 with tap water up to a target water level, and then causes motor 7 to rotate drum 6. This repeats the tumbling process described above, so that laundry L is rinsed with the tap water in drum 6. Note that prior to tumbling, a required amount of fabric softener may be dispensed into water tub 3 by an automatic dispenser. After a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of tumbling, control unit 32 drains the water and executes the spin-drying process described above, completing the rinsing cycle.

[0054] Next, the control unit 32 rotates the drum 6 for dehydration with the drain valve 14 open as the spin cycle. In other words, the spin cycle is substantially the same as the spin cycle at the end of the washing cycle or the rinsing cycle. The spin cycle may be referred to as the intermediate spin cycle, and the spin cycle may be referred to as the final spin cycle. The final spin cycle and the intermediate spin cycle may differ in the number of rotations of the drum 6 and the rotation time.

[0055] In the drying process, the control unit 32 controls the air blowing unit 17 and the heating unit 18 to generate hot air, circulate the hot air between the drum 6 and the circulation path 16, and supply the hot air to the laundry L in the drum 6. As a result, the laundry L is dried.

[0056] The control unit 32 can also execute a washing operation in which the dry laundry L is washed with treated water in the tank 21. The washing operation may be executed after the drying operation as part of the washing and drying operation, or may be executed independently of the washing operation and the washing and drying operation. The user can select whether to execute the washing operation as part of the washing and drying operation or as a standalone operation by operating a display operation unit (not shown) such as an LCD operation panel provided on the front surface 2A of the housing 2. The laundry L to be subjected to the washing operation is not limited to laundry that can be washed in the washing machine 1, but may also be a coat or a stuffed animal that cannot be washed in the washing machine 1. As an example, when a user wants to remove dirt from a coat that the user took off after returning home, the washing operation is executed as a standalone operation.

[0057] 4 is a flowchart showing the washing operation. When the washing operation starts with dry laundry L contained in drum 6, control unit 32 calculates the generation time, which is the time required to generate treated water of a required concentration in tank 21, and the required amount of treated water (step S1).

[0058] The generation time and the amount of water may vary depending on the load of laundry L in the drum 6. In this case, the control unit 32 executes the preparation process described above to detect the load and calculates the generation time and the amount of water according to the detected load. Formulas for calculating the generation time and the amount of water from the load are predetermined and stored in the memory of the control unit 32. The user can also select whether to sterilize or antibacterialize the laundry L by operating the display operation unit. Since sterilization requires a higher concentration of treated water than antibacterial treatment, the control unit 32 calculates the generation time according to each of sterilization and antibacterial treatment.

[0059] After calculating the generation time and the amount of water, the control unit 32 starts the air wash (step S2). Specifically, the control unit 32 circulates air by operating the air blower 17 while rotating the drum 6 at, for example, 45 rpm. As a result, the laundry L, which repeatedly falls by tumbling inside the drum 6, is exposed to the circulating air, thereby removing dust and other particles from the laundry L. This process is called an air wash. At the same time as starting the air wash, the control unit 32 also starts measuring the generation time.

[0060] After starting the air wash, the control unit 32 checks whether the required amount of water is already present in the tank 21 by referring to the detection result of the water level sensor 29 (step S3). If the required amount of water is not present in the tank 21 (NO in step S3), the control unit 32 supplies water to the tank 21 by opening the inlet valve 23 while keeping the outlet valve 27 closed (step S4). Note that it may also be determined that the required amount of water is present in the tank 21 when the tank 21 is full.

[0061] If the required amount of water is already present in the tank 21 (YES in step S3), or if the required amount of water accumulates in the tank 21 through water supply (step S4), the control unit 32 checks whether the generation time has elapsed, i.e., whether treated water of a required concentration or higher has been generated in the tank 21 by beads B being sufficiently dissolved in the water in the tank 21 (step S5).

[0062] If the generation time has elapsed, i.e., if treated water of a concentration equal to or higher than the required concentration has been generated in tank 21 (YES in step S5), control unit 32 checks whether a predetermined set time has elapsed since the most recent water supply to tank 21, i.e., whether the concentration of the treated water in tank 21 is too high (step S6). Time information about the most recent water supply to tank 21 is temporarily stored in the memory of control unit 32. If the treated water in tank 21 is left for the set time to elapse, the concentration of the treated water may become too high.

[0063] If the set time has elapsed, that is, if the concentration of the treated water in tank 21 is too high (YES in step S6), control unit 32 opens outflow valve 27 to forcibly drain tank 21 until it is empty (step S7). Thereafter, control unit 32 resets and restarts the measurement of the generation time, and repeats the process from step S3 to open inflow valve 23, thereby generating treated water in tank 21 with a concentration equal to or higher than the required concentration (steps S4 and S5).

[0064] In this way, the control unit 32 adjusts the concentration of the treated water in the tank 21 by opening and closing the inlet valve 23 and the outlet valve 27, respectively. This prevents the beads B from dissolving too much, thereby extending the lifespan of the beads B. In particular, by adjusting the amount of beads B contained in the tank 21 and then adjusting the concentration of the treated water in the tank 21, the lifespan of the beads B can be adjusted as desired. Incidentally, the lifespan of the beads B is several years.

[0065] If the set time has not elapsed, that is, if the concentration of the treated water in the tank 21 is appropriate (NO in step S6), the control unit 32 checks whether the current time has come to start supplying treated water (step S8). The supply start timing is a timing during the operating time of the cleaning operation, and is predetermined and stored in the memory of the control unit 32.

[0066] When it is now time to start supplying treated water (YES in step S8), control unit 32 starts supplying treated water into drum 6 by operating supply unit 25 provided at the lower end of outlet channel 26 connected to tank 21 (step S9). In this way, by effectively utilizing the time until the supply start timing during the cleaning operation, treated water of the required concentration and amount is prepared in tank 21 in advance, and then supply of treated water is started at the supply start timing.

[0067] During operation, supply unit 25 generates ultrasonic vibrations to mist the treated water in outlet channel 26, i.e., tank 21, and supply it into drum 6. As a result, laundry L that is directly sprayed with the mist of treated water in drum 6 is not only cleaned by being sterilized, antibacterial, and deodorized by the treated water, but is also coated with the treated water to prevent dirt and bacteria from adhering to the laundry. Furthermore, since air wash is ongoing, the mist of treated water circulates between water tub 3 and circulation channel 16, thereby cleaning not only the laundry L but also water tub 3, the drum 6 in water tub 3, and circulation channel 16. Supply unit 25 may be a shower valve that can supply treated water in a shower-like manner.

[0068] Furthermore, for example, after two minutes have elapsed since the start of the supply of treated water, control unit 32 increases the rotation speed of drum 6 from the current 45 rpm to a predetermined rotation speed, for example, 100 rpm or higher, and continues to rotate drum 6 in the same direction at the predetermined rotation speed using motor 7. As a result, unlike tumbling, laundry L in drum 6 does not fall off, but continues to rotate in the same direction while sticking flat to inner circumferential surface 6E of drum 6 (see FIG. 1). In this state, control unit 32 controls supply unit 25 to supply treated water from tank 21 into drum 6.

[0069] When a set time, for example, three minutes, has elapsed since the start of the supply of treated water (YES in step S10), the control unit 32 stops the supply unit 25 to terminate the supply of treated water into the drum 6 (step S11). At that time, the control unit 32 stops the rotation of the drum 6 and also stops the air blower unit 17, thereby ending the air wash. This ends the cleaning operation. The control unit 32 can adjust the treatment effect of the treated water by adjusting the set time according to settings by the user, etc. For example, the longer the set time, the stronger the treatment effect, such as antibacterial effect.

[0070] As described above, in washing machine 1, when water is supplied into tank 21 containing beads B, beads B dissolve in the water to generate treated water, which accumulates in tank 21. With this configuration, the concentration of the components of beads B, i.e., silver ions, in the treated water can be increased by aging the treated water in tank 21. As a result, if high-concentration treated water in tank 21 is supplied into drum 6 by supply unit 25, laundry L in drum 6 can be effectively treated with the high-concentration treated water. This improves the treatment effect of the treated water.

[0071] Furthermore, supply unit 25 supplies the treated water in tank 21 in the form of mist into drum 6, so that the treated water can be sprayed evenly over laundry L in drum 6, thereby more effectively treating laundry L. This further improves the treatment effect of the treated water.

[0072] Furthermore, by supplying the treated water from the tank 21 into the drum 6 while rotating the drum 6 so that the laundry L in the drum 6 sticks to the inner peripheral surface 6E of the drum 6, the treated water can be sprayed evenly onto the laundry L in the drum 6. This allows the laundry L to be treated more effectively, and therefore the treatment effect of the treated water can be further improved.

[0073] Furthermore, by controlling inlet valve 23 that supplies water into tank 21 and outlet valve 27 that discharges water from tank 21, the concentration of the treated water in tank 21 can be adjusted, so that treated water of an appropriate concentration can be sprayed onto laundry L in drum 6, thereby more effectively treating laundry L. This further improves the treatment effect of the treated water.

[0074] The beads B in the tank 21 are wrapped in the mesh member 28, so even if they dissolve in water, deteriorate, or break into small fragments, they will not flow out of the tank 21. This prevents the beads B from adhering to the laundry L in the drum 6. Furthermore, since the water-absorbent mesh member 28 is in a moist state, actively wetting the beads B inside allows them to be effectively dissolved in the water in the tank 21, producing highly concentrated treated water.

[0075] Furthermore, by wrapping the beads B in the mesh member 28, the concentration of the treated water inside the mesh member 28 quickly increases, and this treated water mixes with the water outside the mesh member 28 in the tank 21, allowing highly concentrated treated water to be produced quickly throughout the tank 21. In other words, the time required to produce highly concentrated treated water can be reduced compared to when the mesh member 28 is not present. Furthermore, if the mesh member 28 is made of nonwoven fabric, it can keep broken beads B inside the tank 21 so that they do not flow out. Furthermore, a hydrophilic nonwoven fabric may be used for the mesh member 28, in which case the dissolution rate of silver ions in the beads B can be improved.

[0076] Furthermore, the pressing member 21G presses the mesh member 28 against the inner surface of the tank 21, thereby positioning the beads B inside the mesh member 28 (see FIG. 2), thereby further preventing the beads B from flowing out of the tank 21. This further prevents the beads B from adhering to the laundry L inside the drum 6.

[0077] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0078] For example, the laundry machine according to the present invention is a drum-type washing machine 1 in the above-described embodiment, but it may also be a vertical washing machine or a dryer that does not have a washing function. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1 washing machine 6 Drums 21 Tank 21G Presser member 23 Inlet valve 25 Supply section 28 Mesh material B Beads L Laundry

Claims

1. a storage tank for storing objects to be cleaned; a tank for storing water-soluble beads for treating the object to be cleaned in the storage tank and for storing water; a water supply unit that supplies water into the tank; a supply unit that supplies treated water, which is water in which the beads are dissolved in the tank, into the storage tank; a mesh member disposed in the tank and enclosing the beads; a pressing member that presses the mesh member against the inner surface of the tank, A laundry machine, wherein an opening is formed on the inner surface of the tank, and an opening through which the treated water supplied to the supply section passes is located directly below the pressing member.

2. The laundry machine according to claim 1 , wherein the mesh member is made of nonwoven fabric.

3. The laundry machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mesh member has water-absorbent properties.

Images