Clothing processing equipment

Abstract

To provide a clothing processing apparatus capable of further improving convenience and designability of a user.SOLUTION: A clothing processing device according to the present invention comprises: an outer box having a main body front surface with an outer box opening facing diagonally upwards; a rotating tank arranged within the outer box and having a rotating tank opening facing diagonally upwards opposite the outer box opening, with an axis line forming a rotation center inclined towards the horizontal direction; and a door body having a door main body part and rotatable horizontally between a closed position close to the front face of the body and an open position separated from the front face of the body, wherein, when the door is in the closed position, the door body part faces an area surrounding the outer box opening in the front face of the main body and covers the outer box opening, wherein the part of the door main body part covering the outer box opening part has translucency which enables the inside of the outer box opening part to be visually observed from the front side of the door main body part, and wherein the door main body part has a front panel having a face shape, and an upper panel part including an intersection position with an axis line of the front panel is curved so as to tilt backward toward the upper side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a clothing treatment apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as clothing treatment apparatuses, drum-type washing and drying machines, drum-type washing machines, drum-type drying machines, etc. are known. In such clothing treatment apparatuses, an outer box opening is disposed on the front surface of the outer box so as to face an opening of a rotating tub disposed inside the outer box. A door for opening and closing the outer box opening is provided on the front side of the front surface of the outer box (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the clothing treatment apparatus as described above, as the processing capacity increases, the apparatus tends to become large. On the other hand, the place where the clothing treatment apparatus is installed is often a limited and narrow space, which causes a problem of giving a sense of oppression to the user.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure aims to provide a clothing treatment apparatus capable of further improving user convenience and designability, for example, providing a clothing treatment apparatus that is less likely to give a sense of oppression to the user.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A garment processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises: an outer box having a main body front with an outer box opening facing diagonally upward; a rotating drum disposed inside the outer box and having a rotating drum opening facing diagonally upward opposite to the outer box opening, with the axis forming the center of rotation inclined with respect to the horizontal direction; and a door having a door body portion and being able to rotate horizontally between a closed position close to the main body front and an open position separated from the main body front, wherein when the door is in the closed position, the door body portion covers the outer box opening opposite the area of ​​the main body front that surrounds the outer box opening, and the portion of the door body portion that covers the outer box opening is translucent, allowing the inside of the outer box opening to be seen from the front side of the door body portion; and the door body portion has a flush front panel, and the upper panel portion of the front panel, including the position where it intersects with the axis, is curved so as it goes upward it is tilted backward. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A perspective view of a garment processing device with the door closed. [Figure 2] This is a front view of a garment processing unit with its door open. [Figure 3] A perspective view of a garment processing device with its door open. [Figure 4] This is a right side view of a garment processing unit with the door closed. [Figure 5] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a garment processing device with the door closed. [Figure 6] This is a view of the right side of the door. [Figure 7] This is a vertical cross-section of the door. [Figure 8] This is a rear view of the door with the rear cover removed. [Figure 9] This is a view of the door from the front and above. [Figure 10] This is an exploded view of the inclined section. [Figure 11] This is a magnified view of the vertical cross-section of the door, specifically the area near the connection between the door body and the inclined section. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0009] <Clothing Processing System> The overall configuration of the garment processing device 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the garment processing device 1 with the door 5 closed. Figure 2 is a front view of the garment processing device 1 with the door 5 open. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the garment processing device 1 with the door 5 open. Figure 4 is a right side view of the garment processing device 1 with the door 5 closed. In the following explanation, the lower left, upper right, upper left, lower right, top, and bottom sides of Figure 1 will be referred to as the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom sides of the garment processing device 1, respectively.

[0010] The garment processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is exemplified by a drum-type washer-dryer capable of washing and drying. However, the garment processing apparatus 1 may also be a drum-type washing machine that only washes, or a drum-type dryer that only dries. The garment processing apparatus 1 includes an outer casing 1A that forms the outer shell of the apparatus body. The outer casing 1A is composed of a top surface 101, a front surface 103, a rear surface 104, a pair of side surfaces 105, a base 106, etc.

[0011] The top surface 101 of the outer casing 1A is equipped with a water inlet 10, a detergent case 11, an airflow filter device 14, a power button 15, and the like. The water inlet 10 is located on the left rear of the top surface 101 and is used to connect to a water tap via a water supply hose. The detergent case 11 is located on the left front of the top surface 101 and contains, for example, detergent, bleach, and fabric softener. In this embodiment of the drum-type washer-dryer, there is a detergent case for manual dispensing on the front side and a detergent case for automatic dispensing on the back side. The airflow filter device 14 is located on the right rear of the top surface 101 and collects foreign matter such as lint and dust contained in the air (i.e., humid air) flowing through the circulating air passage. The power button 15 is a mechanical switch with a press part located on the right front of the top surface 101. The power of the garment processing device 1 is turned on or off in response to the operation of the power button 15.

[0012] Inside the outer box 1A on the side of the main body upper surface 101, a control device for controlling the operation of the clothing treatment device 1 is arranged. The control device is, for example, a microcomputer, which controls the rotation of the drum motor 4 and controls the opening and closing of the water supply valve and the drain valve based on the water level in the water tank 2 detected by the water level sensor.

[0013] On the front surface 103 of the main body of the outer box 1A, an outer box opening 6 used for putting in and taking out laundry is formed. The outer box opening 6 is located behind the front surface 103 of the main body and is formed at an angle with the front surface 103 of the main body by an annular inclined portion 17 formed in a mortar shape protruding toward the back side from the front surface 103 of the main body. On the front side of the front surface 103 of the main body, a door 5 for opening and closing the outer box opening 6 is provided. The door 5 has a plate-shaped door body portion 50 extending in the vertical direction. On the left edge portion of the front surface 103 of the outer box 1A, two hinges 65 are provided in the vertical direction. These hinges are connected to the left side edge of the door body portion 50 and pivotally support the door 5 with respect to the front surface 103 of the main body in a rotatable manner.

[0014] At the center on the back side of the door body portion 50, a protruding locking portion 56 protruding rearward is provided. On the right side of the protruding locking portion 56 on the back surface of the door body portion 50, an engaging claw 57 is provided. On the right side of the outer box opening 6 on the front surface 103 of the outer box 1A, a claw receiving portion 66 is provided. When the door 5 is closed, the square-shaped door body portion 50 closes the outer box opening 6 in a front view, and the engaging claw 57 engages with the claw receiving portion 66. As a result, the door 5 is held in a locked state in which the door body portion 50 closes the outer box opening 6.

[0015] On the right side surface of the door 5, a lock release portion 53 operable by the user is provided. When the user operates the lock release portion 53 of the door 5 in the locked state, the engagement between the engaging claw 57 and the claw receiving portion 66 can be released. The user can open the outer box opening 6 by opening the door 5 in the unlocked state from the front surface 103 of the main body to the front side.

[0016] On the upper side of the door body 50 of the door 5, an inclined portion 70 is provided where a display operation unit 9 composed of, for example, a touch panel display is installed. When the power button 15 is turned on, the display operation unit 9 displays various information such as characters and graphics on the front side of the inclined portion 70 and can receive touch operations from the front side of the inclined portion 70. The control device determines the operation content based on the touch operation received by the display operation unit 9 and performs a washing operation, a drying operation, etc. according to the determined operation content.

[0017] <Internal structure of the outer box> Referring to FIG. 5, the internal structure of the outer box 1A will be described. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clothing treatment apparatus 1 with the door 5 closed. The clothing treatment apparatus 1 includes a bottomed cylindrical water tank 2 disposed in the outer box 1A, a bottomed cylindrical rotating tank 3 rotatably disposed in the water tank 2, and a drum motor 4 attached to the rear portion of the water tank 2 to rotationally drive the rotating tank 3. The rear portion of the water tank 2 is elastically supported by a plurality of dampers 12. The rotating tank 3 is a drum for accommodating clothing such as laundry and has a slightly smaller diameter than the water tank 2. The axis O extending through the center of rotation of the rotating tank 3 is inclined upward obliquely such that the front side is higher than the rear side and extends inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.

[0018] A substantially circular rotating tank opening 36 is provided on the front side of the rotating tank 3. The rotating tank opening 36 is coaxial with a substantially circular water tank opening 26 provided in the water tank 2 and is arranged to face the inside of the water tank opening 26. Also, at least a part of the rotating tank opening 36 is arranged to face the outer box opening 6. The opening edge of the outer box opening 6 and the opening edge of the water tank opening 26 are connected by a connecting member 18 made of a bellows-shaped elastic body, whereby the space between the outer box 1A and the water tank 2 is sealed.

[0019] The front end portion of the connecting member 18 is provided so as to surround the opening edge of the outer box opening 6. When the door 5 is closed with respect to the outer box 1A, the protruding closing portion 56 of the door 5 adheres closely to the front end portion of the connecting member 18. Thereby, the front end portion of the connecting member 18 functions as a packing to prevent the liquid in the water tank 2 from leaking to the outside.

[0020] The rotating tank 3 is connected to the output end of the rotating shaft 40 of the drum motor 4, and rotates around axis O inside the water tank 2 when driven by the drum motor 4. A fluid balancer 39 is provided on the outer circumference of the rotating tank opening 36 of the rotating tank 3 to absorb vibrations associated with the rotation of the rotating tank 3. Multiple baffles 38 extending along axis O are provided on the inner surface of the rotating tank 3 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0021] Inside the outer casing 1A, the water inlet 10 is connected to the inlet of the detergent case 11 via a water supply valve. This allows water to flow into the water tank 2 from the top of the tank 2 via the water supply duct and the detergent case 11. The water supplied to the inside of the water tank 2 is used as washing water or rinsing water.

[0022] A drain duct is connected to the circumferential surface near the bottom base 106, which is the lowest position in the water tank 2. The drain duct is connected to a drain filter device located at the front lower part inside the outer box 1A. When the drain valve is opened, the wash water or rinse water in the water tank 2 is discharged outside the water tank 2 via the drain duct and drain filter device, and then through the drain hose 19. At this time, any foreign matter contained in the wash water or rinse water is collected by the lint filter in the drain filter device.

[0023] In this embodiment, since the garment processing device 1 has a drying function, a heat pump unit for drying laundry is arranged on the lower rear side of the water tank 2. For drying operation, this heat pump unit draws out air containing moisture from the laundry from the rotating drum 3, dehumidifies and heats this moisture-containing air, and introduces the dry, warm air back into the rotating drum 3.

[0024] <Front of the main unit on the outer box> As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the outer casing 1A has a front surface 103 with an outer casing opening 6 that faces diagonally upward. The rotating tank 3 is located inside the outer casing 1A and has a rotating tank opening 36 that faces diagonally upward opposite the outer casing opening 6, and the axis O that forms the center of rotation is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction.

[0025] In detail, the front surface 103 of the main body is a curved surface that extends in the vertical, horizontal, and vertical directions in a flush manner as a whole, and curves forward when viewed from the side. "Flush manner" refers to a smooth surface that is substantially free of irregularities, bends, steps, etc., but even if there are some irregularities, bends, steps, etc., if it is substantially a smooth surface, it is also included in the definition of flush. The front surface 103 of the main body has a front main portion 103A and a front upper edge portion 103B. The front main portion 103A is the area that occupies most of the front surface 103 of the main body. The front upper edge portion 103B is the area that extends upward continuously from the front main portion 103A and extends horizontally so as to occupy the upper edge of the front surface 103 of the main body.

[0026] The front main section 103A extends vertically while curving with a roughly constant, gentle curvature when viewed from the side, and the height position of the center of curvature is located in the vertical center of the front main section 103A. The front main section 103A bulges out the furthest forward at this height position of the center of curvature. From this height position of the center of curvature, the front main section 103A curves diagonally backward upward, and also curves diagonally backward downward from this height position of the center of curvature.

[0027] The outer casing opening 6 opens diagonally upward so as to be coaxial with the axis O of the rotating tank 3. The outer casing opening 6 is located within the range of the front main section 103A when viewed from the front, and most of the outer casing opening 6 is located in the upper part of the front main section 103A (see Figure 5). In other words, in the upper part of the front main section 103A that faces diagonally upward, the outer casing opening 6 opens so as to face diagonally upward of the outer casing 1A. In the lower part of the front main section 103A that faces diagonally downward, it slopes downward and rearward from the outer casing opening 6.

[0028] The front upper edge portion 103B extends diagonally upward from the upper end of the front main portion 103A, curving with a substantially constant curvature in a side view. The center of curvature of the front upper edge portion 103B is located below the upper end of the front main portion 103A in the vertical direction, and it curves so as to bulge forward and upward in a side view, with its upper end connecting to the main body top surface 101 in a continuous manner. The curvature of the front upper edge portion 103B is greater than the curvature of the front main portion 103A. Therefore, the front upper edge portion 103B forms a curved surface with a smaller corner radius (R) than the front main portion 103A, so that the front upper corner of the outer box 1A has a rounded shape. In this example, the front upper edge portion 103B and the front main portion 103A, which have different curvatures, are smoothly connected so that their tangents coincide, forming a flush curved surface for the entire front body 103.

[0029] A drain filter door 80 is provided at the bottom of one side (hinge 65 side) of the front panel 103 of the main body. The drain filter door 80 is pivotally supported by a hinge on the bottom of the main front panel 103A. When the drain filter door 80 is closed, it covers the drain filter device located inside the outer casing 1A. The user can open the drain filter door 80 to check whether a lint filter is loaded into the drain filter device, etc.

[0030] <door> The detailed structure of door 5 will now be described. Figure 6 is a right side view of door 5. Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of door 5. Figure 8 is a rear view of door 5 with the rear cover 52 removed. In the following description, the left side, right side, back of the page, front of the page, top, and bottom of Figure 6 will be referred to as the front, back, left, right, top, and bottom of the garment processing device 1, respectively. When door 5 is closed, the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions of door 5 coincide with the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions of the garment processing device 1.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 6-8, the door 5 comprises a door body 50 and an inclined portion 70. The door body 50 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front (in other words, when viewed from the front panel 51 side) and extends in a substantially vertical direction. The rectangular shape of the door body 50 includes not only rectangular and square shapes, but also trapezoidal shapes, and also includes forms in which at least one of the four corners is rounded.

[0032] In the door body 50, the front panel 51, base member 54, protruding closing part 56, and rear cover 52 are arranged in this order from the front side to the rear side. The front panel 51 is formed flush with a translucent material (for example, glass material). In this example, the front panel 51 is made up of a single translucent plate, but it may be made up of multiple translucent plates connected together. The front panel 51 may have a reflection reduction film formed on its outer surface to reduce reflectivity, or an anti-fouling film formed on its outermost surface to suppress the adhesion of oil.

[0033] The protruding closing portion 56, like the front panel 51, is made of a translucent material (e.g., glass). When looking into the rotating tank 3 from the front side of the door 5, the inside of the rotating tank 3 can be seen through the front panel 51 and the protruding closing portion 56. The front panel 51 is attached to the front side of the base member 54, and the rear cover 52 is attached to the rear side of the base member 54. The front panel 51, which is attached to the front part of the base member 54, is held together with the base member 54 by the left and right door frame portions 58.

[0034] The protruding closing portion 56 has a mountain-shaped rear top portion that protrudes to the rear and a front base portion corresponding to the base of the mountain. When the door 5 is closed, a part of the rear top portion of the protruding closing portion 56 is configured to be inserted into the water tank opening 26. The rear cover 52 has an opening into which most of the mountain-shaped portion of the protruding closing portion 56 can be inserted. With the mountain-shaped portion of the protruding closing portion 56 inserted into the opening of the rear cover 52, the front base portion of the protruding closing portion 56 is sandwiched between the rear surface of the base member 54 and the front surface of the rear cover 52. In this way, the protruding closing portion 56 is held in place by the base member 54 and the rear cover 52.

[0035] Two hinges 65 are connected to the left edge of the door body 50, allowing the door 5 to pivot freely relative to the front surface 103 of the main body. This allows the door 5 to rotate horizontally between a closed position, close to the front surface 103, and an open position, away from the front surface 103. A lock release part 53 is provided on the rear side of the base member 54, opposite the hinges 65. The lock release part 53 is configured to slide forward in the thickness direction of the door 5, and a rotatably supported engaging claw 57 moves in conjunction with it. When the user slides the lock release part 53, the engagement of the engaging claw 57 with the claw receiving part 66 is released, and the door 5 is opened.

[0036] The inclined section 70 is located on the upper part of the door body 50 and has a rectangular shape that is long horizontally when viewed from the front. The inclined section 70 is inclined backward relative to the door body 50 which extends in a substantially vertical direction. The inclined section 70 has a front panel 71 positioned on the front side of the inclined section 70, a display operation unit 9 positioned on the rear side of the front panel 71, an inclined frame 78 attached to the periphery of the front panel 71 and the display operation unit 9, and a rear cover 52 attached to the rear side of the inclined frame 78. The rear cover 52 is positioned to straddle both the door body 50 and the inclined section 70.

[0037] The display operation unit 9 is a touch panel display equipped with a display unit and a circuit board. The front panel 71 is made of a light-transmitting material (for example, glass). The front panel 71 may be made of the same structure and materials as the front panel 51, or it may be made of a different structure and materials. The front panel 71 is the part that is directly contacted by a contact body such as the user's finger, and input operations to the display operation unit 9 are performed by contacting the front panel 71.

[0038] On the rear side of door 5, the rear cover 52 forms a curved rear surface of door 5 that corresponds to the front surface 103 of the outer box 1A. When door 5 is in the closed position, the rear surface of door 5 approaches the front surface 103 of the main body. The door body portion 50 faces the front main portion 103A (in other words, the area of ​​the front surface 103 of the main body that surrounds the outer box opening 6) and covers the outer box opening 6. As a result, with the door body portion 50 facing the front main portion 103A, the outer peripheral surface of the protruding closing portion 56 comes into close contact with the connecting member 18, and the outer box opening 6 is closed. The inclined portion 70 also faces the front upper edge portion 103B.

[0039] On the front side of door 5, the front panel 51 of the door body 50 and the front panel 71 of the inclined portion 70 are connected flush, forming a curved front surface of door 5 that corresponds to the front surface 103 of the outer box 1A. When door 5 is in the closed position, the outer box opening 6 is covered by the front panel 51 and the protruding closing portion 56 of the door body 50 when viewed from the front. In other words, the portion of the door body 50 that covers the outer box opening 6 is translucent, allowing the inside of the outer box opening 6 to be seen from the front side of the door body 50. Therefore, the user can visually check the inside of the rotating tank 3 from the front side of door 5.

[0040] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the front panel 51 of the door body 50 is a curved surface that extends flush with the surface in the vertical, horizontal, and lateral directions, and curves forward when viewed from the side. The front panel 51 extends almost flat without curving in the horizontal direction. The height position P1 of the center of curvature of the front panel 51 is slightly below the vertical center position of the front panel 51. In this example, the height position P1 of the center of curvature is approximately the same as the height position of the lower end of the outer box opening 6, and more specifically, it is at the height of the lower half of the outer box opening 6. A horizontal imaginary line passing through the height position P1 of the center of curvature is called the center of curvature line C1. The front panel 51 bulges most far forward at the height position P1 of the center of curvature.

[0041] The front panel 51 has an upper panel portion 51A and a lower panel portion 51B. The upper panel portion 51A is a curved surface that curves diagonally backward from the center of curvature P1 upward, so its normal vector points diagonally upward so that it extends forward and upward. The lower panel portion 51B is a curved surface that curves diagonally backward from the center of curvature P1 downward, so its normal vector points diagonally downward so that it extends forward and downward.

[0042] When the door 5 is in the closed position, the axis O of the rotating tank 3 extends forward away from the centerline of curvature C1 and intersects with the intersection point P2 of the upper panel section 51A. The upper panel section 51A extends diagonally upward from below the intersection point P2, straddling the intersection point P2. In other words, the upper panel section 51A of the front panel 51 that includes the intersection point P2 with the axis O is a curved surface that curves so that it tilts backward as it goes upward.

[0043] For example, when a user uses the laundry processing device 1, they open and close the door 5 and operate the display control unit 9 while looking diagonally downwards from the front upper side of the door 5 (see Figures 4 and 5). At this time, because the upper panel portion 51A of the door 5 in the closed position is tilted to face forward and upward, the distance between the outer box opening 6 used for loading and unloading laundry and the upper panel portion 51A becomes shorter, making it easier for the user to visually inspect the inside of the rotating tub 3 through the upper panel portion 51A. Since the axis O of the rotating tub 3 passes through the upper panel portion 51A, the user can visually inspect a wide area including the rotation center of the rotating tub 3 through the upper panel portion 51A. In addition, because the upper panel portion 51A of the door 5 is tilted to face forward and upward, the front upper portion of the door 5, which is closer to the user looking diagonally downwards at the door 5, can be moved back. This reduces the feeling of pressure on the user, and in particular, the position of the front upper part of door 5, which passes close to the user's line of sight when opening and closing door 5, can be moved further back. As a result, even if door 5 is large, it can give the user a less oppressive and more agility-enhancing feel.

[0044] Of the front panel 51 of the door body 50, the lower panel 51B, which is continuous with the lower side of the upper panel 51A, is a curved surface that curves backward as it goes downward. Similarly, the lower part of the front main section 103A of the outer box 1A also has a curved surface that curves backward as it goes downward. Therefore, the lower part of the front panel 51, the smaller the front-to-back distance between the outer box opening 6, which slopes forward and upward, and the front main section 103A (see Figure 5). Consequently, the lower panel 51B moves backward as it goes downward, and the outer box opening 6 protrudes further forward as it goes further down, thus shortening the distance the user has to move to load and unload laundry from the outer box opening 6. In addition, because the lower panel 51B moves further back as it goes further down, the user's legs and knees are less likely to hit the lower panel 51B when they are in front of the garment processing device 1, improving work efficiency. Furthermore, the lower panel portion 51B is retracted, making it less noticeable to the user, and reducing the feeling of pressure on the space in front of the clothing processing device 1.

[0045] The height position P1 of the center of curvature of the front panel 51 of the door body 50 is located at the point where the upper panel 51A and the lower panel 51B connect, and is below the intersection point P2. By positioning the height position P1 of the center of curvature below the intersection point P2 in this way, the upper panel 51A can be tilted diagonally upward to approximate the inclination angle of the rotating tank 3. This improves the visibility of the inside of the rotating tank 3 through the upper panel 51A.

[0046] The front panel 71 of the inclined section 70, which is provided on the upper side of the door body 50, is curved so that it tilts backward as it goes upward, so that the upper end of the inclined section 70 is located behind the door body 50. This allows a large display and operation unit 9 to be placed on the inclined section 70, and since the display and operation unit 9 is angled upward toward the user's line of sight, the operability and visibility of the display and operation unit 9 are improved.

[0047] Since both the upper panel 51A of the door body 50 and the display and operation unit 9 of the inclined section 70 face forward and upward, the user can simultaneously view the upper panel 51A and the display and operation unit 9 from the front of the door 5. Therefore, the user can view and operate the display and operation unit 9 while checking the condition of the inside of the rotating tank 3 through the upper panel 51A, thus improving operability.

[0048] The front panel 51 of the door body 50 and the front panel 71 of the inclined section 70 extend continuously vertically so as to be flush with each other. If a large step, bend, or break occurs at the connection between the front panel 51 and the front panel 71, the continuity between the door body 50 and the inclined section 70 will be poor, and the overall sense of unity of the door 5 may be impaired. In contrast, the garment processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment can improve the design without impairing the overall sense of unity of the door 5.

[0049] The curvature of the front panel 71 of the inclined section 70, which curves diagonally backward, is greater than the curvature of the upper panel 51A of the door body 50, which curves diagonally backward. This allows for a larger display and operation unit 9 to be placed on the inclined section 70 while keeping the overall size of the inclined section 70 down. Furthermore, because the front panel 71 of the inclined section 70 is tilted upward more than the upper panel 51A of the door body 50, the display and operation unit 9 and the upper panel 51A are slightly oriented differently from each other. Therefore, the user can arbitrarily adjust whether to primarily view the display and operation unit 9 or the upper panel 51A simply by slightly changing the height and direction of their line of sight.

[0050] The front main section 103A of the outer box 1A is a curved surface that slopes downward and backward. When the door 5 is in the closed position, a space is formed below the door 5 where the front main section 103A is not located. Therefore, the knees and feet of a user standing in front of the garment processing device 1 are prevented from coming into contact with the front main section 103A on the underside of the door 5, improving work efficiency. Furthermore, in addition to the door body section 50 sloping backward at the bottom of the door 5, the inclined section 70 sloping backward at the top of the door 5 makes the garment processing device 1 more compact and reduces the feeling of confinement on the user.

[0051] In the garment processing device 1, which is installed on a waterproof tray on the floor, the lower end of the door 5 is at a certain height (for example, 25 cm) or more relative to the floor. This allows the lower end of the door 5 to be higher than the height of a commercially available garment storage basket when the garment processing device 1 is installed on the waterproof tray. Therefore, even when a user places a garment storage basket on the floor near the front of the garment processing device 1 to load or unload laundry from the rotating tub 3, the door 5 can be opened and closed without interfering with the garment storage basket.

[0052] To prevent overlapping with the drain filter door 80 when door 5 is opened or closed, the lower end of door 5 is positioned above the drain filter door 80. This allows the drain filter door 80 to be opened and closed even when door 5 is closed, enabling the replacement of the lint filter inside the drain filter device and improving work efficiency.

[0053] <Display operation section> Figure 9 is a view of the door 5 from the front and above. Figure 10 is an exploded view of the inclined section 70. For example, Figure 9 shows the door 5 as it appears in the user's field of view when viewed from the front and above of the garment processing device 1, looking diagonally downwards (see Figures 4 and 5). In Figure 10, the rear cover 52 is not shown.

[0054] As shown in Figure 10, in the display operation unit 9 provided in the inclined section 70, the transparent electrode 92, display sheet 93, reflector component 94, circuit board 95, and circuit board case 96 are arranged in this order from the front to the rear, behind the front panel 71, which is a front glass plate. Specifically, the front panel 71, transparent electrode 92, and display sheet 93 are attached to the front side of the reflector component 94. The circuit board case 96 holds the circuit board 95 on its front side and is attached to the rear side of the reflector component 94. The inclined frame section 78 and rear cover 52 are attached to the display operation unit 9 configured in this way (see Figure 6).

[0055] The transparent electrode 92 is an electrode part for sensing the user's finger during touch operation. The display sheet 93 is a sheet formed with a light-shielding base and light-transmitting parts for characters and frames, and displays the characters and frames in the areas illuminated by the light source (e.g., LED) provided on the circuit board 95. The reflector component 94 holds the front panel 71, the transparent electrode 92, and the circuit board 95, and has numerous small holes for diffusing and emitting the light emitted from the light source provided on the circuit board 95 forward. Furthermore, the reflector component 94 and the display sheet 93 are also provided with openings 941 and 931 for electrically connecting the transparent electrode 92 and the circuit board 95.

[0056] As shown in Figure 9, the display and operation unit 9 includes a display unit 75 that displays information regarding the status of the garment processing device 1, and an operation unit 77 for setting the operating operation of the garment processing device 1. In the display unit 75 and the operation unit 77, the characters and graphics become visible when the corresponding light sources are illuminated. In the display unit 75 and the operation unit 77, the characters and graphics become invisible when the corresponding light sources are not illuminated. When the power button 15 is off, the display unit 75 and the operation unit 77 are not displayed.

[0057] The display unit 75 includes an information display unit 75A and a setting display unit 75B. The information display unit 75A displays the estimated amount of detergent required for the washing cycle, the estimated remaining time for the washing or drying cycle, the reserved time for the washing or drying cycle, and various errors. The setting display unit 75B displays the currently set washing or drying cycle course (standard, quick, wrinkle reduction, blanket, etc.) and the course set by the user using the operation unit 77. The operation unit 77 is a touch key for input operations via the front panel 71 by contact with the user's finger or pen. The operation unit 77 includes keys for the user to arbitrarily set the operation content and course. The operation unit 77 also has a display function that displays the current operation content and its progress.

[0058] Typically, the user's eyes when using the garment processing device 1 are positioned higher than the inclined section 70. Therefore, the upper part of the front panel 71 of the inclined section 70 offers better visibility and operability for the user than the lower part. During operation of the garment processing device 1, the user needs to understand the operating status of the garment processing device 1, so the display section 75 is used more frequently than the control section 77. Therefore, on the front panel 71 of the inclined section 70, the display section 75 is positioned above the control section 77. This makes it easier for the user to visually check the display section 75 and understand the progress of the operation during the operation of the garment processing device 1, thus increasing convenience.

[0059] In this example, the center of curvature of the front panel 71 is located below the vertical range of the front panel 71. The front panel 71 bulges out the most forward at the position closest to the height of this center of curvature, so the lower end of the front panel 71 is most vertical and the upper end is at the most upward angle. In this embodiment, the main operation unit 77 is located at the bottom of the front panel 71, and the main information display unit 75A and setting display unit 75B are located at the top of the front panel 71. This allows the operation unit 77, which is operated by the user, to be placed on a relatively vertical surface, thereby suppressing false detections caused by water droplets remaining on the surface of the operation unit 77 even if the user operates it with wet hands. On the other hand, information that the user wants to check during operation, such as the estimated remaining time for washing or drying, is displayed at the top of the front panel 71, so that it is at an angle that is easily aligned with the user's downward gaze, improving visibility.

[0060] In addition to the above-mentioned devices, the display operation unit 9 can also use other display devices such as liquid crystal panels and organic EL displays. The display operation unit 9 may also display in color or in black and white. The display operation unit 9 may use, for example, a capacitive touch panel, but resistive, surface acoustic wave, infrared, or electromagnetic induction touch panels can also be used.

[0061] <Front panel connection structure> Figure 11 is an enlarged view of the vertical cross-section of the door 5, near the connection point between the door body 50 and the inclined section 70. As mentioned earlier, the front panel 51 of the door body 50 is attached to the front surface of the base member 54. A rib 59 is provided on the upper edge of the base member 54, projecting forward from the base member 54. The rib 59 is a plate-like portion extending in the left-right direction, with its lower surface facing the upper end surface of the front panel 51 and its upper surface facing the lower end surface of the front panel 71 of the inclined section 70. In other words, the rib 59 is positioned so as to be sandwiched between the front panels 51 and 71, which are arranged vertically. By covering the upper end surface of the front panel 51 and the lower end surface of the front panel 71, the rib 59 can protect the upper end surface of the front panel 51 and the lower end surface of the front panel 71.

[0062] In this example, the front panel 51 of the door body 50 and the front panel 71 of the inclined section 70 are flush with each other, with the tangent to the upper end of the front panel 51 and the tangent to the lower end of the front panel 71 being approximately the same. The upper end surface of the front panel 51 and the lower end surface of the front panel 71 are positioned opposite each other, almost parallel to one another. Therefore, ribs 59 of approximately uniform thickness can be placed to fill the gap between the front panel 51 and the front panel 71. When the thickness of the ribs 59 is uniform in this way, the overall strength of the ribs 59 can be maintained even if the total thickness of the ribs 59 is reduced to the minimum standard value required to ensure rigidity.

[0063] If the tangent to the upper end of the front panel 51 and the tangent to the lower end of the front panel 71 do not coincide, a large step will be created at the connection between the front panel 51 and the front panel 71, and the upper end surface of the front panel 51 and the lower end surface of the front panel 71 will be tilted relative to each other. In this case, it is necessary to provide a rib 59 whose thickness changes in the front-to-back direction to fill the gap between the front panel 51 and the front panel 71. Such a complexly shaped rib 59 is difficult to manufacture accurately in resin molding, which may result in increased manufacturing costs and effort.

[0064] Furthermore, in the case of ribs 59 whose thickness varies, even if the minimum thickness of rib 59 is designed to the minimum standard value, the thickness of other parts of rib 59 will inevitably be greater than this minimum standard value, resulting in an overall increase in the thickness of rib 59. And as the thickness of rib 59 filling the gap between front panel 51 and front panel 71 increases, the boundary line between the door body 50 and the inclined part 70 becomes visually clearer, which may impair the sense of unity of the entire door 5.

[0065] In contrast, according to the garment processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the ribs 59, which have a substantially uniform thickness, have a simple shape and are easy to mold in resin, thus reducing manufacturing costs and effort. Furthermore, since the ribs 59 have a substantially uniform thickness, the overall thickness can be reduced, allowing the gap between the front panel 51 and the front panel 71 to be filled with ribs 59 of a small thickness. This makes it difficult to visually distinguish the boundary line between the door body 50 and the inclined portion 70, thereby preventing damage to the overall sense of unity of the door 5.

[0066] Furthermore, the front end surface 59A of the rib 59 in this example is inclined to slope slightly backward toward the rear. In other words, the front end surface 59A is an inclined surface that is slightly tilted toward the front and downward, and as it approaches the front panel 51 of the door body 50, it slopes downward toward the front panel 51. Therefore, even if light (for example, natural light or indoor light) is shone on the front end surface 59A from above the door 5, it is less likely to cast a shadow on the front panel 51 located below the rib 59. By making it less likely to cast a shadow on the upper edge of the front panel 51 in this way, the boundary line between the door body 50 and the inclined portion 70 can be made visually difficult to distinguish, further suppressing any loss of the overall sense of unity of the door 5.

[0067] Furthermore, the upper surface of the rib 59 that faces the front panel 71 from below extends further forward than the lower surface of the rib 59 that faces the front panel 51 from above. As a result, even if the front panel 71 is positioned further forward than its reference position due to vibrations of the door 5 or individual product variations, the upper surface of the rib 59 can stably support the front panel 71.

[0068] <Remarks> This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

[0069] For example, the front panel 51 and the front panel 71 are not limited to being curved with different curvatures, but may be curved with the same curvature. Each of the front panel 51 and the front panel 71 is not limited to being curved with a constant curvature as a whole, but may be composed of multiple curved surfaces with different curvatures arranged vertically in a continuous manner.

[0070] The front panel 51 of the door body 50 and the front panel 71 of the inclined section 70 are not limited to being separate components; they may be constructed as a single component. Even when the front panel 51 and the front panel 71 are constructed as a single component, the entire structure may be curved with a constant curvature, or multiple curved surfaces with different curvatures may be continuous vertically.

[0071] The lower panel portion 51B of the front panel 51 of the door body portion 50 may have a shape that extends vertically and horizontally without curving. The front panel 51 and the front panel 71 may be directly connected without providing ribs 59 on the base member 54. The arrangement of the display portion 75 and the operation portion 77 in the display operation portion 9 is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be freely designed, for example, by arranging the display portion 75 and the operation portion 77 side by side.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the power button 15 is placed on the outer casing 1A instead of the door 5 in order to make the door 5 thinner, but the power button 15 may also be placed on the door 5. The lower end of the door 5 may be located below the drain filter door 80. In this case, the drain filter door 80 may be omitted, and the door 5 may also serve the function of the drain filter door 80. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 1 Garment processing device, 1A Outer casing, 3 Rotating tub, 5 Door, 6 Outer casing opening, 9 Display and operation panel, 36 Rotating tub opening, 50 Door body, 51 Front panel, 51A Upper panel, 51B Lower panel, 70 Inclined section, 71 Front panel, 75 Display unit, 77 Operation panel, 103 Front of main unit

Claims

1. The outer box has a front surface with an outer box opening that faces diagonally upward, A rotating tank is disposed inside the outer box and has a rotating tank opening that faces diagonally upward opposite to the opening of the outer box, and whose axis forming the center of rotation is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction, A door having a door body, and a door that can rotate horizontally between a closed position close to the front of the body and an open position away from the front of the body, Equipped with, When the door is in the closed position, the door body covers the outer box opening in a region of the front surface of the body that surrounds the outer box opening. The portion of the door body that covers the opening of the outer box has light-transmitting properties that allow the inside of the opening of the outer box to be visually inspected from the front side of the door body. The door body has a flush front panel, and the upper part of the front panel, including the point where it intersects with the axis, is curved so as it goes upwards it tilts backward. Of the front panels of the door body, the lower panel portion that is continuous with the lower side of the upper panel portion is curved so that it tilts backward as it goes downward. The center of curvature of the front panel of the door body is located at the position where the upper panel and the lower panel connect, and is below the intersection point. The front panel bulges out the furthest forward at the height of the center of curvature, and the height of the center of curvature is at the height of the lower half of the opening of the outer box. Garment processing device.

2. The door has an inclined portion provided on the upper side of the door body and a display operation section disposed on the front panel side of the inclined portion. The front panel of the inclined portion is curved so that it tilts backward as it goes upward, such that the upper end of the inclined portion is located behind the door body. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The front panel of the door body and the front panel of the inclined section extend continuously vertically so as to be flush with each other. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The curvature of the front panel of the inclined section, which curves diagonally backward, is greater than the curvature of the upper panel of the door body, which curves diagonally backward. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 2.

5. The display operation unit includes a display unit for displaying information regarding the status of the garment processing device and an operation unit for setting the operating operation of the garment processing device. In the front panel of the inclined section, the display section is positioned above the operation section. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 2.

6. The door body is rectangular in shape when viewed from the front panel side of the door body. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 1.

Images