Drum-type washing machine
The drum-type washing machine addresses the challenge of balancing convenience and strength by using a metal joint member for linking handle and latch operations, ensuring reliable and cost-effective latch release despite increased handle-latch separation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHARP KK
- Filing Date
- 2022-09-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
Smart Images
Figure 0007894775000001 
Figure 0007894775000002 
Figure 0007894775000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a drum washing machine.
Background Art
[0002] In a drum washing machine having a laundry inlet on the front side, a front-opening door that rotates substantially horizontally is provided. Such a front-opening door has a rotary hinge on one end side in the horizontal direction, a latch claw for holding the door in a closed state on the other end side, and a handle for the user to grasp when opening the door. In a conventional door, the handle and the latch claw are not connected, and there are two types of doors: a type in which the latch is released by the force applied by the user to pull open the door, and a type in which the handle and the latch claw are connected, and the latch is released by the user grasping the handle and pulling. As an example of the latter type, there is a disclosure in Patent Document 1.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] In recent years, drum washing machines having a large door with an operation panel provided on the door have been commercially available. In terms of convenience, it is desirable for the user that a handle is arranged at the upper end of the door. On the other hand, in terms of structure, providing a handle near the latch claw (near the center of the opening) increases the strength and reliability for preventing door deformation during the door opening operation. Therefore, in a larger door, the distance between the handle and the latch claw on the door tends to increase. In this case, it becomes difficult to achieve both convenience of the door and structural strength and reliability.
[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a drum-type washing machine having a door that achieves both convenience and structural strength and reliability. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] To solve the above problems, the drum-type washing machine of the present invention is a drum-type washing machine having a front-opening door, wherein the door is movable relative to the frame member of the door and includes a handle that a user can grip when opening the door, a latch member that is movable between a latched state and an unlocked state and holds the door in the closed state when latched, and a joint member that connects the handle and the latch member and links the movement of the latch member to the movement of the handle, wherein the joint member is formed by bending a round bar-shaped metal material and is characterized in that the movement of the latch member is linked to the movement of the handle by rotational displacement around a rotation axis.
[0007] According to the above configuration, the handle and the latch member are connected to each other by a joint member, and when the user operates the handle to open the door, the latch member is released in conjunction with this operation. At this time, the joint member transmits displacement between the handle and the latch member through rotational displacement, and torsional stress is generated in the joint member. By using a metal material for this joint member, deformation of the joint member itself can be prevented even if the handle and the latch member are far apart, and the latch release operation of the latch member can be smoothly linked to the pulling operation of the handle. Furthermore, since the joint member is a part formed by bending a metal rod, its structure is simple and it can be manufactured at low cost.
[0008] Furthermore, in the drum-type washing machine described above, the joint member can be configured such that its rotation is supported by two pivot shafts formed to sandwich the handle.
[0009] According to the above configuration, two support shafts are formed so as to sandwich the handle, which is subjected to a large load when the door is opened, thereby supporting the joint member so that the movement of the handle can be stabilized.
[0010] Furthermore, in the drum-type washing machine described above, the joint member has a contact portion that abuts against the latch member, and the contact portion can be configured such that the reaction force received from the latch member during the latch release operation is in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface with the latch member.
[0011] With the above configuration, deformation of the joint member due to the reaction force received from the latch member during the latch release operation becomes less likely.
[0012] Furthermore, in the drum-type washing machine described above, the frame member has a front cover member and a back cover member, and the rotating shaft of the joint member can be configured to be supported using both the front cover member and the back cover member.
[0013] According to the above configuration, a joint member formed from a metal round bar having multiple bent sections can be easily supported.
[0014] Furthermore, in the drum-type washing machine described above, the joint member may be configured to have a portion that functions as a spacer to separate the latch member and the front cover member by a predetermined distance or more.
[0015] According to the above configuration, the displacement of the latch member due to deformation of the mounting surface of the latch member can be restricted, thereby preventing latch failure. [Effects of the Invention]
[0016] The drum washing machine of the present invention uses a metal material such as steel for the joint member, so that even if the positions of the handle and the latch member are separated, the deformation of the joint member itself can be prevented, and the latch release operation of the latch member can be smoothly linked to the pulling operation of the handle. Since the joint member is a part formed by bending a metal round bar, it has the effects that the structure is simple and it can be manufactured at low cost.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0017] [Figure 1] It shows an embodiment of the present invention and is a perspective view showing the appearance of the drum washing machine with the door closed. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the drum washing machine of FIG. 1 with the door open. [Figure 3] It is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the arrangement positions of the handle and the latch claw on the back surface of the door. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged rear view showing the internal structure near the handle and the latch claw with the back cover of the door removed. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view of the joint member. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view near the handle and shows a state where the handle is not receiving the pulling operation of the user. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view near the handle and shows a state where the handle is receiving the pulling operation of the user. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view near the latch claw and shows a state where the door is latched. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view near the latch claw and shows a state where the door is unlocked. [Figure 10] It is an exploded perspective view showing the attachment structure of the joint member on the door. [Figure 11] It is an explanatory view showing the attachment structure of the second support shaft portion on the joint member. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view showing the boss used for the shaft support of the second support shaft portion. [Figure 13]It is a perspective view showing the joint member according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view near the latch claw when the joint member of FIG. 13 is used, and shows a state where the door is latched. [Figure 15] It is a cross-sectional view near the latch claw when the joint member of FIG. 13 is used, and shows a state where the door is unlocked. [Figure 16] It is a perspective view showing the joint member according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 17] It is a cross-sectional view near the latch claw when the joint member of FIG. 16 is used, and shows a state where the door is latched. [Figure 18] It is a perspective view near the handle on the door with the back cover member removed. [Figure 19] It is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the back cover member seen from the side facing the handle. [Figure 20] It is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the handle seen from the back side of the door. <00001P10> [Figure 21] It is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the handle seen from the side of the door.
Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0018] 〔Embodiment 1〕 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the appearance of a drum-type washing machine 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the washing machine 1) according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a state where the door 20 is closed, and FIG. 2 shows a state where the door 20 is open. In the present application, a drum-type washing and drying machine that can perform washing and drying and a drum-type washing machine that only performs washing without drying are collectively referred to as a drum-type washing machine.
[0019] The washing machine 1 comprises a main unit 10 and a door 20 provided on the front side of the main unit 10. The main unit 10 has a rotating tub 11 inside, into which laundry such as clothes can be loaded and unloaded from an opening (laundry loading opening) on the front of the main unit 10. For convenience, the directions used in the following description (front-back direction, up-down direction, and left-right direction) correspond to the directions in the washing machine 1 shown in Figure 1. That is, the directions related to the door 20 correspond to the directions of the washing machine 1 when the door 20 is closed.
[0020] The door 20 is not roughly circular in shape to match the opening of the rotating drum 11, but is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from the front. As a result, the door 20 is a large door that covers most of the front of the main body 10 of the device. The door 20 may also consist of a door body 21 and an inclined section 22. The door body 21 is rectangular in shape when viewed from the front and extends in a roughly vertical direction. The inclined section 22 extends above the door body 21 and is inclined backward relative to the door body 21. The display and operation unit (operation panel) of the washing machine 1 can be arranged on the front side of the inclined section 22.
[0021] The door 20 is rotatably attached to the device body 10 by a hinge on one of its sides. The other side of the door 20 is provided with a handle 23 for the user to grip when opening the door 20. The handle 23 is located near the top of the door 20 (at least above the center of the door 20 in the vertical direction) to make it easy for the user to grip.
[0022] On the back surface of the door 20, near the edge where the handle 23 is provided, a latch claw (latch member) 24 is provided to hold the door 20 in a closed state. While a detailed explanation is omitted, the latch claw 24 is located on the front surface of the device body 10 when the door 20 is closed. The latch claw 24 is inserted into the cut latch hole 12 and locks within the latch hole 12, allowing the door 20 to be held in a closed position. The latch claw 24 is also positioned at the same height as the center of the opening in the vertical direction so that the door 20 can reliably close the opening (laundry loading opening) on the front of the device body 10. On the other hand, since the door 20 is positioned to cover the opening, the height of the opening in the vertical direction is necessary, and as a result the latch claw 24 is positioned near the center of the door 20. In this embodiment, when the display operation unit is located at the top of the door 20, the position of the door 20 facing the opening tends to be lower, and as a result the latch claw 24 may be positioned slightly below the center of the door 20.
[0023] Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the area around the handle 23 and latch claw 24 on the back surface of the door 20. The door 20 is of a type in which the handle 23 and latch claw 24 are connected to each other, and when a user places their hand on the handle 23 and pulls it forward to open the door 20, the latch claw 24 rotates in conjunction with this and the latch is released. The user can open the door 20 after the latch is released, and the door 20 can be opened easily with relatively little force.
[0024] On the other hand, in door 20, as shown in Figure 3, the handle 23 and the latch claw 24 are positioned at a certain distance apart in the vertical direction. This is because, in addition to the increased size of door 20, as mentioned above, the handle 23 is located near the top of door 20, and the latch claw 24 is located near the center of door 20 or slightly below the center in the vertical direction. When the handle 23 and the latch claw 24 are positioned at a distance apart in this way, the coupling mechanism between the handle 23 and the latch claw 24 requires a mechanism that smoothly links the pulling motion of the handle 23 with the latch release motion of the latch claw 24. The present invention is characterized by this coupling mechanism, and its details will be described below.
[0025] Figure 4 is an enlarged rear view showing the internal structure near the handle 23 and latch claw 24 of the door 20 with the rear cover (rear cover member 27, described later) removed. Note that the latch claw 24 is actually attached to the rear cover member 27 (the pivot of the rotation shaft 241 is supported by the rear cover member 27), but in Figure 4, the latch claw 24 is shown to show the positional relationship between the handle 23 and the latch claw 24. As shown in Figure 4, the handle 23 and the latch claw 24 are connected by a metal joint member 25. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the joint member 25. As shown in Figure 5, the joint member 25 is formed by bending a round bar-shaped metal material (preferably steel), and has a first connecting portion 251 that connects to the handle 23, a second connecting portion 252 that connects to the latch claw 24, and a first support shaft portion 253 and a second support shaft portion 254 that are pivotally supported to the frame member of the door 20. More specifically, the first support shaft portion 253, the first connecting portion 251, the second support shaft portion 254, and the second connecting portion 252 are formed in order from one end of the rod (the left side in Figure 5).
[0026] Figures 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of the area around the handle 23. Figure 6 shows the handle 23 when it is not being pulled by the user, while Figure 7 shows the handle 23 when it is being pulled by the user. Figures 6 and 7 correspond to the AA cross-section in Figure 4, but the back cover of the door 20 is also shown.
[0027] The first pivot portion 253 and the second pivot portion 254 of the joint member 25 have their central axes aligned on the same straight line, and the joint member 25 is rotatably mounted to the frame member of the door 20 such that the first pivot portion 253 and the second pivot portion 254 act as axes of rotation. The joint member 25 is supported by two pivot portions (first pivot portion 253 and second pivot portion 254) formed to sandwich the handle 23, as the load on the joint member 25 from the handle 23 is particularly large when the door 20 is opened.
[0028] The first connecting portion 251 is formed in a crank shape relative to the first support shaft portion 253 and the second support shaft portion 254. As a result, when the joint member 25 rotates around the first support shaft portion 253 and the second support shaft portion 254, the first connecting portion 251 is displaced in the circumferential direction of the rotation (directions of arrows a1 and a2 in the figure). In other words, by displacing the first connecting portion 251 in the circumferential direction, the joint member 25 can be rotated around the first support shaft portion 253 and the second support shaft portion 254.
[0029] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the handle 23 is mounted on the frame member of the door 20 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. The handle 23 is also positioned to abut against the first connecting portion 251 of the joint member 25, so that the first connecting portion 251 can apply force to the handle 23, or conversely, the handle 23 can apply force to the first connecting portion 251.
[0030] When the user is not applying force to the handle 23 (i.e., not pulling the handle 23), the handle 23 moves backward due to the biasing force from the elastic member 28, as shown in Figure 6. The joint member 25 is held in the state shown in Figure 6 by the force that the second connecting portion 252 receives from the latch claw 24. That is, the second connecting portion 252 moves in the direction of arrow a1 within its range of rotation.
[0031] When the user pulls the handle 23, the handle 23 moves forward against the biasing force from the elastic member, as shown in Figure 7. The first connecting portion 251 is also pushed by the handle 23 and displaced in the direction of arrow a2. As described above, this displacement of the first connecting portion 251 causes the joint member 25 to rotate around the first support shaft portion 253 and the second support shaft portion 254. In other words, the displacement of the first connecting portion 251 also causes a displacement of the second connecting portion 252 due to the rotation of the joint member 25.
[0032] Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views near the latch claw 24. Figure 8 shows the door 20 in the latched state, and Figure 9 shows the door 20 in the unlocked state. Figures 8 and 9 correspond to the BB cross-section in Figure 4, but the back cover of the door 20 is also shown. The latched state in Figure 8 corresponds to the state in Figure 6 where the handle 23 is not being pulled by the user. Similarly, the unlocked state in Figure 9 corresponds to the state in Figure 7 where the handle 23 is being pulled by the user.
[0033] When the joint member 25 rotates around the first support shaft portion 253 and the second support shaft portion 254, not only the first connecting portion 251 but also the second connecting portion 252 is displaced in the circumferential direction of that rotation (directions of arrows a1 and a2 in the figure). The latch claw 24 can be in a latched state or an unlocked state depending on the position of the second connecting portion 252.
[0034] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the latch claw 24 is mounted to the frame member of the door 20 so as to be rotatable around the pivot axis 241 (in the directions of arrows b1 and b2 in the figures), and is biased in the direction of arrow b1 by the elastic member 29 (see Figure 4). The latch claw 24 is also positioned to abut against the second connecting portion 252 of the joint member 25, so that the second connecting portion 252 can exert force on the latch claw 24, or conversely, the latch claw 24 can exert force on the second connecting portion 252.
[0035] When the user is not applying force to the handle 23 (i.e., not pulling the handle 23), as shown in Figure 8, the latch claw 24 moves in the direction of arrow b1 due to the biasing force from the elastic member (the latch claw 24 is in the latched state). At this time, the second connecting portion 252 moves in the direction of arrow a1 within its range of rotation due to contact with the latch claw 24.
[0036] Then, when the user pulls the handle 23, as shown in Figure 9, the rotation of the joint member 25 causes the second connecting portion 252 to move in the direction of arrow a2. The movement of the second connecting portion 252 pushes the latch claw 24 against the second connecting portion 252, causing it to move in the direction of arrow b2 against the biasing force of the elastic member. As a result, the latch claw 24 is released.
[0037] Here, the second connecting portion 252 in the joint member 25 is formed by being bent three times from the second support shaft portion 254, as shown in Figure 5. Specifically, the second connecting portion 252 has a first connecting portion 252a, a second connecting portion 252b, and a contact portion 252c, starting from the side closest to the second support shaft portion 254. The contact portion 252c directly contacts the latch claw 24, and the first connecting portion 252a and the second connecting portion 252b connect the second support shaft portion 254 and the contact portion 252c. By connecting the second support shaft portion 254 and the contact portion 252c not with a single straight connecting portion, but with the first connecting portion 252a and the second connecting portion 252b with a bent portion in between, the following advantages can be obtained.
[0038] In other words, in the state shown in Figure 8, the contact portion 252c is supported by the second connecting portion 252b from a direction perpendicular to the contact surface with the latch claw 24. As a result, when the latch is released, the reaction force that the second connecting portion 252 receives from the latch claw 24 is in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the second connecting portion 252b, making it less likely for the joint member 25 to deform due to this reaction force. Consequently, even if the latch is released repeatedly by operating the handle 23, the joint member 25 does not deform, and stable latch release can be achieved.
[0039] Furthermore, when the user releases their hand from the handle 23 in the states shown in Figures 7 and 9, the latch claw 24 returns to the state shown in Figure 8 due to the biasing force of the elastic member, and the movement is transmitted from the latch claw 24 to the joint member 25, causing the joint member 25 to also return to the state shown in Figure 6.
[0040] As described above, in the washing machine 1 according to this embodiment, the handle 23 and the latch claw 24 are connected to each other by a joint member 25, and when the user pulls the handle 23 to open the door 20, the latch state of the latch claw 24 is released in conjunction with this. However, in the washing machine 1, the handle 23 and the latch claw 24 are positioned at a certain distance apart, which makes it easy for large stresses to occur in the joint member 25. Since the joint member 25 transmits displacement between the first connecting portion 251 and the second connecting portion 252 by rotation, large torsional stresses are generated, especially in the second support shaft portion 254. For this reason, if the joint member 25 is made of a low-strength material such as resin, torsional deformation occurs in the second support shaft portion 254, making it impossible to smoothly link the pulling operation of the handle 23 with the latch release operation of the latch claw 24.
[0041] In contrast, in the washing machine 1, by using a metal material such as steel for the joint member 25, deformation of the joint member 25 itself can be prevented even if the handle 23 and the latch claw 24 are far apart, and the latch release operation of the latch claw 24 can be smoothly linked to the pulling operation of the handle 23. Furthermore, since the joint member 25 is not a sheet metal part but a part formed by bending a metal rod, its structure is simple and it can be manufactured at low cost.
[0042] Next, the mounting structure of the joint member 25 to the door 20 will be described. As mentioned above, since the joint member 25 is formed from a metal rod having multiple bent portions, a mounting method such as inserting it along the axial direction into a shaft hole or the like that supports the joint member 25 cannot be adopted. Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure near the joint member 25 in the door 20. Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram of the mounting structure of the second support shaft portion 254 in the joint member 25. Note that Figure 11 shows the internal structure of the door 20 with the back cover member 27 removed, and the boss 271, which is part of the back cover member 27, is shown by a dashed line (two-dot line).
[0043] As shown in Figure 10, the door 20 is part of the frame member, and the front cover member 26 The front cover member 26 has a back cover member 27. The front cover member 26 is provided with a first holding portion 261 that holds the first support shaft portion 253 of the joint member 25 and a second holding portion 262 that holds the second support shaft portion 254.
[0044] The first retaining portion 261 and the second retaining portion 262 each have retaining grooves for holding the joint member 25, and these retaining grooves are designed to fit the joint member 25 in different ways. In the example shown in Figure 10, the joint member 25 can be attached to the front cover member 26 by fitting the first support shaft portion 253 into the first retaining portion 261 from the rear, and the second support shaft portion 254 into the second retaining portion 262 from the side (in this case, the right side). The second retaining portion 262 is provided in two locations along the axial direction of the second support shaft portion 254.
[0045] After attaching the joint member 25 to the front cover member 26, the back cover member 27 is placed over the front cover member 26 to assemble the door 20. The joint member 25 is pivotally supported by this assembly. Here, the back cover member 27 is fastened and fixed to the front cover member 26 by screws, and the back cover member 27 has a boss at the screw fastening point. In the door 20, the second support shaft portion 254 of the joint member 25 is pivotally supported using the second holding portion 262 of the front cover member 26 and the boss of the back cover member 27.
[0046] Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, one boss 271 (see Figure 12) on the back cover member 27 is located between two second retaining parts 262 in the axial direction (up and down direction) of the second support shaft portion 254 in the assembled door 20. In the left and right direction, this boss 271 is located on the opposite side of the second retaining part 262 from the second support shaft portion 254. As a result, the second support shaft portion 254 is prevented from moving in the front-rear direction by fitting into the retaining groove of the second retaining part 262, and its movement is prevented in the left-right direction by being sandwiched between the second retaining part 262 and the boss 271. In other words, the second support shaft portion 254 of the joint member 25 is prevented from moving in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction by being held by the second retaining part 262 and the boss 271, thereby enabling pivot support with reduced rattle.
[0047] Furthermore, since the first retaining portion 261 and the second retaining portion 262 hold the joint member 25 in different directions, even when the joint member 25 is held by only the first retaining portion 261 and the second retaining portion 262, the joint member 25 is less likely to fall off during the assembly of the door 20. This makes the assembly work of the door 20 (attaching the back cover member 27 to the front cover member 26) easier.
[0048] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, a portion of the side surface of the boss 271 may be flattened by the chamfered portion 271a. In this case, the boss 271 can stably hold the second support shaft portion 254 of the joint member 25 by bringing the chamfered portion 271a into contact with the second support shaft portion 254.
[0049] Furthermore, in the door 20, as long as the second support shaft portion 254 can be pivotally supported without any looseness, the first support shaft portion 253 may be held with some looseness by the first retaining portion 261 alone. In other words, the first retaining portion 261 can only suppress looseness in the left-right direction and cannot suppress looseness in the front-rear direction. However, it is possible to suppress looseness in the front-rear direction with respect to the first retaining portion 261 by using the first retaining portion 261 and a part of the back cover member 27.
[0050] [Embodiment 2] In this second embodiment, a modified example of the joint member 25 will be described. Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the joint member 25A according to this second embodiment. Figures 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views of the area near the latch claw 24 when the joint member 25A is used, with Figure 14 showing the door 20 in a latched state and Figure 15 showing the door 20 in an unlocked state.
[0051] As shown in Figure 13, the joint member 25A is formed by bending a round bar-shaped metal material (preferably steel), and has a first connecting portion 251, a second connecting portion 252A, a first support shaft portion 253, and a second support shaft portion 254. In the joint member 25A, the first connecting portion 251, the first support shaft portion 253, and the second support shaft portion 254 have the same configuration as the joint member 25 shown in Figure 5. However, the second connecting portion 252A in the joint member 25A has a different shape from the second connecting portion 252 in the joint member 25. Specifically, the second connecting portion 252A has a connecting portion 252Aa, a second contact portion 252Ab, and a first contact portion 252Ac, starting from the side closer to the second support shaft portion 254. The second contact portion 252Ab and the first contact portion 252Ac are in direct contact with the latch claw 24.
[0052] The first contact portion 252Ac contacts the latch claw 24 in a manner similar to the contact portion 252c in the joint member 25 of Figure 5, and in particular, it effectively applies force to the latch claw 24 when the latch claw 24 transitions from the latched state to the unlocked state (when it transitions from the state in Figure 14 to the state in Figure 15).
[0053] In the joint member 25 shown in Figure 5, since only the contact portion 252c directly contacts the latch claw 24, transitioning from the latched state to the unlocked state is easy, but transitioning from the unlocked state to the latched state (transition from the state in Figure 9 to the state in Figure 8) may not be performed smoothly. That is, in the state in Figure 9, the force with which the latch claw 24 pushes the contact portion 252c is directed towards the rotation axis of the joint member 25, and in this case, it is difficult for a rotational force to act to return the joint member 25 to the state in Figure 8.
[0054] In contrast, the joint member 25A in Figure 13 allows both the second contact portion 252Ab and the first contact portion 252Ac to contact the latch claw 24. When the latch is released (the state in Figure 15), a force is generated in which the latch claw 24 pushes the second contact portion 252Ab, and this force easily becomes a rotational force that returns the joint member 25A to the latched state (the state in Figure 14). In other words, by providing the second contact portion 252Ab on the second connecting portion 252A of the joint member 25A, the transition from the latched state to the released state can be easily achieved.
[0055] [Embodiment 3] This third embodiment describes other modifications of the joint member 25. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the joint member 25B according to this third embodiment. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the area near the latch claw 24 when the joint member 25B is used (when the door 20 is latched).
[0056] As shown in Figure 16, the joint member 25B is formed by bending a round bar-shaped metal material (preferably steel), and has a first connecting portion 251, a second connecting portion 252B, a first support shaft portion 253, and a second support shaft portion 254. In the joint member 25B, the first connecting portion 251, the first support shaft portion 253, and the second support shaft portion 254 have the same configuration as the joint member 25 shown in Figure 5. However, the second connecting portion 252B in the joint member 25B has a different shape from the second connecting portion 252 in the joint member 25. Specifically, the second connecting portion 252B has a connecting portion 252Ba, a contact portion 252Bb, and a regulating portion 252Bc, starting from the side closer to the second support shaft portion 254. The contact portion 252Bb is in direct contact with the latch claw 24.
[0057] The joint member 25B can switch between the latched and unlocked states of the latch claw 24 by bringing its contact portion 252Bb into contact with the latch claw 24, in substantially the same manner as the joint member 25A in Embodiment 2. Furthermore, the restricting portion 252Bc of the joint member 25B restricts the displacement of the latch claw 24 due to deformation of the mounting surface, thereby preventing latch failure in the latch claw 24. This action will be explained below.
[0058] First, the height position of the latch claw 24 on the door 20 (the distance between the dashed line L in Figure 17 and the front cover member 26) is the reference position for fitting with the latch hole 12 on the device body 10, so sufficient precision is required. On the other hand, the latch claw 24 is attached to the back cover member 27, but since the back cover member 27 is a large molded part, warping deformation or molding variations during molding can cause the mounting surface 27a of the latch claw 24 to sag towards the front. If the mounting surface 27a sags and the height of the latch claw 24 also decreases, the latch claw 24 will not be able to reach the locking part on the device body 10 side, resulting in a defect where the latch cannot be operated.
[0059] In contrast, in the structure using the joint member 25B, when the latch claw 24 is in the latched state, even if the height of the mounting surface 27a decreases for the reasons mentioned above, the restricting portion 252Bc will contact another frame member located on the front side of the mounting surface 27a (for example, the contact surface 27b in Figure 17), preventing the latch claw 24 from decreasing by more than a certain distance, thereby preventing latch failure. In other words, in the joint member 25B, the restricting portion 252Bc functions as a spacer that separates the latch claw 24 and the front cover member 26 by a predetermined distance or more.
[0060] Furthermore, as a further modification, although not shown in the illustration, it is also possible to provide a similar restricting portion on the tip side of the first contact portion 252Ac in the joint member 25A according to Embodiment 2.
[0061] [Embodiment 4] In this fourth embodiment, a preferred example of the handle 23 will be described. In the door 20 described above, the handle 23 is mounted to the frame member so as to be slidable, and therefore a guide mechanism is required to guide this sliding movement.
[0062] Figure 18 is a perspective view of the area around the handle 23 on the door 20 with the back cover member 27 removed. As shown in Figure 18, a frame-shaped rib 264 is provided on the back surface of the front cover member 26, and the handle 23 is positioned inside this frame-shaped rib 264. The frame-shaped rib 264 is positioned to surround three sides of the outer circumference of the handle 23 (three sides excluding the outer circumference of the door 20), and the handle 23 can slide by sliding its outer edge against the frame-shaped rib 264.
[0063] Furthermore, the handle 23 has multiple protruding ribs 231, and the frame-shaped rib 264 has multiple guide grooves 264a into which the protruding ribs 231 are fitted. At least one protruding rib 231 and guide groove 264a are provided on all three sides where the handle 23 and the frame-shaped rib 264 come into contact. This prevents rattling in both the vertical and horizontal directions when the handle 23 slides in the front-back direction.
[0064] Furthermore, the handle 23 is provided with an external handle rib 232 and an internal handle rib 233 on the surface facing the back cover member 27. The external handle rib 232 is provided so as to protrude rearward on the outer edge of the handle 23 so as to be in contact with the frame-shaped rib 264. The internal handle rib 233 is provided so as to protrude rearward further inward than the external handle rib 232. In addition, as shown in Figure 19, the back cover member 27 is provided with a back rib 272 so as to protrude forward on the surface facing the handle 23.
[0065] In the assembled door 20, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the handle-side external rib 232 is positioned between the frame-shaped rib 264 and the back-side rib 272. The back-side rib 272 is positioned between the handle-side external rib 232 and the handle-side internal rib 233. In this configuration, the sliding range of the handle 23 can be guided separately by the front cover member 26 and the back cover member 27.
[0066] In other words, when the handle 23 is near the front of the sliding range (close to the front cover member 26: see Figure 7), the handle 23 is mainly guided by the frame-shaped rib 264 provided on the front cover member 26. On the other hand, when the handle 23 is near the rear of the sliding range (close to the back cover member 27: see Figure 6), the handle 23 is mainly guided by the back rib 272 provided on the back cover member 27. In this case, the frame-shaped rib 264 and the back rib 272 only need to guide a portion of the sliding range of the handle 23, so the height of the ribs can be kept low.
[0067] Guide ribs, such as the frame-shaped rib 264 and the back-side rib 272, have a problem where if the height of the rib becomes too high, the strength of the rib decreases or the moldability of the rib deteriorates. In contrast, the door 20 is equipped with both the frame-shaped rib 264 and the back-side rib 272, and is configured to guide the handle 23 from both the front and rear sides, thereby keeping the height of the rib down while ensuring reliability.
[0068] Furthermore, it is preferable that the tip of the handle-side internal rib 233 overlaps with the back-side rib 272 in the front-to-back direction when the handle 23 is in its furthest forward position (as shown in Figure 7). This ensures that when the handle 23 is in its furthest forward position, the gap between the tip of the back-side rib 272 and the handle 23 is covered by the handle-side internal rib 233, preventing the user's fingers or other body parts from getting caught in this gap. Alternatively, if grease or the like is applied to the contact surfaces of the ribs to smooth the movement of the handle 23, the handle-side internal rib 233 can prevent the grease-applied surface (for example, the inner surface of the handle-side external rib 232) from being visible.
[0069] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20, the back cover member 27 is provided with a recess 273 for the user to insert their hand when operating the handle 23. Protrusions 273a are provided at the upper and lower ends of the recess 273 on the side of the door 20. By providing protrusions 273a at the upper and lower ends of the recess 273, the end face of the handle-side internal rib 233 is less visible when the door 20 is viewed from the side, thereby preventing the appearance of the door 20 from being spoiled.
[0070] Furthermore, although the door 20 extends in a substantially vertical direction, it is not necessarily perfectly perpendicular to the ground, and at least a part of the door may be slightly inclined with respect to the ground. For this reason, the location of the handle 23 on the door 20 may be inclined or curved with respect to the ground. In this case, the outer shape of the handle 23 is shaped to match the inclination or curvature of the door 20 when viewed from the side of the door 20, as shown in Figure 21. On the other hand, the operating surface of the handle 23 may be parallel to the outer shape (in its longitudinal direction) of the handle 23 when viewed from the side of the door 20, but it does not have to be parallel. For example, the operating surface of the handle 23 does not have to be parallel to the outer shape (in its longitudinal direction) of the handle 23 by being in the direction of the handle 23's sliding movement.
[0071] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be restrictive. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not construed solely by the embodiments described above, but is defined by the claims. This includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the claims.
[0072] For example, in the door 20 described above, the handle 23 is designed to slide in the front-rear direction. This configuration is effective in ensuring the range of motion of the first connecting portion 251, which is linked to the movement of the handle 23. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the handle 23 may rotate around the hinge axis. [Explanation of symbols]
[0073] 1. Drum-type washing machine 10 Main unit of the device 11 Rotating Tank 12 Latch holes 20 doors 21 Door body 22 Slope 23 Handle 231 Protruding ribs 232 Handle-side external rib 233 Handle-side internal rib 24. Latch claw (latch component) 241 Rotation axis 25, 25A, 25B Joint Members 251 1st connection part 252,252A,252B 2nd connection part 252a First connection section 252b Second connection section 252c Contact part 252Aa connection 252Ab 2nd contact part 252Ac 1st contact part 252Ba connection 252Bb Contact part 252Bc Regulating section (spacer) 253 1st support shaft part 254 2nd support shaft 26 Front cover member 261 1st holding part 262 2nd holding part 264 Frame-shaped ribs 264a Guide groove 27 Back cover component 271 Boss 271a Chamfered section 272 Back Rib 273 recess 273a protrusion
Claims
1. A drum-type washing machine having a front-opening door, The aforementioned door is A handle that is movable relative to the frame member of the door and can be grasped by the user when opening the door, A latch member is positioned below the handle at a distance from it, is movable between a latched state and an unlocked state, and holds the door in the closed state when it is latched. The device includes a connecting member that connects the handle and the latch member, and which links the movement of the latch member to the movement of the handle. The joint member has two support shaft portions formed to sandwich the handle, and a connecting portion located between the two support shaft portions. The two support shafts mentioned above are pivotally supported by the frame member. The connecting portion is capable of contacting the handle and rotates around the pivot portion. The aforementioned joint member is characterized by being formed by bending a round bar-shaped metal material.
2. A drum-type washing machine according to claim 1, The aforementioned handle is characterized in that it extends in the direction in which the connecting portion extends.
3. A drum-type washing machine according to claim 1, The joint member has a contact portion that contacts the latch member, The drum-type washing machine is characterized in that, when the latch is released, the reaction force received from the latch member by the contact portion is in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface with the latch member.
4. A drum-type washing machine according to claim 1, The frame member has a front cover member and a back cover member. A drum-type washing machine characterized in that the rotating shaft of the joint member is supported using both the front cover member and the back cover member.
5. A drum-type washing machine according to claim 4, A drum-type washing machine characterized in that the joint member has a portion that functions as a spacer to separate the latch member and the front cover member by a predetermined distance or more.