Filter device and washing machine

Abstract

To provide a filter device for which maintainability can be improved and a washing machine including the same.SOLUTION: A filter device 10 includes a rear cover 21 fitted to a washing tub, a front cover 22 exposed to the inside of the washing tub in a state of covering the rear cover 21, a connection shaft 23 to connect the rear cover 21 and the front cover 22, and a scraping part 34. The filter device 10 captures foreign materials contained in water that flows in a space between the front cover 22 and the rear cover 21 in the washing tub and flows out from filter holes 22A on the front cover 22 at a capture area 22M of the front cover 22. A receiving area 21E for receiving the foreign materials separated from the capture area 22M is disposed on the rear cover 21. The rear cover 21 can rotate around the connection shaft 23 relatively with respect to the front cover 22. The scraping part 34 scrapes off the foreign material F from the receiving area 21E by interlocking with the relative rotation of the rear cover 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a filter device and a washing machine including the same.

Background Art

[0002] The washing machine described in Patent Document 1 below includes a water tank, a washing and dewatering tub disposed in the water tank, a water passage provided on a side portion of the washing and dewatering tub for circulating washing water in a washing step and a rinsing step of a washing operation, and a filter unit attached to the water passage for collecting lint from the washing water. The filter unit includes a front cover provided with a filtering member for collecting lint and allowing the washing water to pass therethrough, and a rear cover detachably attached to the front cover from the back side. The lint collected by the filtering member is peeled off from the filtering member by centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the washing and dewatering tub in a dehydration step of the washing operation, and is pressed against the rear cover.

[0003] After the washing operation, the user removes the filter unit from the water passage and separates it into the front cover and the rear cover for maintenance of the filter unit, and then presses and slides the end of the front cover against the rear cover. Thereby, the lint fixed to the rear cover is peeled off by a scraping portion provided at the end of the front cover. Then, when the user combines the front cover and the rear cover to complete the filter unit and attaches it to the water passage, the maintenance of the filter unit is completed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the case of the filter unit described in Patent Document 1, the user can perform maintenance without touching the lint. However, in addition to attaching and detaching the filter unit from the waterway for maintenance, the user must perform three steps: a first step of separating the filter unit into a front cover and a rear cover; a second step of pressing the scraping part of the front cover against the rear cover and sliding it; and a third step of reassembling the front and rear covers. Furthermore, if the orientation of the scraping part is incorrect, the lint adhering to the rear cover cannot be cleanly removed, so careful operation is required when sliding the scraping part of the front cover. Thus, there is room for improvement in terms of maintainability of the filter unit.

[0006] This invention was made against this background, and aims to provide a filter device that can improve maintainability, and a washing machine including the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to a filter device provided in a washing tub of a washing machine, comprising: a back cover attached to the inner circumference of the washing tub; a front cover exposed inside the washing tub while covering the back cover, the front cover having a capture region facing the back cover and a plurality of filter holes distributed in the capture region; and a connecting shaft connecting the back cover and the front cover, wherein the filter device captures foreign matter contained in water that flows into the washing tub between the front cover and the back cover and flows out from the filter holes in the capture region, the back cover having a receiving region for receiving foreign matter that moves away from the capture region, the back cover being rotatable relative to the front cover around the connecting shaft between a completed position in which the receiving region faces the capture region to complete the filter device and a maintenance position in which the receiving region moves away from the capture region for maintenance of the filter device, and further comprising a scraping portion that scrapes foreign matter from the receiving region in conjunction with the relative rotation of the back cover between the completed position and the maintenance position.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the filter device is longitudinal in a predetermined direction, the connecting shaft extends in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the filter device and connects one end of the back cover and the front cover in the longitudinal direction, the back cover is provided with a guide groove extending parallel to the receiving area, the filter device further includes a pivot shaft connected to the other end of the front cover in the longitudinal direction and extending in the intersecting direction, a guide shaft provided with the scraping portion and extending in the intersecting direction and guided along the receiving area by the guide groove, an operating portion arranged on the outside of the back cover and fixed to the guide shaft and operated by the user for relative rotation of the back cover, and a support column portion erected between the pivot shaft and the guide shaft and rotatable together with the guide shaft around the pivot shaft.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the back cover has a through hole for the operating section, which is provided continuously from the end of the guide groove.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the back cover is provided with a notch that opens a part of the guide groove to the front cover side, and the filter device further includes a biasing part that biases the back cover toward the front cover side.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention is a washing machine that includes a washing tub for holding laundry and water, and the filter device attached to the inner circumference of the washing tub. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, in the completed filter device attached to the inner circumference of the washing tub of a washing machine, water in the washing tub flows between the back cover and the front cover in the completed position, flows out through the filter holes in the capture area of ​​the front cover, and foreign matter contained in this water is captured in the capture area. Subsequently, when the washing tub rotates, the foreign matter present in the capture area is pulled away from the capture area by centrifugal force and received in the receiving area of ​​the back cover.

[0013] The back cover and the front cover are connected by a connecting shaft. When the user removes the filter device for maintenance and rotates the back cover relative to the front cover around the connecting shaft between the finished position and the maintenance position, the scraping part scrapes off foreign matter from the receiving area in conjunction with the relative rotation of the back cover. After that, the user rotates the back cover back to the finished position to return the filter device to its finished state and attach it to the inner circumference of the washing tub, completing the maintenance of the filter device. Thus, in addition to the work of attaching and detaching the filter device to the inner circumference of the washing tub for maintenance, the user only needs to rotate the back cover relative to the front cover. Furthermore, since the scraping part automatically scrapes off foreign matter from the receiving area in conjunction with the relative rotation of the back cover, careful operation is not required from the user. As a result, the maintainability of the filter device is improved.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the present invention, when a user removes the filter device for maintenance and operates the control unit located on the outside of the back cover, the back cover rotates relative to the filter device around the connecting shaft at one end in the longitudinal direction, and the guide shaft to which the control unit is fixed rotates around the pivot shaft at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the filter device. At this time, the guide shaft is guided along the receiving area by the guide groove provided in the back cover, so that the scraping part provided on the guide shaft moves along the receiving area and scrapes off foreign matter from the receiving area. After that, when the user rotates the back cover to the completed position by operating the control unit and returns the filter device to its completed state and attaches it to the inner circumference of the washing tub, the maintenance of the filter device is completed. In this way, during maintenance, in addition to the work of attaching and detaching the filter device to the inner circumference of the washing tub, the user only needs to operate the control unit to rotate the back cover relative to the receiving area, and the scraping part will automatically scrape off foreign matter from the receiving area, thus improving the maintainability of the filter device.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the user can attach and detach the operating part and the guide shaft together to the back cover by passing the operating part through a through hole provided in the back cover that is continuous with the end of the guide groove. As a result, the operating part and the guide shaft can be integrally formed, thereby reducing the number of parts.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a notch in the back cover that opens a portion of the guide groove toward the front cover allows foreign matter that has entered the guide groove to escape to the outside, thus preventing foreign matter from getting stuck in the guide groove. In this configuration, the biasing part biases the back cover toward the front cover, pressing the edge of the guide groove against the guide shaft, thus preventing the guide shaft from unexpectedly coming out of the guide groove through the notch. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a schematic right-side view of a longitudinal cross-section of a washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]It is a perspective view of the washing tub of the washing machine pulled out. [Figure 3] It is a front view of the filter device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view of the filter device in the maintenance state. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view of the filter device in the completed state. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 3. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view of the filter device according to the first modification in the maintenance state. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view of the filter device according to the second modification in the maintenance state. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view of the filter device according to the second modification as viewed from a direction different from FIG. 9. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view of the filter device according to the second modification in the completed state. [Figure 12] It is a front view of the filter device according to the second modification. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 12. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 13 of the filter device in the maintenance state.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional right side view of a washing machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the direction orthogonal to the paper surface 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. Of the left-right direction X, the back side of the paper surface in FIG. 1 is referred to as the left side X1, and the front side of the paper surface in FIG. 1 is referred to as the right side X2. Of the front-rear direction Y, the left side is referred to as the front side Y1, and the right side is referred to as the rear side Y2. Of 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.

[0019] The washing machine 1 includes a casing 2 that forms its outer shell, an outer tub 3 housed within the casing 2 for storing water, a water supply channel 4 for supplying water to the outer tub 3, and a drain channel 5 for draining the water stored in the outer tub 3. The washing machine 1 further includes a washing tub 6 housed within the outer tub 3, a rotor 7 positioned within the washing tub 6, and a motor 8 that generates torque to rotate the washing tub 6 and the rotor 7. The washing machine 1 further includes a guide cover 9 positioned within the washing tub 6 for circulating water, and a filter device 10 attached to the guide cover 9 and provided in the washing tub 6 for capturing foreign matter from the water.

[0020] The enclosure 2 is formed in a box shape. The upper surface 2A and the upper end of the rear surface 2B of the enclosure 2 are, for example, a resin top plate 2C. An entrance / exit 2D is formed on the top surface 2A, connecting the inside and outside of the enclosure 2. A cylindrical partition wall 2E is provided on the top plate 2C, bordering the entrance / exit 2D and extending downward Z2. The internal space of the partition wall 2E is part of the entrance / exit 2D.

[0021] A lid 11 for opening and closing the entrance / exit 2D is provided on the top surface 2A of the housing 2. A display and operation unit 12, which is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal control panel, is provided in the area surrounding the entrance / exit 2D on the top surface 2A. The user of the washing machine 1 can freely select the operating conditions of the washing machine 1, or instruct the washing machine 1 to start or stop operation, etc., by operating the display and operation unit 12. Information regarding the operation of the washing machine 1 is displayed on the display and operation unit 12 in a visually identifiable manner.

[0022] The outer tank 3 is made of, for example, resin and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape. The outer tank 3 has a substantially cylindrical circumferential wall 3A arranged along the vertical direction Z, a bottom wall 3B that closes the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 3A from below Z2, and a ring-shaped annular wall 3C that borders the upper edge of the circumferential wall 3A and protrudes toward the center of the circumferential wall 3A. An inlet / outlet 3D is formed inside the annular wall 3C, communicating with the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 3A from above Z1. The inlet / outlet 3D is opposite to the inlet / outlet 2D of the housing 2 from below Z2 and is in communication with it. The bottom wall 3B is formed in a substantially horizontally extending disc shape, and a through hole 3E is formed at the center of the bottom wall 3B, penetrating the bottom wall 3B in the vertical direction Z.

[0023] One end of the water supply channel 4 (not shown) is extended outside the housing 2 and connected to a faucet. The other end of the water supply channel 4 is located inside the housing 2 and serves as a water inlet 4A, looking into the interior of the outer tank 3 from above Z1 through the inlet / outlet 3D of the outer tank 3. The drainage channel 5 is connected to the bottom wall 3B of the outer tank 3 from below Z2.

[0024] A water supply valve 13 is provided in the water supply channel 4, and a drain valve 14 is provided in the drain channel 5. When the water supply valve 13 is opened with the drain valve 14 closed, water from the tap flows through the water supply channel 4 and is supplied to the outer tank 3 from the water inlet 4A and accumulates there. When the drain valve 14 is opened, the water in the outer tank 3 is discharged outside the machine, i.e., outside the housing 2, through the drain channel 5.

[0025] The washing tub 6 is made of metal, for example, and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape that is slightly smaller than the outer tub 3, and can accommodate laundry Q inside. The washing tub 6 has a substantially cylindrical circumferential wall 6A arranged along the vertical direction Z, and a bottom wall 6B provided at the lower end of the washing tub 6 that closes the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 6A from below Z2. The inner surface of the circumferential wall 6A constitutes the inner circumference 6C of the washing tub 6.

[0026] An opening 6D is formed at the upper end of the washing tub 6, bordered by the upper end of the inner surface of the circumferential wall 6A. The opening 6D exposes the hollow portion of the circumferential wall 6A to the upper Z1 and communicates with the opening 3D of the outer tub 3 from below Z2. The user loads and unloads laundry Q into the washing tub 6 from above Z1 through the open openings 2D, 3D, and 6D. The openings 2D, 3D, and 6D are opened and closed together by the lid 11.

[0027] Multiple through-holes 6E are formed in at least one of the circumferential wall 6A and the bottom wall 6B of the washing tub 6, allowing water in the outer tub 3 to move between the outer tub 3 and the washing tub 6 through the through-holes 6E. As a result, water is also stored in the washing tub 6, and the water level in the outer tub 3 and the water level in the washing tub 6 coincide.

[0028] The washing tub 6 is housed coaxially within the outer tub 3. While housed within the outer tub 3, the washing tub 6 is rotatable around an axis J that passes through the center of the washing tub 6 and extends in the vertical direction Z. The washing machine 1 is a vertical washing machine, and in this embodiment, axis J strictly extends in the vertical direction, but may also extend in a direction inclined with respect to the vertical. Axis J also passes through the center of the outer tub 3. The direction of rotation of the washing tub 6 coincides with the circumferential direction P around axis J. Hereinafter, the radial direction with respect to axis J will be referred to as the radial direction R, and of the radial direction R, the side approaching axis J will be referred to as the radially inner R1, and the side moving away from axis J will be referred to as the radially outer R2.

[0029] An annular balancer 15 is attached to the upper end of the inner surface of the washing tub 6, along the circumferential direction P. The balancer 15 reduces vibration of the washing tub 6 during rotation, and a liquid such as saltwater is contained inside the balancer 15 to contribute to vibration reduction.

[0030] The bottom wall 6B of the washing tub 6 is formed in a disc shape that extends approximately parallel to the bottom wall 3B of the outer tub 3 at a distance of Z1 upward. A through hole 6F is formed in the bottom wall 6B at the center of the circle, coinciding with the axis J, and penetrates the bottom wall 6B in the vertical direction Z. A tubular support shaft 16 is provided in the bottom wall 6B, surrounding the through hole 6F and extending downward Z2 along the axis J. The support shaft 16 is inserted through the through hole 3E in the bottom wall 3B of the outer tub 3, and the lower end of the support shaft 16 is located Z2 below the bottom wall 3B.

[0031] The rotor blade 7 is a so-called pulsator, formed in a disc shape with axis J as its center, and positioned on the bottom wall 6B inside the washing tub 6. On the upper surface of the rotor blade 7 facing the inlet / outlet 6D of the washing tub 6, there are multiple raised sections 7A that rise upward Z1 and are arranged radially with axis J as their center. On the lower surface of the rotor blade 7, there are multiple back blades 7B arranged radially with axis J as their center. The lower end of the rotor blade 7 where the back blades 7B are positioned inside the washing tub 6 is called space S.

[0032] The rotor blade 7 is provided with a rotating shaft 17 that extends downward Z2 along the axis J from its central part. The rotating shaft 17 is inserted through the hollow portion of the support shaft 16, and the lower end of the rotating shaft 17 is located Z2 below the bottom wall 3B of the outer tank 3.

[0033] Motor 8 is an electric motor such as an inverter motor. Motor 8 is located inside the housing 2, below Z2 of the outer tank 3. Motor 8 has an output shaft 18 that protrudes upward Z1 and rotates about axis J, and generates torque which is output from the output shaft 18.

[0034] A transmission mechanism 19 is interposed between the lower ends of the support shaft 16 and the rotating shaft 17 and the upper end of the output shaft 18 of the motor 8. A known clutch or the like is used as the transmission mechanism 19. The transmission mechanism 19 selectively transmits the torque output by the motor 8 from the output shaft 18 to one or both of the support shaft 16 and the rotating shaft 17. When the torque from the motor 8 is transmitted to the support shaft 16, the washing tub 6 rotates around axis J in response to the torque from the motor 8. When the torque from the motor 8 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 17, the rotor blade 7 rotates around axis J in response to the torque from the motor 8.

[0035] Multiple guide covers 9 exist and are arranged in a distributed manner along the circumferential direction P on the inner surface of the circumferential wall 6A. It is preferable that these guide covers 9 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction P. Each guide cover 9 is trough-shaped, extending upward Z1 from the lower end of the circumferential wall 6A of the washing tub 6, and is made of, for example, resin. Its flat cross-section is formed in a circular arc shape that is convex inward R1 in the radial direction (see also Figure 2).

[0036] The guide cover 9 is fixed to the circumferential wall 6A so as to cover a portion of the circumferential wall 6A from the radially inward R1, and constitutes a part of the inner circumference 6C of the washing tub 6. Between the guide cover 9 and the circumferential wall 6A, a circulating water channel 20 is formed inside the washing tub 6, extending upward Z1 from the lower end of the circumferential wall 6A. In other words, the guide cover 9 constitutes the circulating water channel 20. If there are multiple guide covers 9, then multiple circulating water channels 20 are also provided.

[0037] The lower end of the circulating water channel 20 is connected from the radially outward R2 to the space S in the internal space of the washing tub 6 where the back blades 7B of the rotor blades 7 are located, serving as the inlet 20A of the circulating water channel 20. In other words, the inlet 20A is located on the bottom wall 6B side of the washing tub 6. The guide cover 9 has an opening 9A that penetrates the guide cover 9 radially R. The portion of the circulating water channel 20 exposed radially inward R1 from the opening 9A is the outlet 20B, which is located at a higher position than the inlet 20A and faces into the washing tub 6.

[0038] The filter device 10 is attached to the guide cover 9 by being fitted into the opening 9A of the guide cover 9 (see also Figure 2). The filter device 10 includes a back cover 21 that fits into the opening 9A of the guide cover 9, and a front cover 22 attached to the back cover 21. The front cover 22 covers the opening 9A. The front cover 22 is provided with a plurality of filter holes 22A. The filter device 10 will be described in more detail later.

[0039] The washing machine 1 further includes a control unit 100 that performs a washing operation. The control unit 100 is composed of a microcomputer and is located inside the housing 2. The washing operation includes a washing step, a rinsing step, and a spin-drying step.

[0040] In the washing process, the control unit 100 first closes the drain valve 14 and opens the water supply valve 13 for a predetermined time to supply water to the outer tub 3 and the washing tub 6 to a predetermined water level. Before the water supply, the user may add detergent to the washing tub 6. The washing machine 1 may include a dispensing unit (not shown) for automatically dispensing detergent into the washing tub 6. Detergent water containing dissolved detergent accumulates in the outer tub 3 and the washing tub 6.

[0041] After water is supplied, the control unit 100 controls the transmission mechanism 19 as needed so that the torque of the motor 8 is transmitted to the rotor blade 7, and then drives the motor 8 to rotate the rotor blade 7. As a result, inside the washing tub 6, dirt is mechanically removed from the laundry Q by the raised portion 7A of the rotating rotor blade 7, or the dirt on the laundry Q is chemically decomposed by the detergent components contained in the detergent water.

[0042] Furthermore, the water in the space S on the bottom wall 6B side of the washing tub 6 is pushed radially outward R2 by the back blade 7B of the rotating rotor blade 7 and sent to the inlet 20A of each circulation channel 20. The water that flows upward Z1 through each circulation channel 20 flows into the space between the back cover 21 and the front cover 22 of the filter device 10, then passes through the filter hole 22A of the front cover 22 and flows radially inward R1 from the outlet 20B of the circulation channel 20 (see the dashed arrow in Figure 1).

[0043] The filter device 10 captures foreign matter such as lint from the water passing through the filter holes 22A of the front cover 22 and stores it inside the filter device 10. The water that returns to the washing tub 6 from the outlet 20B is sprayed onto the laundry Q inside the washing tub 6 from above Z1, then flows down into space S, and circulates again through the circulation channel 20 to spray onto the laundry Q once more. When the rotor blade 7 rotates for a predetermined time, the washing process is completed.

[0044] Next, the control unit 100 opens the drain valve 14 as part of the drainage process, and discharges the water in the outer tub 3 and the washing tub 6 to the outside of the machine. As part of the dewatering process after the drainage process, the control unit 100, with the drain valve 14 still open, controls the transmission mechanism 19 so that the torque of the motor 8 is transmitted to the washing tub 6, causing the washing tub 6 to rotate at high speed. The centrifugal force generated by this high-speed rotation dewaters the laundry Q inside the washing tub 6. The water that seeps out of the laundry Q during dewatering is discharged to the outside of the machine.

[0045] Next, the control unit 100 executes the rinsing process. Specifically, similar to the washing process, the control unit 100 supplies water to the outer tub 3 and the washing tub 6 to a predetermined level and then rotates the rotor blades 7. However, in the rinsing process, tap water is stored in the outer tub 3 and the washing tub 6. In the rinsing process, the laundry Q is rinsed in the washing tub 6 by water agitated in accordance with the rotation of the rotor blades 7 and by water circulating through the circulation water channel 20. The rinsing process may be executed multiple times. Furthermore, instead of the stored rinse described above, in which water is stored in the outer tub 3 and the washing tub 6 to rinse the laundry Q, a shower rinse may be performed in which water is sprayed from the water supply channel 4 into the washing tub 6 while it is rotating at a low speed.

[0046] Finally, the control unit 100 performs a dewatering process. The contents of the dewatering process are almost the same as those of the dewatering process described above. The dewatering process may be called the intermediate dewatering process, and the dewatering process may be called the final dewatering process. There may be differences in the rotation speed and rotation time of the washing tub 6 between the final dewatering process and the intermediate dewatering process. The washing operation itself ends when the final dewatering process is completed. The washing machine 1 may have a drying function to dry the laundry Q in the washing tub 6, in which case it includes a configuration (not shown) for supplying hot air into the washing tub 6, and the washing operation includes a drying process after the final dewatering process.

[0047] Next, the filter device 10 will be described in detail. Figure 3 is a front view of the filter device 10 as seen from the radially inner R1. In the following, the filter device 10 will be described based on the state in which the filter device 10 is attached to the guide cover 9. Furthermore, the filter device 10 will be described based on the orientation of the filter device 10 as seen from the radially inner R1 as shown in Figure 3. Therefore, the left-right direction in Figure 3 will be called the left-right direction X of the filter device 10, the left side in Figure 3 will be called the left X1, and the right side in Figure 3 will be called the right X2. The left-right direction X is the same as the circumferential direction P mentioned above, or the tangential direction to the circumferential direction P.

[0048] The filter device 10 is longitudinal in a predetermined direction, and in this embodiment has a vertically elongated overall shape, with its longitudinal direction L parallel to the vertical direction Z, and is attached to the inner circumference 6C of the washing tub 6 (see Figure 2). The left-right direction X of the filter device 10 is intersecting, or more precisely, perpendicular to, the longitudinal direction L, and is also the short-side direction of the filter device 10. The filter device 10 is configured symmetrically in both its overall form and details.

[0049] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in Figure 3. In addition to the aforementioned back cover 21 and front cover 22, the filter device 10 further includes a connecting shaft 23 that connects these covers to each other, a pivot shaft 24 connected to the front cover 22, a guide shaft 25 connected to the back cover 21, and a support column 26 installed between the pivot shaft 24 and the guide shaft 25. Below, the front cover 22 and back cover 21 will be described in that order first, and then the other components will be described.

[0050] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the filter device 10 in a maintenance state. In the state shown in Figure 5, the front cover 22 is a vertically elongated plate, and the surface portion 22B is mainly visible. The upper end of the front cover 22 is formed in an arc shape that bulges upward Z1. The front cover 22 has a recess 22C that is recessed downward Z2 from its upper end and penetrates the front cover 22 in the thickness direction, i.e., the radial direction R.

[0051] A protrusion 22E is provided at the upper end of the back surface 22D of the front cover 22, projecting radially outward R2 (see Figure 4). The protrusion 22E is a horizontally elongated hollow body. The internal space of the protrusion 22E is exposed as a recess 22F in the area below the recess 22C on the front surface 22B.

[0052] An engaging portion 31 is provided in the center of the upper surface of the protrusion 22E. The engaging portion 31 extends upward Z1 and curves, then extends substantially horizontally radially inward R1, with a portion of it positioned within the recess 22C. Such an engaging portion 31 is elastically deformable at least in the vertical direction Z. A claw 31A extending in the left-right direction X is provided on the upper surface of the engaging portion 31.

[0053] The front cover 22 is provided with a left rib 22G that protrudes radially outward R2 and extends in a band shape along the left edge of the front cover 22, and a right rib 22H that protrudes radially outward R2 and extends in a band shape along the right edge of the front cover 22. The upper ends of the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H are curved to follow the arc shape of the upper end of the front cover 22.

[0054] Parts of the upper ends of the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H are bent downward Z2 and exposed in the recess 22C, connecting to the upper surface of the protrusion 22E. An opening 22I is provided at the lower end of the front cover 22, sandwiched between the lower ends of the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H and opening downward Z2 (see Figure 4).

[0055] The left rib 22G and the right rib 22H each have a U-shaped notch 22J, a locking hole 22K located around the notch 22J, and an L-shaped fitting groove 22L located above the notch 22J at Z1.

[0056] The notch 22J is located in the upper region of both the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H, and opens radially outward R2. In Figure 5, the lock hole 22K is located below the notch 22J, but it may also be located above the notch 22J (see Figure 8, etc.). The lock hole 22K is a through hole that penetrates both the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H along the left-right direction X, but it may also be a recess provided on the inner surfaces of the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H that face each other.

[0057] The fitting groove 22L extends diagonally from the radially outer edge R2 of the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H toward the radially inner edge R1 and upward Z1, then bends and extends upward Z1. The upper end of the fitting groove 22L is the deepest part of the fitting groove 22L.

[0058] On the back surface 22D of the front cover 22, the area below the protrusion 22E Z2 and sandwiched from the left-right direction X by the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H is called the capture area 22M (see Figure 4). The capture area 22M is provided with a plurality of through holes 22N arranged at equal intervals in both the left-right direction X and the up-down direction Z. An example of each through hole 22N is a vertically elongated rectangle with rounded corners, which penetrates the front cover 22 in the radial direction R.

[0059] Furthermore, on the surface portion 22B of the front cover 22, the four rectangular portions aligned in the left-right direction X below the recess 22F are convex portions 22O that protrude slightly inward in the radial direction R1. Instead of the convex portions 22O, through holes 22N may be provided. In addition, a pair of ribs 22P extending in the up-down direction Z may be provided at both ends of the surface portion 22B in the left-right direction X.

[0060] A through hole 22N and a protrusion 22O are positioned between a pair of ribs 22P. In addition, a number of small holes 22Q that penetrate the front cover 22 radially R may be provided on the surface portion 22B at positions that avoid the through hole 22N, the protrusion 22O, and the ribs 22P.

[0061] A mesh sheet 32 ​​is attached to each through-hole 22N so as to block the through-hole 22N (see Figure 3). Note that the mesh sheet 32 ​​is not shown in most figures other than Figure 3. The mesh sheet 32 ​​has countless tiny through-holes formed therein, and these through-holes are the filter holes 22A mentioned above. The mesh sheet 32 ​​provided at each through-hole 22N of the capture area 22M is part of the capture area 22M. Therefore, multiple filter holes 22A are distributed in the capture area 22M. Instead of the mesh sheet 32, a grid integrally formed with the capture area 22M may be used, in which case the gaps in the grid function as filter holes 22A.

[0062] The back cover 21 is slightly smaller than the front cover 22. The back cover 21 includes a vertically elongated rectangular plate-shaped flat section 21A, a left rib 21B that extends in a band shape along the left edge of the flat section 21A, a right rib 21C that extends in a band shape along the right edge of the flat section 21A, and a support section 21D (see Figure 4) that is installed between the upper ends of the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C.

[0063] When the filter device 10 is completed, the flat plate portion 21A is positioned along the vertical direction Z (see Figure 4). The surface portion of the flat plate portion 21A facing the radially inward R1 is called the receiving region 21E. The receiving region 21E is a flat surface. The portion of the flat plate portion 21A facing the radially outward R2 is the back surface portion 21F (see Figure 4). The lower end portion of the flat plate portion 21A, located below the receiving region 21E Z2, curves radially inward R1.

[0064] The left rib 21B protrudes from the left edge of the flat plate portion 21A to both the radially outward R, i.e., both the radially inward R1 and radially outward R2. The right rib 21C protrudes from the right edge of the flat plate portion 21A to both the radially outward R. The upper ends of the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C are positioned to extend above the upper end of the flat plate portion 21A by Z1 (see Figure 4).

[0065] In both the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C, a linear guide groove 21G is provided in a region R1 radially inward from the receiving region 21E of the flat plate portion 21A, extending parallel to the receiving region 21E. The guide groove 21G of the left rib 21B is a slit shape that penetrates the left rib 21B in the left-right direction X, and the guide groove 21G of the right rib 21C is a slit shape that penetrates the right rib 21C in the left-right direction X.

[0066] In both the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C, a U-shaped notch 21H is formed in the portion Z2 below the lower end of the guide groove 21G, opening radially inward R1. In both the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C, a hemispherical locking projection 21I is provided in the region R2 radially outward from the receiving region 21E of the flat plate portion 21A. The locking projection 21I of the left rib 21B is provided near the upper end of the guide groove 21G on the left surface, which is the outer surface of the left rib 21B (not shown). The locking projection 21I of the right rib 21C is provided near the upper end of the guide groove 21G on the right surface, which is the outer surface of the right rib 21C.

[0067] The erection section 21D is positioned above Z1 above the upper end of the flat plate section 21A, and closes the space between the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C from above Z1 (see Figure 4).

[0068] The connecting shaft 23 is cylindrical in shape and extends in the left-right direction X, and is provided at the upper ends of the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C, respectively, in a portion Z1 above the erection section 21D (see also Figure 4). The connecting shaft 23 of the left rib 21B protrudes to the left X1 from the upper end of the outer surface of the left rib 21B and is fitted into the deepest part of the fitting groove 22L of the left rib 22G of the front cover 22 (not shown). The connecting shaft 23 of the right rib 21C protrudes to the right X2 from the upper end of the outer surface of the right rib 21C and is fitted into the deepest part of the fitting groove 22L of the right rib 22H of the front cover 22. As a result, the upper ends of the back cover 21 and the front cover 22, that is, one end of the back cover 21 and the front cover 22 in the longitudinal direction L, are connected by the connecting shaft 23.

[0069] The back cover 21 is rotatable relative to the front cover 22 around the connecting shaft 23 between the completed position (see Figure 4) and the maintenance position shown in Figure 5. When the back cover 21 is positioned in the completed position, the receiving area 21E of the flat plate portion 21A of the back cover 21 faces the capture area 22M of the back surface portion 22D of the front cover 22 from the radially outer R2 in the vertical direction Z, thereby completing the filter device 10 (see Figure 4).

[0070] When the rear cover 21 rotates relative to the maintenance position from the completed position, the receiving area 21E tilts so as to move radially outward R2 from the capture area 22M, as shown in Figure 5. At this time, the filter device 10 is in the maintenance state.

[0071] However, the rear cover 21 cannot be rotated relative to the filter device 10 unless it is removed from the guide cover 9 and becomes a standalone unit. Alternatively, the rear cover 21 can be rotated relative to the front cover 22 by actually rotating the front cover 22 instead of the rear cover 21.

[0072] The pivot shaft 24 is cylindrical in shape and extends in the left-right direction X, and is connected to the lower end of the front cover 22, that is, to the other end of the front cover 22 in the longitudinal direction L. Specifically, the pivot shaft 24 is installed between the lower ends of the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H of the front cover 22.

[0073] The guide shaft 25 is cylindrical in shape and extends in the left-right direction X, and is fitted into the respective guide grooves 21G of the left rib 21B and right rib 21C of the back cover 21. The guide shaft 25 is slidable along the guide grooves 21G. Both ends of the guide shaft 25 in the left-right direction X are positioned to protrude from the respective guide grooves 21G to the outside of the back cover 21 in the left-right direction X. Disc-shaped operating parts 33 are fixed coaxially to both ends of the guide shaft 25. The portion of the guide shaft 25 between both ends is called the scraping part 34.

[0074] The support columns 26 are rod-shaped and extend in a straight line, and are provided in pairs, for example, on the left and right sides. Each support column 26 is installed between the pivot shaft 24 and the guide shaft 25. Therefore, the combination of the pivot shaft 24, the guide shaft 25, and the pair of support columns 26 forms a rectangular frame.

[0075] The portion of each support column 26 connected to the pivot shaft 24 is positioned between the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H of the front cover 22. The portion of each support column 26 connected to the guide shaft 25 is positioned between the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C of the back cover 21. The support column 26 is rotatable around the pivot shaft 24 together with the guide shaft 25.

[0076] When the filter device 10 exists as a standalone unit, the user can rotate the back cover 21 relative to the filter by operating the control unit 33.

[0077] For example, in the state shown in Figure 5, the user holds the pair of operating parts 33 provided at both ends of the guide shaft 25 between their thumb and index finger and slides it upward Z1. As a result, the guide shaft 25, located at the lower end of each guide groove 21G of the back cover 21, rotates around the pivot axis 24 while being guided along the receiving area 21E of the flat plate portion 21A of the back cover 21 by each guide groove 21G, moving upward Z1 and toward the front cover 22.

[0078] As a result, the back cover 21 rotates relative to the front cover 22 to approach it, and is eventually positioned in the completed position shown in Figure 6. At this time, the guide shaft 25 is positioned at the upper end of each guide groove 21G (see Figure 4). The pair of operating parts 33 are received in corresponding notches 22J on the left rib 22G and right rib 22H of the front cover 22. Furthermore, the locking projections 21I provided on the left rib 21B and right rib 21C of the back cover 21 fit into corresponding locking holes 22K on the left rib 22G and right rib 22H, thereby positioning the back cover 21 in the completed position.

[0079] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the lock hole 22K is located around the notch 22J, making it easily accessible for the user's fingers to apply force when attempting to fit the operating part 33 into the notch 22J. Therefore, the user can fit the lock projection 21I into the lock hole 22K with minimal force. Alternatively, the lock projection 21I may be provided on the front cover 22 and the lock hole 22K on the back cover 21.

[0080] Then, as shown in Figure 7, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the BB arrow in Figure 3, in the rear cover 21 positioned in the completed position, the notches 21H at the lower ends of the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C fit onto the pivot shaft 24 on the front cover 22 side.

[0081] With the back cover 21 in its final position, when the user grasps the pair of operating parts 33 with their thumb and index finger and removes them from the notch 22J of the front cover 22, the locking projection 21I of the back cover 21 disengages from the locking hole 22K of the front cover 22. Even in this case, the user can disengage the locking projection 21I from the locking hole 22K with minimal force.

[0082] Subsequently, the user slides the pair of operating parts 33 radially outward R2 while still holding them. As a result, the guide shaft 25 rotates around the pivot shaft 24, guided by each guide groove 21G along the receiving area 21E of the flat plate portion 21A of the back cover 21, moving downward Z2 and to the opposite side from the front cover 22. This causes the back cover 21 to rotate relative to the front cover 22, ultimately placing it in the maintenance position (see Figure 5).

[0083] As described above, the back cover 21 and front cover 22 of the completed filter device 10 are attached to the guide cover 9 by being fitted into the opening 9A of the guide cover 9 (see also Figures 1 and 2). At this time, the lower end of the front cover 22 and the claw 31A of the engaging portion 31 of the front cover 22 (see Figure 4) engage with the guide cover 9, thereby positioning the filter device 10 within the opening 9A.

[0084] The front cover 22 is exposed inside the washing tub 6, covering the back cover 21 from the radially inward R1. During the washing and rinsing cycles of the washing operation, the water in the washing tub 6 circulates through the circulation channel 20 between the guide cover 9 and the circumferential wall 6A of the washing tub 6, as described above. As shown by arrow W1 in Figure 7, in the filter device 10, this water rises along the back surface 21F of the flat plate portion 21A of the back cover 21, then passes through the gap V between the flat plate portion 21A and the support portion 21D, and is guided downward and radially inward R1 by the support portion 21D, flowing into the space K between the receiving area 21E of the flat plate portion 21A and the capture area 22M of the front cover 22.

[0085] As shown by arrow W2 in Figure 7, the water flowing into space K flows out radially inward R1 from the filter hole 22A in the capture area 22M and returns to the washing tub 6. Foreign matter such as lint and dust contained in the water flowing out from the filter hole 22A is captured in the capture area 22M.

[0086] During the spin-drying process of the washing cycle, when the washing tub 6 rotates, foreign objects present in the capture area 22M are pulled away from the capture area 22M by centrifugal force. The foreign objects that have left the capture area 22M are caught by the receiving area 21E of the flat plate portion 21A of the back cover 21 (see foreign object F in Figure 7).

[0087] After a washing cycle, the user can open the lid 11 to access the washing tub 6 and detach the lower end of the front cover 22 of the filter device 10 from the guide cover 9 by releasing the claw 31A (see Figure 4) of the engaging portion 31 of the front cover 22. This allows the filter device 10 to be removed from the guide cover 9 for maintenance. At this time, the user may also insert their fingers into the recess 22F (see Figure 6) of the front cover 22.

[0088] As mentioned above, the foreign object F that is received by the receiving area 21E is stuck to the receiving area 21E, so it cannot be removed from the receiving area 21E simply by turning the filter device 10 upside down. Therefore, the user places the removed filter device 10 on top of a trash can or the like, and operates the operating section 33 of the filter device 10 as described above to rotate the back cover 21 from the completed position to the maintenance position (see Figure 5).

[0089] As a result, the guide shaft 25 fixed to the operating unit 33 moves along the receiving area 21E of the flat plate portion 21A of the back cover 21, and the scraping portion 34 provided on the guide shaft 25 scrapes off the foreign matter F from the receiving area 21E.

[0090] The user may repeatedly rotate the back cover 21 between the completed position and the maintenance position by operating the operating unit 33 so that the guide shaft 25 reciprocates within the guide groove 21G. As a result, the scraping unit 34 scrapes off foreign matter F from the receiving area 21E repeatedly in conjunction with the relative rotation of the back cover 21 between the completed position and the maintenance position. The scraping unit 34 may be configured with brushes, wipers, or the like so that it can effectively scrape off foreign matter F from the receiving area 21E.

[0091] The scraped-off foreign matter F falls into the trash can by its own weight, so the user can dispose of the foreign matter F in the trash can without ever touching it. Furthermore, by removing the connecting shaft 23 from the fitting groove 22L of the front cover 22, the user can expose the capture area 22M of the front cover 22, and can then use a cleaning tool such as a brush to thoroughly remove any other foreign matter remaining in the capture area 22M. Then, when the user rotates the back cover 21 to the completed position to return the filter device 10 to its completed state and attaches it to the inner circumference 6C of the washing tub 6, the maintenance of the filter device 10 is complete.

[0092] As described above, during maintenance, it is unnecessary to separate the back cover 21 and the front cover 22. The user only needs to attach and detach the filter device 10 to the inner circumference 6C of the washing tub 6 and operate the control unit 33 to rotate the back cover 21 relative to the front cover. Furthermore, since the scraping unit 34 automatically scrapes off foreign matter F from the receiving area 21E in conjunction with the relative rotation of the back cover 21, careful operation is not required from the user. As a result, the maintainability of the filter device 10 is improved.

[0093] The filter device 10 can be modified in the following first and second ways. Figures 8 onward show the corresponding modifications, but in each of the figures 8 onward, the same reference numerals are used for parts that have been described so far, and the explanation of those parts is omitted.

[0094] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the filter device 10 according to the first modified example in a maintenance state. In the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C of the back cover 21 of the filter device 10 according to the first modified example, through holes 21J through which the operating part 33 passes are provided, continuously from the end of the guide groove 21G. The through holes 21J are round holes with a larger diameter than the operating part 33, and the diameters of the operating part 33 and the through holes 21J are larger than the groove width H of the guide groove 21G.

[0095] As a result, the user can attach and detach the operating part 33 and the guide shaft 25 together to the back cover 21 by passing the operating part 33 through the through hole 21J, which is provided in the back cover 21 continuously at the end of the guide groove 21G. Therefore, the operating part 33 and the guide shaft 25 can be integrally formed instead of being separate parts, thus reducing the number of parts.

[0096] The through hole 21J is preferably positioned in the guide groove 21G at a location away from the range of movement of the guide shaft 25 corresponding to the relative rotation of the back cover 21. This prevents the operating section 33 and the guide shaft 25 from unexpectedly detaching from the back cover 21 through the through hole 21J during the relative rotation of the back cover 21 between the finished position and the maintenance position.

[0097] Furthermore, the through hole 21J is preferably provided continuously at the upper end of the guide groove 21G opposite to the pivot shaft 24 side.

[0098] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the filter device 10 according to the second modified example in a maintenance state. The left rib 21B and the right rib 21C of the back cover 21 of the filter device 10 according to the second modified example are provided with notches 21K that open a portion of the guide groove 21G to the front cover 22 side. Specifically, the notches 21K open only the intermediate portion 21GC between the upper end 21GA and the lower end 21GB of the guide groove 21G to the front cover 22 side.

[0099] Such a notch 21K allows foreign matter that has entered the guide groove 21G to escape to the outside of the guide groove 21G, thus preventing foreign matter from clogging the guide groove 21G. Furthermore, by passing the guide shaft 25 through the notch 21K, the operating section 33 and the guide shaft 25 can be attached to and detached from the back cover 21 together, so that the operating section 33 and the guide shaft 25 can be integrally formed, similar to the first modified example.

[0100] In Figure 10, a positioning projection 22R is shown, which is provided in the capture area 22M of the front cover 22 at a position avoiding the through hole 22N and protruding radially outward R2. The positioning projection 22R contacts the back cover 21 when it is in the completed position, thereby securing the aforementioned space K (see Figure 7) between the capture area 22M and the receiving area 21E of the back cover 21 of the flat plate portion 21A. The positioning projection 22R can also be applied to the filter device 10 with the other configurations described above.

[0101] Figure 11 shows the completed filter device 10. The distance T1 between the outer surfaces of the pair of left and right support columns 26 is smaller than the distance T2 between the inner surfaces of the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C of the back cover 21. The distance T3 between the outer surfaces of the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C of the back cover 21 is smaller than the distance T4 between the inner surfaces of the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H of the front cover 22.

[0102] Therefore, when the back cover 21 is placed in the final position and the filter device 10 is completed, the pair of left and right support columns 26 fit between the left rib 21B and the right rib 21C, and the back cover 21 fits between the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H, so the completed filter device 10 becomes thinner in the radial direction R. This also applies to the other configurations of the filter device 10 described above.

[0103] In relation to the aforementioned notch 21K, the mounting portion 21D of the back cover 21 in the second modified example is provided with a biasing portion 35. The biasing portion 35 is a leaf spring shape that curves away from the front cover 22 and then bends to extend upward Z1, and one is provided at each end of the mounting portion 21D in the left-right direction X. The upper ends of the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H of the front cover 22 are provided with plate-shaped pressing portions 22S that are bent toward the engaging portion 31 in the aforementioned recess 22C.

[0104] When the back cover 21 is in the completed position, the upper ends 35A of the pair of biasing portions 35 are facing the corresponding pressing portions 22S on the left rib 22G and right rib 22H of the front cover 22, separated by a gap M (see also Figure 13, a cross-sectional view taken along the CC arrow in Figure 12). As described above, when the user rotates the back cover 21 relative to the maintenance position, the upper ends 35A move closer to the corresponding pressing portions 22S.

[0105] When the user further rotates the back cover 21 relative to the front cover 22, as shown in Figure 14, the upper end portion 35A presses against the pressing portion 22S, causing each biasing portion 35 to elastically deform. As a result, each biasing portion 35 attempts to return to its original shape, biasing the back cover 21 toward the front cover 22.

[0106] In this manner, when the rear cover 21 is rotated relative to the front cover 22 from the finished position to the maintenance position, the biasing part 35 biases the rear cover 21 toward the front cover 22, pressing the edge 21GD of the guide groove 21G against the guide shaft 25. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the guide shaft 25 from unexpectedly coming out of the guide groove 21G through the notch 21K while the rear cover 21 is rotating. As shown in Figure 14, grooves 22T may be provided on the inner surfaces of the left rib 22G and the right rib 22H of the front cover 22 to guide the aforementioned lock projection 21I (see Figure 10) into the lock hole 22K.

[0107] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0108] 1. Washing machine 6. Washing tub 6C Inner circumference 10 Filter device 21 Back cover 21E Reception area 21G guide groove 21J Through-hole 21K Notch 22 Front cover 22A filter hole 22M capture area 23 Connecting shaft 24 pivot axes 25 Guide axis 26 Pillar section 33 Operation section 34 Scraping part 35. Encouraging part F Foreign object L Longitudinal direction Q Laundry X Left / right direction Z vertical direction

Claims

1. A filter device installed in the washing tub of a washing machine, A back cover attached to the inner circumference of the washing tub, An outer cover that is exposed inside the washing tub while covering the inner cover, the outer cover having a capture region facing the inner cover and a plurality of filter holes distributed in the capture region, It includes a connecting shaft that connects one end of the back cover and one end of the front cover, In the washing tub, foreign matter contained in the water that flows between the front cover and the back cover and flows out from the filter holes is captured in the capture area. The aforementioned back cover is provided with a receiving area for receiving foreign objects that move away from the capture area. The rear cover is rotatable relative to the front cover around the connecting shaft between a completed position in which the receiving area faces the capture area to complete the filter device and a maintenance position in which the receiving area moves away from the capture area for maintenance of the filter device. A scraping unit that scrapes foreign matter from the receiving area in conjunction with the relative rotation of the back cover between the completed position and the maintenance position, A guide shaft provided with the scraping portion that moves along the receiving area, A pivot shaft connected to the other end of the aforementioned table cover, A filter device further comprising a support column, which is installed between the pivot shaft and the guide shaft and is rotatable together with the guide shaft around the pivot shaft.

2. The filter device according to claim 1, further comprising an operating part disposed on the outside of the back cover and fixed to the guide shaft, which is operated by a user for relative rotation of the back cover.

3. The filter device according to claim 2, wherein the back cover is provided with a guide groove extending parallel to the receiving area, and a through hole for the operating section is provided in the back cover, continuous with the end of the guide groove.

4. The rear cover is provided with a guide groove extending parallel to the receiving area and a notch that opens a portion of the guide groove toward the front cover. The filter device according to claim 2, further comprising a biasing unit that biases the back cover toward the front cover.

5. A washing machine tub that holds laundry and is filled with water, A washing machine comprising a filter device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is attached to the inner circumference of the washing tub.

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