washing machine

Abstract

To provide a washing machine in which cleaning of a treatment agent tank is easy, and which improves convenience of a user.SOLUTION: A washing machine includes: a water tub; and an automatic input device which includes a treatment agent tank capable of storing a washing treatment agent for a plurality of times of washing operations, and which automatically inputs a predetermined amount of washing treatment agent into the water tub. The treatment agent tank includes: a tank body formed into a container-like shape having an opening part; a cover member for detachably closing the opening part; an input port which is an opening provided at the cover member; a discharge port which is an opening provided at the tank body; and a filter member provided so as to partition a space in the treatment agent tank into a first region having the input port and a second region having the discharge port, and for capturing a foreign substance in the washing treatment agent. A lower end part of the filter member comes into contact with an inner bottom surface of the tank body, and an upper end part of the filter member comes into contact with the cover member directly or indirectly.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in order to improve the convenience for users, washing machines equipped with an automatic dosing device have been developed, which pre-store a plurality of doses of a washing treatment agent in a tank for automatic dosing in advance and automatically dispense the required amount of the washing treatment agent from the treatment agent tank during each washing operation. For example, in Patent Document 1, a net-like filter member is provided inside the treatment agent tank to prevent dust and the like contained in the washing treatment agent from being introduced.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, the filter member is provided so as to span the bottom surface and the back surface of the treatment agent tank. In this case, since the entire filter member is immersed in the washing treatment agent, even if the user tries to remove the filter member during cleaning of the treatment agent tank, the fingers are likely to slip due to the viscous washing treatment agent, and there is a risk that it will be difficult to remove.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Therefore, a washing machine that facilitates cleaning inside the treatment agent tank and improves user convenience is provided.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The washing machine of the embodiment includes a water tank and a treatment tank capable of storing enough laundry treatment agent for multiple wash cycles, and an automatic dispensing device that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent into the water tank. The treatment tank includes a tank body formed in the shape of a container with an opening, a cover member that detachably closes the opening, an inlet which is an opening provided in the cover member, a discharge port which is an opening provided in the tank body, and a filter member provided to divide the space inside the treatment tank into a first region having the inlet and a second region having the discharge port, and to capture foreign matter in the laundry treatment agent. The lower end of the filter member is in contact with the inner bottom surface of the tank body, and the upper end of the filter member is in contact directly or indirectly with the cover member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This diagram schematically shows the configuration of an example of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a processing agent tank in an example of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Side view showing the schematic configuration of the tank body of an example of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Plan view showing the schematic configuration of a processing agent tank in an example of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] A longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of the processing agent tank of an example of a washing machine according to the first embodiment, viewed from the side along the VV line in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Front view showing a schematic configuration of a filter member in an example of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] Enlarged cross-sectional view showing the area within circle VII in Figure 5. [Figure 8] Enlarged cross-sectional view showing the area within circle VIII in Figure 5. [Figure 9] Enlarged side view showing the area within circle IX in Figure 3. [Figure 10] Enlarged cross-sectional view shown along line xx in Figure 9 [Figure 11]Enlarged cross-sectional view along line xx in Figure 9 when the cover member has a gasket. [Figure 12] A longitudinal cross-sectional view showing, from the side, the state in which the cover member is resting on the filter member of the processing agent tank in an example of a washing machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] A longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a processing agent tank in an example of a washing machine according to the second embodiment, viewed from the side. [Figure 14] Plan view showing the schematic configuration of the tank body of a modified washing machine according to the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The following describes washing machines according to several embodiments with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, substantially identical elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. Each embodiment can be applied to either the horizontal-axis or diagonal-axis drum-type washing machine shown in Figure 1, or a vertical-axis type washing machine (not shown).

[0009] (First Embodiment) The first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 12. As shown in Figure 1, the washing machine 10 includes an outer casing 11, a water tank 12, a rotating drum 13, a rotating drum motor 14, a water supply path 15, a water supply valve 16, a drainage path 17, a drainage valve 18, a water filling case 19, and an automatic water dispensing device 20.

[0010] The outer casing 11 constitutes the outer shell of the washing machine 10 and is constructed, for example, in a box shape. The water tank 12 is located inside the outer casing 11 and is elastically supported by a suspension (not shown). The rotating tub 13 is rotatably positioned inside the water tank 12. In this case, the water tank 12 and the rotating tub 13 function as washing tubs that contain laundry. The rotating tub motor 14 rotates the rotating tub 13.

[0011] The water supply path 15 is a waterway that extends from an external water source, such as a faucet of a water supply, to the water tank 12. The water supply valve 16 is provided in the middle of the water supply path 15 and has a function of opening and closing the water supply path 15. The water supply valve 16 is composed of an on-off valve for liquid that can be opened and closed electromagnetically and opens and closes based on an electromagnetic command. The water supply valve 16 controls the water supply into the water tank 12. The upstream side of the water supply valve 16 is connected to an external water source, such as a faucet of a water supply, not shown in the figure. The downstream side of the water supply valve 16 is connected to the water tank 12 via, for example, a water injection case 19.

[0012] The drainage path 17 is a waterway that extends from the water tank 12 to the outside of the machine and drains the water in the water tank 12 to the outside of the machine. The drainage valve 18 is provided in the middle of the drainage path 17 and has a function of opening and closing the drainage path 17. The drainage valve 18 is composed of an on-off valve for liquid that can be opened and closed electromagnetically and opens and closes based on an electromagnetic command. The upstream side of the drainage valve 18 is connected to the water tank 12. The downstream side of the drainage valve 18 is connected to an external drainage ditch or the like.

[0013] The water injection case 19 is formed, for example, of resin and has a box shape with a space inside. The water injection case 19 is provided downstream of the water supply valve 16 in the middle of the water supply path 15. The water injection case 19 can be configured to have, for example, one or more treatment agent storage portions 191. The treatment agent storage portion 191 is used when the user manually inputs a laundry treatment agent for each washing operation.

[0014] The treatment agent storage portion 191 is formed in a container shape and is configured to be insertable into or detachable from the water injection case 19, for example, and receives the input of a laundry treatment agent in the form of liquid or powder from the user. When the water supply valve 16 is opened with the laundry treatment agent being put into the treatment agent storage portion 191, the laundry treatment agent put into the treatment agent storage portion 191 is washed down into the water tank 12 together with the water supplied from the water supply valve 16 to the water injection case 19.

[0015] The automatic detergent dispenser 20 has a function of automatically dispensing a predetermined amount of laundry detergent into the water tub 12 at a predetermined timing during the washing operation. The automatic detergent dispenser 20, for example, selectively and automatically dispenses a plurality of types of laundry detergents into the water tub 12. The automatic detergent dispenser 20 has, in this case, two detergent tanks 211 and 212, a selection valve 22, and a dispensing pump 23.

[0016] The detergent tanks 211 and 212 are configured to be able to store, for example, amounts of liquid laundry detergent for use in a plurality of washing operations inside. The shapes and capacities of the respective detergent tanks 211 and 212 may be the same or different. The detergent tanks 211 and 212 are configured to be removable or detachable within the outer case 11. In this case, the outer case 11 has a tank accommodating portion 111. The tank accommodating portion 111 is formed in a box shape with at least a part thereof open and is provided, for example, at the upper part of the outer case 11. The user can take out or detach each detergent tank 211 and 212 from the tank accommodating portion 111. When each detergent tank 211 and 212 is disposed at a predetermined position in the tank accommodating portion 111, it is connected to an intermediate portion of the water supply path 15 via the selection valve 22 and the dispensing pump 23. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the respective detergent tanks 211 and 212, they may be collectively referred to as the detergent tank 21.

[0017] The selection valve 22 is configured, for example, as an on-off valve for liquids that can be opened and closed electromagnetically, and has a function of opening and closing the path between each detergent tank 211 and 212 and the dispensing pump 23. The selection valve 22 selectively opens one of the two paths connecting each detergent tank 211 and 212 and the dispensing pump 23. Thereby, when the dispensing pump 23 is driven, it is suppressed that the laundry detergent is sucked out from any of the detergent tanks 211 and 212 and the plurality of types of laundry detergents are mixed together.

[0018] The input pump 23 is located downstream of each treatment agent tank 211, 212, in this case downstream of the selector valve 22. The input pump 23 has the function of drawing a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tanks 211, 212 and putting it into the water tank 12. The input pump 23 can be configured as, for example, a syringe pump driven by an electric motor. The input pump 23 draws a fixed amount of laundry treatment agent from each treatment agent tank 211, 212 whose path is opened by the selector valve 22 and discharges it downstream of the water supply path 15.

[0019] The washing machine 10 is equipped with a liquid level detection device (not shown). The detection device detects the amount of laundry detergent stored in the detergent tank 21 by detecting the liquid level of the detergent stored in the detergent tank 21. For example, the detection device detects the liquid level of the laundry detergent by detecting the position or movement of a float (not shown) provided in the detergent tank 21.

[0020] The detailed configuration of the treatment agent tank 21 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 5. The treatment agent tank 21 includes a tank body 30, a cover member 40, and a filter member 50. The tank body 30 constitutes the outer shell of the treatment agent tank 21 and is formed in a container shape with an opening on its top surface. The cover member 40 opens and closes the opening of the tank body 30. The cover member 40 is configured to be detachable from the tank body 30 by the user or worker during cleaning or maintenance.

[0021] In this embodiment, the tank body 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole, and has a front portion 31, left and right side portions 32, 32, a rear portion 33, a bottom portion 34, and an opening 35. The front portion 31, the left and right side portions 32, and the rear portion 33 form the container-shaped sides of the tank body 30. The bottom portion 34 forms the container-shaped bottom of the tank body 30. The opening 35 is an opening formed on the top surface and is surrounded by the front portion 31, the left and right side portions 32, and the rear portion 33, which are the container-shaped sides of the tank body 30. In this specification and drawings, the reference numeral 1 is added to the reference numeral for each surface as needed to indicate the inner surface of each surface, i.e., the surface facing inward into the treatment agent tank 21, and the reference numeral 2 is added to the reference numeral for each surface, i.e., the surface facing outward into the treatment agent tank 21. For example, the inner surface 321 represents the inner surface of the side portion 32, the outer surface 322 represents the outer surface of the side portion 32, the inner bottom surface 341 represents the inner surface of the bottom portion 34, and the outer bottom surface 342 represents the outer surface of the bottom portion 34. The tank body 30 is made of, for example, a transparent or translucent synthetic resin. This makes it easier for the user to visually check the amount of laundry detergent stored in the detergent tank 21 and the internal condition from outside the detergent tank 21.

[0022] The tank body 30 has a discharge port 36 and a pipe section 37. The discharge port 36 is an opening that penetrates the front section 31, the left and right side sections 32, the back section 33, or the bottom section 34, in this case the back section 33, in the thickness direction. The discharge port 36 connects the inside and outside of the treatment agent tank 21 and serves as the outlet for the laundry treatment agent from the treatment agent tank 21. The pipe section 37 is formed in a tubular shape, with the upstream side extending to the vicinity of the inner bottom surface 341 and the downstream side connected to the discharge port 36. A leak prevention valve (not shown) is provided inside the pipe section 37 to prevent the laundry treatment agent stored inside the treatment agent tank 21 from leaking out of the discharge port 36 when the treatment agent tank 21 is removed from the tank housing section 111.

[0023] The cover member 40 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view. The cover member 40 is composed of a cover body 41 and a lid member 42. The cover body 41 is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape in plan view and constitutes the outer shell of the cover member 40. The cover body 41 has an inlet 411. The inlet 411 is an opening formed through the cover body 41 in the thickness direction, in this case the vertical direction, and connects the inside and outside of the treatment agent tank 21 when the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30. The inlet 411 is the entrance to the treatment agent tank 21 when the laundry treatment agent is injected into the treatment agent tank 21 by the user. The inlet 411 is located horizontally away from the discharge port 36 when the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30. In this case, the inlet 411 is located near the front end of the inlet 411.

[0024] The lid member 42 is rotatably fixed to the outer circumference of the input port 411 (in this case, the rear outer circumference of the input port 411) by a hinge (not shown), and opens and closes the input port 411. The user can open the lid member 42 and replenish the tank body 30 with laundry detergent through the input port 411. Part or all of the cover member 40, including the cover body 41 and the lid member 42, is made of, for example, a transparent or translucent synthetic resin. This makes it easier for the user to visually check the amount of laundry detergent stored in the detergent tank 21 from the outside without opening the lid member 42.

[0025] As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the treatment agent tank 21 further includes a filter member 50. The filter member 50 is formed in a roughly plate shape and divides the space inside the tank body 30 into a first region A1 closer to the inlet 411 and a second region A2 closer to the discharge port 36. As a result, the filter member 50 collects foreign matter such as dirt and dust contained in the laundry treatment agent when the laundry treatment agent replenished into the treatment agent tank 21 from the inlet 411 is drawn out from the discharge port 36 by the inlet pump 23 through the pipe section 37. In a plan view, the filter member 50 is positioned such that at least part or all of it is behind the inlet 411 and at least part or all of it is in front of the discharge port 36. In this embodiment, in a plan view, the filter member 50 is positioned such that the entire filter member is behind the inlet 411 and the entire filter member is in front of the discharge port 36.

[0026] As shown in Figure 6, the filter member 50 has a frame portion 51 and a filter portion 52. The frame portion 51 is formed in a substantially rectangular frame shape and constitutes the outer shell of the filter member 50, surrounding the filter portion 52. The frame portion 51 maintains the outer shape of the filter member 50, forms contact with the processing agent tank 21, and is the part that is held by the user. The filter portion 52 is formed, for example, in a mesh-like manner, containing a large number of micropores 521, and has the function of collecting foreign matter.

[0027] As shown in Figures 4, 5, 7, and 8, the tank body 30 has grooves 39. When the filter member 50 is attached to the tank body 30, the grooves 39 receive the frame 51. The grooves 39 are formed by recessing at least one of the inner front portion 311, the left and right inner sides 321, 321, the inner back portion 331, and the inner bottom portion 341 outward in the thickness direction. In this embodiment, the grooves 39 are formed on the left and right inner sides 321, 321 and the inner bottom portion 341. The grooves 39 formed on the left and right inner sides 321, 321 are referred to as the first grooves 391, and the grooves 39 formed on the inner bottom portion 341 are referred to as the second grooves 392.

[0028] The first groove 391 is formed by recessing the left and right inner surfaces 321, 321 outward in the left-right direction relative to the treatment agent tank 21, and receives the left and right parts of the frame 51, respectively. The first groove 391 is formed sandwiched on both sides by the first ribs 391a, 391a. The first ribs 391a are formed projecting from the inner surface 321 toward the inside of the tank body 30 and extending in the vertical direction. The bottom of the first groove 391 may be on the same plane as the left and right inner surfaces 321, 321, or it may be located either inside or outside the left and right inner surfaces 321, 321 relative to the treatment agent tank 21. In this embodiment, the bottom of the first groove 391 is located slightly outside the left and right inner surfaces 321, 321 relative to the treatment agent tank 21.

[0029] The first groove 391 may be formed over the entire vertical length of the left and right inner surfaces 321, 321, or it may be formed only in part. In this embodiment, the first groove 391 is provided near the bottom of the left and right inner surfaces 321, 321. For example, the length of the first groove 391 can be set to approximately 50% to 75% of the height of the tank body 30. This allows the filter member 50 to maintain a stable posture and makes it easier to attach the filter member 50 to the tank body 30 because there is a certain degree of freedom in doing so.

[0030] The second groove 392 is formed by recessing the inner bottom surface 341 downwards to receive the lower part of the frame 51. The bottom of the second groove 392 is located below the inner bottom surface 341. The second groove 392 does not have ribs on either side. Therefore, the second groove 392 does not easily obstruct the movement of the laundry treatment agent flowing near the bottom of the treatment agent tank 21.

[0031] The length dimension in the front-to-back direction of the first groove 391, i.e., its width, and the length dimension in the front-to-back direction of the second groove 392, i.e., its width, may be set to be the same or different. In this embodiment, the width of the first groove 391 and the width of the second groove 392 are set to be the same. The width of grooves 391 and 392 is denoted as width W1.

[0032] As shown in Figures 5 and 8, the cover member 40 has a recess 45. The recess 45 is formed by recessing the lower surface of the cover body 41 upwards. When the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30, the recess 45 receives the upper end of the filter member 50 inside. That is, with the cover member 40 attached to the tank body 30, the filter member 50 is held in place by being sandwiched between the tank body 30 and the cover member 40 from above and below. The recess 45 has second ribs 451, 451 on both sides, in this case the front and rear sides. The second ribs 451 are formed to protrude downwards from the lower surface of the cover body 41. The bottom of the recess 45 may be located above or below the lower surface of the cover body 41, or it may be located on the same plane as the lower surface of the cover body 41. In this embodiment, the bottom of the recess 45 is located on approximately the same plane as the lower surface of the cover body 41.

[0033] As shown in Figure 8, the width dimension of the recess 45, that is, the dimension in the front-to-back direction, is defined as width W2. Width W2 is set to be larger than width W1. The depth dimension of the recess 45, that is, the dimension in the vertical direction, is defined as depth D1. In this embodiment, depth D1 is defined as the dimension from the free end, that is, the lower end, of the second rib 451 to the bottom, that is, the upper end, of the recess 45.

[0034] As shown in Figures 5 and 8, the treatment agent tank 21 has an elastic member 60. The elastic member 60 is located between the filter member 50 and the cover member 40 and has the function of pressing the lower end of the filter member 50 against the tank body 30. The elastic member 60 may be attached to the cover member 40 in a detachable or non-detachable manner, or it may be attached to the filter member 50. In this embodiment, the elastic member 60 is attached to the filter member 50 in a detachable manner. As shown in Figure 7, the elastic member 60 is attached so as to cover the upper end of the filter member 50 from above across its width.

[0035] When the filter member 50 is not installed in the treatment agent tank 21, the distance from the upper end of 60 to the upper end of the filter member 50 is set to be greater than the distance from the upper end of the filter member 50 to the bottom of the recess 45 when the filter member 50 is installed in the treatment agent tank 21. In other words, the elastic member 60 is compressed vertically when the filter member 50 is installed in the treatment agent tank 21. Compression generates a repulsive force, and the elastic member 60 pushes the filter member 50 downward. As a result, the lower end of the filter member 50 is pressed towards the bottom of the second groove 392.

[0036] The filter member 50 is designed so that it cannot be installed on the tank body 30 when upside down. This prevents the filter member 50 from being installed incorrectly by being upside down. The front-to-back dimension, i.e., the thickness dimension, of the lower end of the filter member 50 shown in Figure 7 is defined as thickness T1. The front-to-back dimension, i.e., the thickness dimension, of the upper end of the filter member 50 including the elastic member 60 shown in Figure 8 is defined as thickness T2. Thickness T1 is set to be smaller than thickness T2. Furthermore, thickness T2 is set to be larger than the width dimension of at least one or both of the grooves 391 and 392. In this embodiment, thickness T2 is set to be larger than width W1. As a result, when the filter member 50 is upside down, the filter member 50 cannot be received by at least one or both of the grooves 391 and 392, and cannot be installed at the normal height position on the tank body 30.

[0037] On the other hand, the thickness T1 is set to be slightly smaller than the width W1 of the grooves 391 and 392. Also, the thickness T2 is set to be slightly smaller than the width W2 of the recess 45. As a result, the lower end of the filter member 50 is received in the grooves 391 and 392, and the upper end is received in the recess 45, allowing the cover member 40 to be attached to the tank body 30 with the filter member 50 mounted.

[0038] As shown in Figure 5, the cover member 40 has a refill guide 44. The refill guide 44 extends downward from at least a portion of the outer circumference of the input port 411. In this embodiment, the refill guide 44 extends downward from the rear outer circumference of the input port 411 and forms an inclined surface that slopes downward towards the front. The refill guide 44 has the function of guiding the user's refilling action and suppressing the scattering of laundry detergent when the user refills the detergent.

[0039] The replenishment guide 44 has an indicator portion 441. The indicator portion 441 indicates the liquid level position when the maximum amount of laundry treatment agent that can be stored in the treatment agent tank 21 is stored. That is, the height position of the indicator portion 441 coincides with the maximum allowable liquid level height Hmax. The indicator portion 441 may be formed by protruding or recessing the inclined surface of the replenishment guide 44, or it may be formed to be visible by printing. In this embodiment, the indicator portion 441 is formed by protruding upward from a part of the lower end portion of the replenishment guide 44.

[0040] In this embodiment, the indicator section 441 is provided on the replenishment guide 44, but this is not limited to this. In other embodiments, for example, the tank body 30 may have an indicator section indicating the maximum allowable liquid level height Hmax on the inner surface of the side wall, for example, on the left and right inner surfaces 321.

[0041] As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 8, the filter member 50 has a communication portion 53. The communication portion 53 is formed to penetrate the filter member 50 in the thickness direction, in this case the front-to-back direction, and connects the first region A1 and the second region A2. The opening area S1 of the communication portion 53 is set to be larger than the opening area S2 of each micro-hole 521 of the filter portion 52. As a result, the communication portion 53 has the function of releasing air from the second region A2 side to the first region A1.

[0042] The communication portion 53 may be, for example, a through hole that penetrates the frame portion 51, or a notch or slit formed by cutting out a part of the frame portion 51. In this embodiment, the communication portion 53 is a through hole formed by penetrating a part of the upper part of the frame portion 51. The communication portion 53 is formed above the maximum allowable liquid level height Hmax. That is, the height position H1 of the lower end of the communication portion 53 is set higher than the maximum allowable liquid level height Hmax. As a result, the communication portion 53 is not immersed in the laundry detergent, so that even if the air in the detergent tank 21 cannot pass through the micro-holes 521, it is still possible to move in and out of the first region A1 and the second region A2.

[0043] The method for attaching and removing the cover member 40 will now be described. As shown in Figures 2 to 4 and Figure 9, the tank body 30 has one or more restricting parts 38, in this case two. The cover member 40 has one or more restricted parts 43, in this case two. The restricting parts 38 restrict the movement of the cover member 40 by restricting the movement of the restricting parts 38 when the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30. The restricted parts 43 are restricted by the restricting parts 38 to move upward and / or forward and backward when the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30. In this embodiment, the two restricting parts 38 are formed on the sides of the tank body 30, in this case the left and right side parts 32, 32. The two restricted parts 43 are formed on the left and right sides of the cover member 40, in this case the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30 and faces the restricting parts 38.

[0044] The restricting portion 38 is a claw portion formed to protrude horizontally outward, in this case to the left and right, from the upper part of the outer surface portion 322. The restricting portion 38 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape with the horizontal direction (in this case the front-to-back direction) as the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction as the short direction. The restricted portion 43 is formed in a U-shape in side view, protruding downward from the ends of the cover body 41, in this case the left and right side ends 401. In other words, the restricted portion 43 has a front portion 431 and a rear portion 432 whose upper ends are connected to the side ends 401 and extending downward, and a lower portion 433 which is connected to the lower ends of the front portion 431 and the rear portion 432 and extends horizontally (in this case the front-to-back direction).

[0045] With the cover member 40 attached to the tank body 30, the restricting portion 38 is enclosed by the front portion 431, the rear portion 432, and the lower portion 433. When the cover member 40 is pulled upward, the upper end of the lower portion 433 hits the restricting portion 38, restricting the upward movement of the restricted portion 43 and, consequently, the cover member 40. Also, when the cover member 40 is moved in the front-rear direction, the inner end of the front portion 431 or the rear portion 432 hits the restricting portion 38, restricting the front-rear movement of the restricted portion 43 and, consequently, the cover member 40.

[0046] The restricted portion 43 is integrally molded with the cover body 41, for example, by synthetic resin, and is elastically deformable. When the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30, when the cover member 40 is pressed down from above to a predetermined position on the tank body 30, the lower part 433 comes into contact with the restricted portion 38, and the restricted portion 43 elastically deforms so that it opens away from the tank body 30, in this case outwards to the left and right. Once the lower part 433 overcomes the restricted portion 38, the restricted portion 43, which was open outwards, returns to its original position.

[0047] When removing the cover member 40 from the tank body 30, the restricted portion 43 is pulled away from the tank body 30, that is, outwards to the left and right, while the cover member 40 is moved upward, thereby disengaging the restricted portion 38 from the restricted portion 43. In this way, the lower portion 433 can overcome the restricted portion 38, and the cover member 40 can be removed from the tank body 30.

[0048] In this case, the restricting portion 38 is claw-shaped and the restricted portion 43 receives the claw, but it is also possible for the restricted portion 43 to be claw-shaped and the restricting portion 38 to receive the claw. Furthermore, in this case, the restricting portion 38 and the restricted portion 43 restrict each other's relative movement by fitting together, but this is not limited to this. In other embodiments, for example, the restricted portion 43 may be a groove shape formed on the periphery of the cover member 40, and the restricting portion 38 may fit into the groove shape, thereby restricting the movement of the cover member 40 by friction.

[0049] As shown in Figure 4, the restricting portion 38 and the restricted portion 43 are located near the installation location of the filter member 50. When viewed from the side, perpendicular to the thickness direction of the filter member 50, the restricting portion 38 and the restricted portion 43 are positioned so that at least a portion of them overlap with the filter member 50. This makes it easier for a user attempting to install the cover member 40 to notice the abnormal position of the filter member 50, for example, if the lower end of the filter member 50 is not in contact with the inner bottom surface 341 and is protruding above a predetermined position.

[0050] With the cover member 40 attached to the tank body 30, the lower end 381 of the restricting portion 38 and the upper end 433a of the lower part 433 of the restricted portion 43 may be in contact or separated. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a small gap is formed between the lower end 381 of the restricting portion 38 and the upper end 433a of the lower part 433 of the restricted portion 43. The vertical dimension of the gap between the lower end 381 of the restricting portion 38 and the upper end 433a of the lower part 433 of the restricted portion 43 is defined as clearance C1. Clearance C1 is set to be smaller than the depth D1 of the recess 45. That is, clearance C1 is set to be 0 mm or more and less than D1.

[0051] As shown in Figure 11, the cover member 40 may also have a packing 46. The packing 46 is positioned between the cover member 40 and the upper end of the side wall of the tank body 30 to watertight seal the treatment agent tank 21. The packing 46 is made of an elastic and watertight material, and when the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30, it is compressed compared to the free state, i.e., when the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30, and its vertical dimension is shortened. In this case, the packing 46 presses the upper end 433a of the lower part 433 and the lower end 381 of the restricting part 38 toward each other. For example, in Figure 11, the clearance C1 = 0 mm. In this case as well, the clearance C1 is smaller than the depth D1 of the recess 45.

[0052] Here, as shown in Figure 12, we consider the case where, when the cover member 40 is installed, one of the second ribs 451 rides up onto the upper end of the filter member 50. In other words, the relative position of the cover member 40 and the tank body 30 is slightly misaligned, and at least a part of the upper end of the filter member 50 is not facing the groove 391. The vertical relative position of the tank body 30 and the cover member 40 is separated from each other by the depth D1 of the recess 45, which is greater than the normal mounting position. In this case, the relative position of the lower end 381 of the restricting portion 38 and the upper end 433a of the lower part 433 of the restricted portion 43 is also separated from each other by a depth D1, which is greater than the normal position. As a result, the separation from each other becomes so great that it cannot be compensated for by the clearance C1 of the normal relative position, and therefore the restricted portion 43 cannot go over the restricting portion 38. The same is true in the case of clearance C1 = 0 mm shown in Figure 11. Therefore, if either of the second ribs 451 rides up onto the upper end of the filter member 50 when attaching the cover member 40, the cover member 40 cannot be attached to the tank body 30.

[0053] According to the embodiment described above, the washing machine 10 comprises a water tank 12 and an automatic dispensing device 20. The automatic dispensing device 20 has a treatment agent tank 21 capable of storing enough laundry treatment agent for multiple wash cycles and automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of laundry treatment agent into the water tank 12. The treatment agent tank 21 comprises a tank body 30 formed in the shape of a container with an opening 35, a cover member 40 that detachably closes the opening 35, an inlet 411 which is an opening provided in the cover member 40, a discharge port 36 which is an opening provided in the tank body 30, and a filter member 50 that is provided to divide the space inside the treatment agent tank 21 into a first region A1 having the inlet and a second region A2 having the discharge port, and capture foreign matter in the laundry treatment agent. The lower end of the filter member 50 is in contact with the inner bottom surface 341 of the tank body 30, and the upper end of the filter member 50 is in contact directly or indirectly with the cover member 40.

[0054] According to this design, during normal use, attaching the cover member 40 to the tank body 30 allows the filter member 50 to pre-remove foreign matter from the laundry treatment agent supplied to the water tank 12. Furthermore, when cleaning the treatment agent tank 21, removing the cover member 40 from the tank body 30 allows the user to access the area around the discharge port 36, making it easier to clean the inside of the treatment agent tank 21. Thus, user convenience is improved.

[0055] Furthermore, the filter member 50 is detachably installed inside the tank body 30. At least the upper end of the filter member 50 that is in contact with the cover member 40 is unlikely to be immersed in the laundry detergent and is therefore likely to remain dry at all times. Consequently, when removing the filter member 50 for cleaning, the occurrence of situations where fingers become slippery due to the laundry detergent and cannot remove it is suppressed, and cleaning is easier. easy Therefore, user convenience is improved.

[0056] The tank body 30 has a restricting portion 38 that restricts the movement of the cover member 40. The cover member 40 has a recess 45 that is recessed upward on its inner surface to receive the upper end of the filter member 50 when the cover member 40 is mounted on the tank body 30, and a restricted portion 43 that is restricted by the restricting portion 38 when the cover member 40 is mounted on the tank body 30. The depth D1 of the recess 45 is set to be greater than the clearance C1, which is the gap between the restricting portion 38 and the restricted portion 43 and is set to 0 mm or more.

[0057] As a result, if either of the second ribs 451 rides up onto the upper end of the filter member 50 when attaching the cover member 40, the cover member 40 cannot be attached to the tank body 30. Therefore, if the cover member 40 is not in the correct position, the restricting portion 38 and the restricted portion 43 cannot be fitted together, making it easier for the user to notice any abnormality in the installation. Thus, user convenience is improved.

[0058] Here, if the cover member 40 is made of a slightly elastically deformable synthetic resin or the like, it can bend to some extent. Therefore, if the filter member 50 and the restricted portion 43 are far apart horizontally, even if the filter member 50 is not properly mounted on the tank body 30 and protrudes slightly above its correct position, it may be possible to engage the restricted portion 38 and the restricted portion 43 by bending the cover member 40.

[0059] In contrast, the tank body 30 has a claw-shaped restricting portion 38 that restricts the movement of the cover member 40. The cover member 40 has a restricted portion that fits into the restricting portion 38 and restricts its movement when the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30. The restricting portion 38 is positioned so that at least a part of it overlaps with the filter member 50 when the tank body is viewed horizontally, in this case in the left-right direction which is the shorter side of the tank body 30 in a plan view.

[0060] When attempting to attach the cover member 40 to the tank body 30, the regulating portion 38 and the regulated portion 43, and the filter member 50 are positioned in close proximity to each other. Therefore, even if the resin cover member 40 flexes, if the filter member 50 protrudes, the relative positional relationship between the regulating portion and the regulated portion is more likely to deviate from the correct positional relationship, allowing the user to perceive something unusual. As a result, the user is more likely to notice any abnormality in the installation of the filter member 50. Thus, user convenience is improved.

[0061] Here, in order to prevent foreign matter from entering the second region A2 and consequently the input pump 23, it is conceivable to attach a rubber or other packing to the lower end of the filter member 50. However, if the packing is immersed in detergent or fabric softener for a long period of time, it may gradually deteriorate and, for example, lose its elasticity.

[0062] In contrast, the treatment agent tank 21 has an elastic member 60 which is made of an elastic material and is positioned between the cover member 40 and the filter member 50, and has a height dimension set to be larger than the vertical dimension of the gap between the cover member 40 and the filter member 50 when the cover member 40 and the filter member 50 are mounted on the tank body 30.

[0063] According to this, when the cover member 40 is attached to the tank body 30, the repulsive force of the elastic member 60, which is compressed between the filter member 50 and the cover member 40, presses the filter member 50 against the inner bottom surface 341 of the tank body 30. Therefore, the inner bottom surface 341 of the tank body 30 and the lower end of the filter member 50 are in close contact, and foreign matter can be prevented from entering the second region A2 even without attaching a gasket to the lower end of the filter member 50. Thus, the collection of foreign matter by the filter member 50 becomes even more reliable.

[0064] The tank body 30 has grooves 39, 391, and 392 on either or both of its inner bottom surface 341 and inner side surface 321 to receive the filter member 50.

[0065] The grooves 39, 391, and 392 serve as guides for the user when attaching the filter member 50 to the tank body 30. Furthermore, because the filter member 50 fits into the grooves 39, 391, and 392, the side walls forming the grooves 39, 391, and 392 can support the filter member 50, thus preventing the filter member 50 from tipping over when the cover member 40 is removed.

[0066] The treatment agent tank 21 is made of an elastic material and has an elastic member 60 attached to the upper end of the filter member 50. With the elastic member 60 attached, the thickness T2, which is the length dimension in the front-rear direction of the upper end of the filter member 50, is set to be larger than the width W1, which is the length dimension in the front-rear direction of the grooves 39, 391, and 392.

[0067] According to this, for example, if a user mistakenly attempts to install the filter member 50 upside down, the filter member 50 will not fit smoothly into the grooves 39, 391, and 392, making it easier for the user to notice the abnormal orientation of the filter member 50. Therefore, user convenience is improved.

[0068] Here, the filter portion 52 of the filter member 50 has a fine mesh to capture foreign matter, and in particular, if the filter portion 52 is wet with laundry detergent, it becomes difficult for air to pass through the micropores 521. Therefore, when adding laundry detergent, once the detergent begins to enter the second region A2, the internal pressure on the second region A2 side temporarily increases, which can make it difficult for the detergent to move into the second region A2. In this case, if the user tries to inject as much detergent as possible, they must wait until the internal pressure between the second region A2 and the first region A1 reaches equilibrium and the liquid levels become the same. Therefore, the user will have to inject the detergent little by little, which may cause delays in replenishing the detergent.

[0069] In contrast, the tank body 30 or the cover member 40 has an indicator portion 441 that shows the maximum allowable liquid level height of the laundry detergent. When the filter member 50 is attached to the tank body 30, it has a communication portion 53 above the indicator portion 441 that connects the first region A1 and the second region A2.

[0070] According to this design, air can move through the communication section 53, shortening the time to reach equilibrium and allowing for quicker replenishment of the laundry detergent. Therefore, user convenience is improved.

[0071] The tank body 30 is made of a transparent or translucent material.

[0072] According to this design, the condition inside the treatment agent tank 21 can be easily seen without removing the cover member 40. Therefore, it becomes easier for the user to recognize the need for cleaning, etc., improving user convenience.

[0073] (Second Embodiment) A second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13 and 14. In the above embodiment, the filter member 50 was formed in a planar plate shape, but in this embodiment, the filter members 70 and 80 may be bent or inclined in a straight or curved manner so as to move away from the trajectory of the float 90.

[0074] The float 90 constitutes part of a liquid level detection device, which is not shown in detail. The float 90 is installed in the treatment agent tank 21 and moves vertically according to the height of the laundry treatment agent liquid. The liquid level detection device includes, for example, a proximity sensor, and detects the height of the laundry treatment agent liquid by detecting the movement or position of the float 90. In this case, the float 90 moves according to a predetermined trajectory within the treatment agent tank 21.

[0075] For example, in the example shown in Figure 13, the float 90 comprises a float body 91 and a moving mechanism 92. The float body 91 floats on the laundry detergent and moves in conjunction with the rise in the liquid level. One end of the moving mechanism 92 is rotatably fixed to the cover member 40 and the other end is fixed to the float body 91. In this case, the fixed end of the moving mechanism 92 is located behind the inlet 411 of the cover body 41 and in front of the recess 45, and the float body 91 moves in an arc in the front-back and up-down directions as shown by arrow Y in Figure 13, near the front of the detergent tank 21.

[0076] The processing agent tank 21 has a filter member 70. The filter member 70 is composed of a frame portion 71 and a filter portion 72. The filter member 70 is formed in a linearly bent shape, with the upper part located behind the lower part. The filter member 70 includes an upper surface portion 701, a middle surface portion 702, and a lower surface portion 703. The upper surface portion 701 and the lower surface portion 703 form a surface that extends generally in the vertical direction, and the middle surface portion 702 connects the lower end of the upper surface portion 701 and the upper end of the lower surface portion 703 to form a surface that extends generally in the horizontal direction. The upper end of the upper surface portion 701 is received in a recess 45. The lower surface portion 703 is received in a groove portion 39. The lower end of the lower surface portion 703 is received in a second groove portion 392. The upper surface portion 701 is located behind the lower surface portion 703. As a result, the filter member 70 avoids the area near the front of the treatment agent tank 21 where the float 90 moves, and therefore does not interfere with the movement of the float 90.

[0077] In the modified embodiment shown in Figure 14, the treatment agent tank 21 has a filter member 80. The filter member 80 is composed of a frame portion 81 and a filter portion (not shown). The float 100 is positioned towards one of the shorter sides of the treatment agent tank 21, in this case the left or right side. Here, the float 100 is positioned towards the left side portion 32 of the treatment agent tank 21. The float 100 moves in the front-back and up-down directions as shown by arrow Z in Figure 14. Note that the movement mechanism of the float 100 is not shown in Figure 14.

[0078] The filter member 80 is formed in a linearly bent shape and is positioned away from the float 90 in the shorter direction in a plan view of the treatment agent tank 21, in this case the left-right direction, so as to surround the pipe section 37 and the discharge port 36. The filter member 80 includes a left side section 801 and a front section 802. The left side section 801 forms a surface that extends in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction and is connected to the left end of the front section 802 at its front end. The front section 802 forms a surface that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

[0079] In this case, the tank body 30 has a third groove 393 instead of a first groove 391 formed on the left inner surface 321. The third groove 393 is formed by recessing a part of the inner back surface 331 toward the rear. The tank body 30 also has a fourth groove 394 instead of a second groove 392. The fourth groove 394 is formed by recessing a part of the inner bottom surface 341 toward the downward. The fourth groove 394 consists of a left groove 394a and a front groove 394b. The left groove 394a extends forward from the inner back surface 331. The front groove 394b extends left to right from the front end of the left groove 394a to the right inner surface 321. The filter member 80 is positioned to avoid the area on the left side of the processing agent tank 21 where the float 90 moves, so as not to interfere with the movement of the float 90.

[0080] According to this embodiment, the treatment agent tank 21 has a float 90 that moves along a predetermined track based on the amount of laundry treatment agent stored. The filter members 70 and 80 are formed to bend or inclined so as to move away from the tracks of the floats 90 and 100.

[0081] According to this, the filter members 70 and 80 do not easily obstruct the movement of the floats 90 and 100, allowing for a larger movement distance for the floats 90 and 100, thereby improving the accuracy of detecting the remaining amount of laundry detergent. Consequently, it becomes easier for users to recognize the need for cleaning, improving user convenience.

[0082] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0083] 10...Washing machine, 12...Water tank, 20...Automatic dispensing device, 21, 211, 212...Treatment agent tank, 30...Tank body, 38...Restricting section, 39...Groove section, 391...First groove section (groove section), 392...Second groove section (groove section), 40...Cover member, 411...Inlet, 43...Restricted section, 441...Indicator section, 45...Recess, 50...Filter member, 53...Communicating section, 60...Elastic member, 80...Filter member, 90...Filter member, 90...Float, 100...Float

Claims

1. A fish tank and It has a treatment agent tank capable of storing enough laundry treatment agent for multiple wash cycles, and an automatic dispensing device that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent into the water tank, The processing agent tank comprises a tank body formed in the shape of a container having an opening, a cover member that detachably closes the opening, an inlet which is an opening provided in the cover member, a discharge port which is an opening provided in the tank body, and a filter member provided to divide the space inside the processing agent tank into a first region having the inlet and a second region having the discharge port, and to capture foreign matter in the laundry processing agent, The lower end of the filter member is in contact with the inner bottom surface of the tank body, and the upper end of the filter member is in contact with the cover member directly or indirectly. The upper end of the filter member is located above the maximum allowable liquid level, which indicates the liquid level when the maximum amount of the laundry treatment agent that can be stored in the treatment agent tank is stored. washing machine.

2. The tank body has a restricting part that restricts the movement of the cover member, The cover member has a recess on its inner surface that is recessed upward to receive the upper end of the filter member when the cover member is attached to the tank body, and a restricted portion that is restricted by the restricting portion when the cover member is attached to the tank body. The depth dimension of the recess is set to be greater than the dimension of the gap between the restricting portion and the restricted portion, which is set to 0 mm or more. The washing machine according to claim 1.

3. The tank body has a claw-shaped restricting portion that restricts the movement of the cover member, The cover member has a restricted portion that is fitted into the restricting portion and whose movement is restricted when the cover member is attached to the tank body, The regulating portion is positioned such that, when the tank body is viewed horizontally, at least a portion of it overlaps with the filter member. The washing machine according to claim 1.

4. The processing agent tank is made of an elastic material and has an elastic material positioned between the cover material and the filter material, with a height dimension set to be larger than the vertical dimension of the gap between the cover material and the filter material when the cover material and the filter material are mounted on the tank body. The washing machine according to claim 1.

5. The tank body has grooves on either the inner bottom surface or the inner side surface, or both, for receiving the filter member. The washing machine according to claim 1.

6. The processing agent tank is made of an elastic material and has an elastic member attached to the upper end of the filter member. With the elastic member attached, the thickness of the upper end of the filter member is set to be greater than the width of the groove. The washing machine according to claim 5.

7. A water tank and It has a treatment agent tank capable of storing enough laundry treatment agent for multiple wash cycles, and an automatic dispensing device that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount of the laundry treatment agent into the water tank, The processing agent tank comprises a tank body formed in the shape of a container having an opening, a cover member that detachably closes the opening, an inlet which is an opening provided in the cover member, a discharge port which is an opening provided in the tank body, and a filter member provided to divide the space inside the processing agent tank into a first region having the inlet and a second region having the discharge port, and to capture foreign matter in the laundry processing agent, The lower end of the filter member is in contact with the inner bottom surface of the tank body, and the upper end of the filter member is in contact directly or indirectly with the cover member. The tank body has grooves on either the inner bottom surface or the inner side surface, or both, for receiving the filter member. The processing agent tank is made of an elastic material and has an elastic member attached to the upper end of the filter member. With the elastic member attached, the thickness of the upper end of the filter member is set to be greater than the width of the groove. washing machine.

8. The processing agent tank has a float that moves along a predetermined track based on the amount of laundry processing agent stored, The filter member is formed to bend or inclined so as to move away from the trajectory of the float. A washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The tank body or the cover member has an indicator portion that shows the maximum allowable liquid level height, The filter member, when attached to the tank body, has a communication portion above the indicator portion that connects the first region and the second region. A washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. The tank body is made of a transparent or translucent material. A washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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