washing machine

Abstract

To improve designability while reducing cost.SOLUTION: A washing machine has an outer case having an opening that allows an inside and an outside to communicate with each other, and a door that is disposed on the outer case and opens and closes the opening. The door has a window cover member constituting a front surface of the door and a frame member to which the window cover member is fitted and which constitutes an outer periphery of the door, and a decoration member that is disposed between the window cover member and the frame member so as to be visible from the outside through the window cover member. A front surface and an outer peripheral surface of the decoration member are covered by the window cover member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to washing machines.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a washing machine, it has been considered to improve the design by devising the appearance around a door that opens and closes an opening for loading and unloading laundry. However, if a separately provided member is adopted to change the appearance around the door, it can cope with changes to various designs, but there is a risk of not only a complicated structure but also an increase in cost. Therefore, there has been room for improvement in terms of improving the design while suppressing the cost in manufacturing the door. [[ID=!]]

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Therefore, a washing machine capable of improving the design while achieving cost reduction is provided.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The washing machine according to the embodiment includes an outer box having an opening communicating the inside and the outside, and a door provided on the outer box for opening and closing the opening. The door has a window cover member constituting the front surface of the door, a frame member to which the window cover member is attached and constituting the outer periphery of the door, and a decorative member provided between the window cover member and the frame member and visible from the outside through the window cover member. The front surface and the outer peripheral surface of the decorative member are covered by the window cover member.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing an example of a washing machine according to one embodiment, with the door closed. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing an example of a washing machine according to one embodiment, with the door open. [Figure 3] A perspective view showing an example of the door configuration according to one embodiment, disassembled. [Figure 4] A front view of an example of a door according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] A rear view of an example of a door according to one embodiment, excluding the mounting member, window body member, and retaining member. [Figure 6] A schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the door configuration according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] This cross-sectional view schematically shows an example of the area around where the window cover member and frame member are attached to a door according to one embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 5 shows an enlarged view of portion X8, illustrating an example of the relationship between the engagement receiving portion of the decorative member and the engagement projection portion of the frame member according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] This cross-sectional view schematically shows an example of the area around where the decorative member and frame member are attached to a door according to one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] The following describes a washing machine according to one embodiment, with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 10 shown in Figure 1 is a drum-type washing machine in which the rotation axis of the rotating drum 22 is either a horizontal axis type, where the axis of rotation is directed horizontally, or an inclined axis type, where the axis of rotation is inclined downward toward the rear. The washing machine 10 may be equipped with a drying function, such as a heat pump type or a heater type, or it may not be equipped with a drying function.

[0008] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 comprises an outer casing 21, a rotating tub 22, an operation panel 23, an opening frame 24, a rotating support part 25, and a door 30. In Figure 1, the direction of gravity, i.e., the vertical direction, is defined as the up-down direction of the washing machine 10. Furthermore, the side of the door 30 relative to the outer casing 21 is defined as the front side of the washing machine 10, i.e., the user side, and the side opposite the front is defined as the rear side of the washing machine 10. The horizontal direction, perpendicular to the up-down and front-back directions, is defined as the left-right direction of the washing machine 10.

[0009] The outer casing 21 is formed in a roughly rectangular hollow box shape from, for example, a stainless steel plate. The outer casing 21 constitutes the outer enclosure of the washing machine 10. The outer casing 21 has a front section 211 on its front side. An opening 212 is provided in the front section 211. The opening 212 connects the inside and outside of the outer casing 21. The opening 212 is for loading and unloading laundry.

[0010] The rotating tub 22 is formed in a so-called bottomed cylindrical shape, with one axial side, i.e., the front side, open and the other side, i.e., the rear side, having a bottom. The rotating tub 22 is capable of holding laundry. The rotating tub 22 is rotatably positioned inside the outer casing 21, within a water tank (not shown). The rotating tub 22 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown).

[0011] The control panel 23 is located on the upper front of the outer casing 21. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upper front of the outer casing 21 is formed to slope downward toward the front. The control panel 23 is located on this sloped portion. The control panel 23 has, for example, an input section and a display section (not shown), and has functions for setting and displaying information related to the operation of the washing machine 10.

[0012] As shown in Figure 2, the opening frame 24 is provided in a recessed position behind the front portion 211 of the outer box 21. The opening frame 24 is formed, for example, in an annular shape so as to surround the opening 212. The pivot support portion 25 is provided on the opening frame 24 and supports the door 20 so as to be able to rotate horizontally. The pivot support portion 25 is provided, for example, to the left of the center of the opening frame 24 in the left-right direction.

[0013] The door 30 is provided on the outer box 21 and opens and closes the opening 212. The door 30 can be configured to slope horizontally or downward toward the rear. In this embodiment, the door 30 is configured to slope downward toward the rear. The door 30 has a handle 301 and a regulating part 302. The handle 301 is provided, for example, on the upper rear of the door 30, as shown in Figure 2. The handle 301 is for the user to place their hand on and operate to open the door 30. By pulling the handle 301, the user can rotate the door 30 around the pivot support part 25 and open the opening 212.

[0014] The restricting portion 302 is formed on the rear side of the door 30, as shown in Figure 2. The restricting portion 302 is positioned radially opposite to the side of the door 30 that is supported by the pivot support portion 25. In this case, an insertion portion 26 is provided on the front portion 211 of the outer box 21. The insertion portion 26 is configured to receive the restricting portion 302 and can engage a claw portion (not shown) provided at the tip of the restricting portion 302 when the door 30 is closed over the opening 212. The restricting portion 302 is configured such that the engagement between the claw portion and the insertion portion 26 is released in conjunction with the movement of the handle 301, although details are not shown.

[0015] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the door 30 can be constructed with a window cover member 31, a decorative member 32, a frame member 33, a mounting member 34, a window body member 35, and a retaining member 36. The window cover member 31 constitutes the front surface of the door 30. The window cover member 31 allows the inside of the rotating tank 22 to be seen when the door 30 closes the opening 212.

[0016] The window cover member 31 can be formed of a transparent resin having chemical resistance, such as methacrylic resin or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin. Chemical resistance indicates the difficulty of being altered by laundry treatment agents such as detergents and softeners. The window cover member 31 is configured in a substantially circular shape as a whole. The window cover member 31 has a window cover main body 311. The window cover main body 311 constitutes the main body of the window cover member 31.

[0017] The decorative member 32 is provided on the back side of the window cover member 31. The decorative member 32 is configured to be visible from the outside through the window cover member 31. The decorative member 32 is formed of a resin such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin, for example. The decorative member 32 can be formed of a transparent member or an opaque member. The decorative member 32 is subjected to decorative processing such as painting, printing, and embossing, for example. The decorative member 32 does not have a structure for the operation of the door 30 and for attaching the door 30 to other parts other than the door 30.

[0018] The decorative member 32 is configured in a substantially annular shape as a whole. Also, the outer diameter of the decorative member 32 is set smaller than the outer diameter of the window cover member 31. And in the present embodiment, the front surface and the outer peripheral surface of the decorative member 32 are covered by the window cover member 31. That is, the outer peripheral wall portion 312 of the window cover member 31 is configured to overlap the outer peripheral wall portion 321 of the decorative member 32 from the outside.

[0019] The decorative member 32 has a flat portion 322, a curved portion 323, and an annular portion 324. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the flat portion 322 and the curved portion 323 constitute the front surface of the decorative member 32 and face the back surface of the window cover member 31. That is, the front surface side of the decorative member 32 is configured to be visible from the outside through the window cover member 31. The flat portion 322 is formed in a planar shape parallel to the back surface of the window cover member 31, for example.

[0020] The curved portion 323 is provided inside the flat portion 322 and is formed to be inclined toward the rear side toward the radially inward side of the decorative member 32. The annular portion 324 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending toward the rear side from the inner peripheral edge of the curved portion 323.

[0021] The frame member 33 forms the outer perimeter of the door 30 and is provided on the rear side of the decorative member 32. The frame member 33 is constructed separately from the decorative member 32. The frame member 33 can be configured to slope downward horizontally or towards the rear. In this embodiment, the frame member 33 is configured to slope downward toward the rear. In this case, the outer perimeter wall portion 331 of the frame member 33 slopes downward toward the rear, as shown in Figure 6, etc. The inner circumferential surface 331a of the outer perimeter wall portion 331 of the frame member 33 is inclined downward toward the rear side of the door 30. The inner circumferential surface 331a of the outer perimeter wall portion 331 of the frame member 33 may be configured to slope downward toward the rear side of the door 30 by, for example, changing the thickness of the outer perimeter wall portion 331 of the frame member 33 or the outer diameter of the door 30 in the front-rear direction.

[0022] As shown in Figure 6, the decorative member 32 is provided between the window cover member 31 and the frame member 33. In this case, no other components such as adhesives or double-sided tape are provided between the window cover member 31 and the decorative member 32, or between the decorative member 32 and the frame member 33. Furthermore, the decorative member 32 is located inside the door 30 and is not exposed to the outside. Therefore, since there is no risk of the decorative member 32 coming into direct contact with laundry detergent, it requires less chemical resistance than the window cover member 31 and the frame member 33. In this embodiment, the window cover member 31 and the frame member 33 are made of materials that have better chemical resistance than the decorative member 32. Specifically, the frame member 33 can be made of a chemical-resistant resin such as methacrylic resin, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, and polypropylene.

[0023] The frame member 33 is configured in a substantially annular shape overall. The frame member 33 has a frame member body 332. The frame member body 332 is provided, for example, on the front side of the outer peripheral wall portion 331 of the frame member 33. The frame member body 332 is positioned opposite a part of the back surface of the window cover member 31 and the back surface of the decorative member 32. The frame member body 332 is formed in a shape that follows the flat portion 322 and the curved portion 323 of the decorative member 32. As shown in Figure 6, the rear end of the outer peripheral wall portion 312 of the window cover member 31 and the rear end of the outer peripheral wall portion 321 of the decorative member 32 are in contact with or slightly separated from the frame member body 332. In addition, the inner peripheral edge of the frame member body 332 is covered from the inside by the annular portion 324 of the decorative member 32.

[0024] The mounting member 34 is provided on the back side of the frame member 33 and is formed in a substantially annular shape overall. The mounting member 34 is positioned so as to overlap with the frame member 33. The mounting member 34 is attached to the frame member 33 by means of snap-fits or screws, for example. The window body member 35 is made of, for example, glass or synthetic resin. The window body member 35 is made of a transparent material. The window body member 35 is positioned to correspond to the opening 212 when the door 30 is closed and is configured to bulge out so as to fit inside the rotating tank 22. With the door 30 closed, the user can see inside the rotating tank 22 from the outside through the window cover member 31 and the window body member 35.

[0025] The retaining member 36 forms the back surface of the door 30 and is formed in a generally annular shape. The retaining member 36 is attached to the mounting member 34 by means of screws, for example. The outer diameter of the retaining member 36 is set to be smaller than the outer diameter of the frame member 33. As shown in Figure 6, a gap D is formed between the outer circumferential surface 361 of the retaining member 36 and the inner circumferential surface of the frame member 33, that is, the inner circumferential surface 331a of the outer circumferential wall portion 331 of the frame member 33. The gap D is set to a size that allows liquids such as detergent or fabric softener to pass through. Although not shown in detail, the outer circumferential edge of the window body member 35 is located between the mounting member 34 and the retaining member 36. The window body member 35 is fixed in place, sandwiched between the mounting member 34 and the retaining member 36.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, the window cover member 31 has mounting pieces 313. The mounting pieces 313 extend backward from the outer peripheral edge of the window cover member 31 and are provided in multiple locations at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the window cover member 31. The spacing between each mounting piece 313 may be equal or unequal. The mounting pieces 313 are formed integrally with the outer peripheral wall portion 312 of the window cover member 31. In this embodiment, mounting holes 314 are formed in the mounting pieces 313. The mounting holes 314 are formed to penetrate the mounting piece 313 in the thickness direction. The mounting holes 314 can be formed in shapes such as oval or circular.

[0027] As shown in Figure 7, the frame member 33 has through holes 333, engaging portions 334, and projections 335. The through holes 333 are formed at positions corresponding to the mounting pieces 313 of the window cover member 31 and penetrate the frame member body 332 in the thickness direction. In this case, multiple through holes 333 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction along the outer edge of the frame member body 332. The through holes 333 are formed so that the mounting pieces 313 and the outer peripheral wall portion 321 of the decorative member 32 can be inserted into them.

[0028] The engaging portion 334 and the projection 335 are for attaching the window cover member 31 to the frame member 33. The engaging portion 334 is provided near the through hole 333 and is configured to engage with the mounting piece 313 in this case the mounting hole 314. The engaging portion 334 is formed integrally with the frame member body 332 or separately. In this embodiment, the engaging portion 334 is formed integrally with the frame member body 332. The tip portion 334a of the engaging portion 334 is set to be spaced apart from the inner circumferential surface 331a of the outer peripheral wall portion 331 of the frame member 33. The engaging portion 334 has an inclined surface portion 334b. The inclined surface portion 334b ​​is set to be in contact with the mounting piece 313 that has passed through the through hole 333. The inclined surface portion 334b ​​is formed to be inclined upward toward the front.

[0029] The projection 335 is formed to protrude radially inward from the outer peripheral wall portion 331 of the frame member 33. The projection 335 is positioned inside the mounting hole 314 when the engaging portion 334 is engaged with the mounting hole 314. The projection 335 has an inclined surface portion 335a. The inclined surface portion 335a is positioned where the mounting piece 313, which passes through the through hole 333, makes contact. The inclined surface portion 335a is formed to be inclined downward toward the front.

[0030] The mounting piece 313, inserted into the door 30 through the through hole 333, is guided backward by the inclined surface 334b ​​of the engaging portion 334 and the inclined surface 335a of the projection 335. Then, the engaging portion 334 and the projection 335 engage with the mounting hole 314, respectively, restricting the forward movement of the window cover member 31.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5, the decorative member 32 has an upright portion 325 and a claw portion 326. The upright portion 325 and the claw portion 326 are for attaching the decorative member 32 to the frame member 33. The upright portion 325 and the claw portion 326 are formed integrally with the decorative member 32. The upright portion 325 is provided on the inner circumference side of the decorative member 32. The claw portion 326 is provided radially outward from the upright portion 325. The radial positions of the upright portion 325 and the claw portion 326 may or may not coincide. Also, the number of upright portions 325 and claw portions 326 may be the same or different. In this embodiment, the number of upright portions 325 is set to be greater than the number of claw portions 326.

[0032] As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the upright portion 325 is provided on the annular portion 324 and is formed to protrude radially outward. Multiple upright portions 325 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the annular portion 324. The upright portion 325 can be formed, for example, with a U-shaped, U-shaped, or gate-shaped cross-section. The upright portion 325 has an engagement receiving portion 325a. The engagement receiving portion 325a is formed by cutting out the upper end of the upright portion 325.

[0033] As shown in Figure 8, the frame member 33 further has an engaging projection 336 and a notch 337. The engaging projection 336 is formed to protrude rearward from the inner peripheral edge of the frame member body 332. The engaging projection 336 is provided at a position corresponding to the notch 325a of the decorative member 32. When the engaging projection 336 is engaged with the engaging receiving portion 325a, the circumferential movement of the decorative member 32 relative to the frame member 33 is restricted.

[0034] As shown in Figure 8, the notch 337 is provided near the engaging projection 336. The notch 337 is formed by cutting out the inner periphery of the frame member 33. The provision of the notch 337 makes the area around the engaging projection 336 more easily deformable, making it easier to engage the engaging projection 336 with the engaging receiving portion 325a.

[0035] As shown in Figure 9, the claw portion 326 is formed to protrude from the outer peripheral wall portion 321 of the decorative member 32. The claw portion 326 is, for example, a plate-shaped member with an L-shaped cross-section. Multiple claw portions 326 are provided corresponding to the through holes 333 of the frame member 33. The claw portions 326 are inserted into the through holes 333 of the frame member 33 and are formed to hook onto the frame member body 332.

[0036] The decorative member 32 and the frame member 33 are connected by hooking the claw portion 326 onto the frame member body 332 and engaging the engaging projection 336 with the engaging receiving portion 325a of the upright portion 325. Furthermore, as described above, the front and outer surfaces of the decorative member 32 are covered by the window cover member 31. Therefore, even if the connection between the decorative member 32 and the frame member 33 becomes detached, the decorative member 32 is held in place by the window cover member 31, preventing it from falling off the door 30. In this way, the safety of the door 30 is further enhanced.

[0037] According to the embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 comprises an outer casing 21 and a door 30. The outer casing 21 has an opening 212 that connects the inside and the outside. The door 30 is provided on the outer casing 21 and opens and closes the opening 212. The door 30 comprises a window cover member 31, a frame member 33, and a decorative member 32. The window cover member 31 constitutes the front surface of the door 30. The frame member 33, to which the window cover member 31 is attached, constitutes the outer periphery of the door 30. The decorative member 32 is provided between the window cover member 31 and the frame member 33 and is visible from the outside through the window cover member 31. The front surfaces 322, 323 and the outer peripheral surface 321 of the decorative member 32 are covered by the window cover member 31.

[0038] According to this, the door 30 can express a variety of designs by changing the decorative member 32, which is visible from the outside through the window cover member 31. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide dedicated parts on the outside of the door 30 to change the appearance around the door 30, it is possible to suppress an increase in manufacturing costs and improve assembly workability. Moreover, since the decorative member 32 is made of a separate material from the frame member 33, the overall design of the door 30 can be improved by applying decorative processing such as painting to the decorative member 32, that is, by minimizing the area to which decorative processing is applied.

[0039] Furthermore, by covering the front surfaces 322, 323 and outer peripheral surface 321 of the decorative member 32, which is provided between the window cover member 31 and the frame member 33, with the window cover member 31, it is possible to suppress direct contact of laundry detergents, fabric softeners, and other laundry treatment agents with the decorative member 32. This reduces the risk of cosmetic defects caused by the decorative member 32 coming into contact with laundry treatment agents. As a result, it is possible to improve the design of the door 30 and, consequently, the entire drum-type washing machine 10, while keeping costs down.

[0040] Furthermore, the window cover member 31 and the frame member 33 are made of materials that have better chemical resistance than the decorative member 32. As a result, the decorative member 32 is less likely to develop cracks or have an unsightly appearance due to contact with laundry detergents, and therefore requires less chemical resistance than the window cover member 31 and the frame member 33. Thus, the decorative member 32 can be made of a material that does not have the same high chemical resistance as the window cover member 31 and the frame member 33, thereby increasing the freedom of material selection.

[0041] The door 30 further has a retaining member 36. The retaining member 36 constitutes the back surface of the door 30. The window cover member 31 has a plurality of mounting pieces 313. The mounting pieces 313 are formed extending toward the back side of the window cover member 31. The frame member 33 has a frame member body 332, a plurality of through holes 333, and an engaging portion 334. The frame member body 332 is positioned opposite the back surface of the window cover member 31. The plurality of through holes 333 are formed to penetrate the frame member body 332 in the thickness direction so that the mounting pieces 313 can be inserted. The engaging portion 334 is provided at a position corresponding to the through holes 333 and is capable of engaging with the mounting pieces 313. A gap D is formed between the outer circumferential surface 361 of the retaining member 36 and the inner circumferential surface 331a of the frame member 33. The inner circumferential surface 331a of the frame member is inclined downward toward the back side of the door 30.

[0042] According to this, even if a liquid such as liquid detergent or water enters the inside of the door 30 through the gap between the window cover member 31 and the frame member 33, for example, through the through hole 333 in the frame member 33, the liquid will flow along the inner circumferential surface 331a of the frame member 33 and be discharged to the outside of the door 30 by its own weight through the gap D formed between the retaining member 36 and the frame member 33. This prevents liquid from remaining inside the door 30 and keeps the door 30 clean.

[0043] Furthermore, the decorative member 32 does not have a structure for the operation of the door 30 or for attaching the door 30 to other parts other than the door 30. As a result, the decorative member 32 does not have a structure related to the function of opening and closing the opening 212, which is the original function of the door 30. Therefore, even if the decorative member 32 is damaged by laundry detergent that seeps in through a gap between the window cover member 31 and the decorative member 32, for example, it will not affect the function of the door 30. In this way, it is not necessary to make the decorative member 32 have a complex shape in order to perform various functions, and it is possible to design it considering only the appearance, for example. Therefore, the shape of the decorative member 32 can be made as simple as possible, and the occurrence of manufacturing defects such as sink marks can be suppressed.

[0044] The embodiments described above are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This novel embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 10...Washing machine, 21...Outer box, 212...Opening, 30...Door, 31...Window cover member, 313...Mounting piece, 32...Decorative member, 33...Frame member, 332...Frame member body, 333...Through hole, 334...Engaging part, 36...Pressing member, D...Gap

Claims

1. An outer box having an opening that connects the inside and the outside, The outer box is provided with a door that opens and closes the opening, The door comprises a window cover member that constitutes the front surface of the door, a frame member having an outer peripheral wall portion located radially outward from the window cover member and to which the window cover member is attached, constituting the outer periphery of the door, and a decorative member provided between the window cover member and the frame member and visible from the outside through the window cover member. The aforementioned decorative member has been decorated, The front and outer surfaces of the decorative member are covered by the window cover member. The frame member has a frame member body positioned opposite the back surface of the window cover member, The rear end of the outer periphery wall portion of the window cover member and the rear end of the outer periphery wall portion of the decorative member are in contact with or facing the frame member body with a gap between them. washing machine.

2. The window cover member and the frame member are made of a material that has better chemical resistance to laundry detergents than the decorative member. The washing machine according to claim 1.

3. The door further includes a retaining member that forms the back surface of the door, The window cover member has a plurality of mounting pieces that extend to the back side of the window cover member, The frame member has a plurality of through holes formed in the thickness direction through the frame member body so that the mounting piece can be inserted, and engaging portions provided at positions corresponding to the through holes and capable of engaging with the mounting piece. A gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the retaining member and the inner circumferential surface of the frame member. The inner surface of the outer peripheral wall portion of the frame member is inclined downward toward the rear side of the door. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The decorative member does not have a structure for the operation of the door or for attaching the door to any other part besides the door. The washing machine according to claim 3.

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