Clothing processing equipment
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MIDEA GROUP CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2022-12-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
Smart Images
Figure 0007897787000001 
Figure 0007897787000002 
Figure 0007897787000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a clothing treatment apparatus.
Background Art
[0002] For example, the washing machine disclosed in Patent Document 1 is an example of a clothing treatment apparatus that performs a treatment such as a washing treatment on clothing, and includes a manual input unit into which a clothing treatment agent is manually input by a user.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] In recent years, in a washing machine, for example, it has been considered to include an automatic input device configured to automatically input a clothing treatment agent such as a detergent or a softener into a tub. And, in a washing machine, in order to secure a space for mounting such a device, it has been considered to miniaturize the manual input unit. However, when the manual input unit is miniaturized, there is a problem that water easily overflows from the manual input unit when water is supplied into the tub. Depending on the usage environment of the washing machine, for example, the environment of the region or household where the washing machine is used, the water pressure of the water supply source such as tap water may be different. Therefore, particularly in a usage environment where the water pressure is high, there is a greater concern about the problem that water easily overflows from the miniaturized manual input unit.
[0005] Therefore, the present embodiment provides a clothing treatment apparatus that can suppress water from overflowing outside the water injection case even when water easily overflows from the manual input unit as the manual input unit is miniaturized.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] The garment processing apparatus according to this embodiment comprises a garment processing tank for storing garments and a water filling case for pouring water into the garment processing tank, wherein the water filling case comprises a manual dispensing section into which a garment processing agent is dispensed by the user, and a housing section that houses the manual dispensing section so as to be movable in a predetermined inlet / outlet direction, wherein the width of the housing section in a direction intersecting the inlet / outlet direction is longer than the width of the manual dispensing section in a direction intersecting the inlet / outlet direction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0007] [Figure 1] A schematic side view showing an example of the washing machine configuration according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of the machine room in the washing machine according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] A schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the water-filling case according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] A schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the water-filling case body according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] A schematic perspective view showing an example configuration of the manual input case according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] A schematic perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the lower member in the water-filling case according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] A schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of the lower member in the water-filling case according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] A schematic cross-sectional front view showing an example of the configuration of the water-filling case according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] A schematic plan view showing an example of the relative widths of the water filling case body and the manual dispensing case according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing an example of the internal configuration of the water-filling case according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0008] The following describes one embodiment of a garment processing device with reference to the drawings. The washing machine 1 illustrated in Figure 1 is a so-called vertical-axis type washing machine in which the rotational axis of the rotating drum extends in the vertical direction. The washing machine 1 is an example of a garment processing device capable of performing predetermined processes on clothes, in this case, a washing process to wash clothes, a rinsing process to rinse clothes, and a dewatering process to dewater clothes, and is equipped with a water tank 3 inside an outer casing 2 that constitutes the outer shell of the device body. The water tank 3 is an example of a garment processing tank in which clothes are contained, and is a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open top. Inside the water tank 3, a bottomed cylindrical rotating drum (not shown) with an open top is rotatably provided. A pulsator (not shown) for agitating the clothes in the rotating drum and the water in the water tank 3 is rotatably provided at the bottom of the rotating drum. A balance ring (not shown) for suppressing vibration of the water tank 3 is provided at the top of the water tank 3. An inner lid may or may not be provided at the top opening of the water tank 3.
[0009] The outer casing 2 has a configuration in which a top cover 2B is attached to the top of a roughly rectangular outer casing body 2A that is open at the top. A clothing opening 4 for loading and unloading clothes is provided in the approximate center of the top cover 2B. This clothing opening 4 is opened and closed by an outer lid 5 that is rotatably provided on the top of the outer casing 2. The washing machine 1 is located at the rear of the outer casing 2 and has a machine room 6. In this case, the machine room 6 is located behind the clothing opening 4 in the space within the top cover 2B. Various drive system components such as an automatic dispensing device 100, a water filling case 200, and a water supply valve unit 300 are housed inside the machine room 6. The automatic dispensing device 100 is an example of an automatic dispensing unit, and is a device for automatically dispensing a predetermined amount of clothing treatment agent, such as enough for one wash, into the water tank 3 along with the water supplied from the water supply valve unit 300 during a well-known washing operation for washing clothes.
[0010] Next, an example of the configuration inside the machine room 6 will be described in detail. As illustrated in Figure 2, the machine room 6 forms a horizontally elongated space extending horizontally from the outer box 2 behind the clothing entrance 4. Inside this machine room 6, the automatic dispensing device 100, the water filling case 200, and the water supply valve unit 300 are arranged in a line along the horizontal direction of the outer box 2. In addition, within the machine room 6, the water supply valve unit 300 is located to the side of the water filling case 200, in this case to the right when viewed from the front side of the washing machine 1. Furthermore, within the machine room 6, the water supply valve unit 300 is positioned in front of the rear end of the automatic dispensing device 100 and the rear end of the water filling case 200. In this case, the entire water supply valve unit 300 is positioned in front of the rear end of the automatic dispensing device 100 and the rear end of the water filling case 200. Note that the water supply valve unit 300 may also be positioned such that at least a part of it is positioned in front of the rear end of the automatic dispensing device 100 and the rear end of the water filling case 200.
[0011] Furthermore, within the machine room 6, the water supply case 200 is positioned between the automatic dispensing device 100 and the water supply valve unit 300 in the lateral direction of the outer casing 2. In other words, the water supply case 200 is positioned so that it is sandwiched between the automatic dispensing device 100 and the water supply valve unit 300 from the lateral direction of the outer casing 2.
[0012] A well-known bath water pump 400 is provided near the water supply valve unit 300. The bath water pump 400 is configured to draw in bath water stored in, for example, a bathtub located outside the washing machine 1 and supply it into the water filling case 200.
[0013] Within the machine room 6, the water supply valve unit 300 and the bath water pump 400 are arranged side by side along the front-to-back direction of the outer casing 2. The bath water pump 400 is positioned in front of the water supply valve unit 300. In this case, the entire bath water pump 400 is positioned in front of the water supply valve unit 300. However, the bath water pump 400 may also be positioned such that at least a portion of it is in front of the water supply valve unit 300.
[0014] The automatic feeder 100 is located and arranged on the left side at the rear inside the top cover 2B, more specifically, on the left side inside the machine room 6. The automatic feeder 100 includes a case housing portion 101 that is substantially rectangular box-shaped with an open front. This case housing portion 101 is firmly fixed, for example, by screwing, to a bottom plate made of, for example, metal that constitutes the bottom surface of the machine room 6. Thereby, the case housing portion 101 is provided immovably with respect to the main body portion of the washing machine 1.
[0015] The front opening portion of the case housing portion 101 is fixed to the rear wall portion of the clothing entrance / exit 4 and is open forward at the rear wall portion of the clothing entrance / exit 4. Inside this case housing portion 101, a case 102 that is substantially rectangular box-shaped with an open top is accommodated so as to be movable back and forth along the front-rear direction of the washing machine 1. Also, inside this case 102, a plurality of tanks, in this case, a detergent tank and a fabric softener tank not shown in the figure, are detachably accommodated.
[0016] In the detergent tank, as an example of a clothing treatment agent, detergent for washing the clothing in the water tank 3 is stored. The detergent tank is a substantially rectangular container-shaped treatment agent tank having a dimensional shape capable of storing detergent for a plurality of operations inside it. The replenishment of the detergent into the detergent tank can be performed by opening the replenishment port provided at the upper part of the tank. On the other hand, in the fabric softener tank, as an example of a clothing treatment agent, fabric softener for performing a softening treatment on the clothing in the water tank 3 is stored. The fabric softener tank is a substantially rectangular container-shaped treatment agent tank having a dimensional shape capable of storing fabric softener for a plurality of operations inside it. The replenishment of the fabric softener into the fabric softener tank can be performed by opening the replenishment port provided at the upper part of the tank.
[0017] In addition, the automatic dosing device 100 includes a detergent metering pump 103 and a fabric softener metering pump 104 behind the case housing portion 101. The detergent metering pump 103 is a pump configured to suck and deliver liquid by driving a piston with an actuator such as a motor or a solenoid. The detergent metering pump 103 sucks a predetermined amount, in this case, the amount of detergent for one operation, from the detergent tank housed in the case housing portion 101, and delivers the sucked detergent into the water injection case 200 together with the water supplied from the water supply valve unit 300. As a result, water mixed with detergent is supplied to the water injection case 200. Then, the water containing the detergent supplied to the water injection case 200 is supplied from the water injection case 200 into the water tank 3.
[0018] The fabric softener metering pump 104 is a pump configured to suck and deliver liquid by driving a piston with an actuator such as a motor or a solenoid. The fabric softener metering pump 104 sucks a predetermined amount, in this case, the amount of fabric softener for one operation, from the fabric softener tank housed in the case housing portion 101, and delivers the sucked fabric softener into the water injection case 200 together with the water supplied from the water supply valve unit 300. As a result, water mixed with fabric softener is supplied to the water injection case 200. Then, the water containing the fabric softener supplied to the water injection case 200 is supplied from the water injection case 200 into the water tank 3.
[0019] As described above, the automatic dosing device 100 is configured to be able to automatically inject a predetermined amount of clothing treatment agent for one operation, for example, into the water tank 3 together with the water supplied from the water supply valve unit 300 during a well-known washing operation for washing clothes. The detergent metering pump 103 and the fabric softener metering pump 104 that constitute the automatic dosing device 100 are both examples of driving means controlled by a control device (not shown) that controls the overall operation of the washing machine 1.
[0020] Next, an example of the configuration of the water supply valve unit 300 will be described. The water supply valve unit 300 is mainly a component for supplying water to the automatic dispensing device 100 and the water filling case 200. The water supply valve unit 300 has a configuration in which multiple water supply valves are integrally provided. These water supply valves are supplied with water from a water source not shown, such as a water supply system. The water supply valve unit 300 includes at least a water supply valve for supplying water to the automatic dispensing device 100 without going through the water filling case 200, and a water supply valve for supplying water into the water filling case 200 without going through the automatic dispensing device 100.
[0021] Next, an example of the configuration of the water filling case 200 will be described in detail. The water filling case 200 is primarily a component for pouring water into the water tank 3. The water filling case 200 is firmly fixed to the bottom surface of the machine room 6, for example, to a metal bottom plate, for example, by screwing it in. As illustrated in Figure 3, the water filling case 200 as a whole has an elongated shape, with its front-to-back dimension being longer than its left-to-right dimension, and comprises a water filling case body 210 and a manual water filling case 220.
[0022] The water filling case body 210 is an example of a housing that accommodates the manual loading case 220 so that it can move in predetermined loading and unloading directions A1 and A2. In this case, the predetermined loading and unloading directions A1 and A2 are directions that generally or perfectly coincide with the front-to-back direction of the washing machine 1. As illustrated in Figure 4, the water filling case body 210 is composed of an upper member 203 and a lower member 204. The upper member 203 constitutes the central part of the water filling case body 210 in the vertical direction and the part above the central part. On the other hand, the lower member 204 constitutes the part of the water filling case body 210 below the central part in the vertical direction. An inclined portion 205 is formed on the upper part of the upper member 203. The inclined portion 205 forms an inclined surface that slopes downward from rear to front.
[0023] The water filling case body 210 has an opening 206 at its front. In this case, the opening 206 is generally rectangular. The opening 206 is fixed to the rear wall of the clothing entrance 4 and is open towards the front at the rear wall of the clothing entrance 4. The manual loading case 220 is housed inside the water filling case body 210 via this opening 206 so as to be movable along predetermined loading and unloading directions A1 and A2.
[0024] The manual dispensing case 220 is an example of a manual dispensing unit into which the garment treatment agent is dispensed by the user. As illustrated in Figure 5, the manual dispensing case 220 integrally comprises a manual dispensing case body 221 and a front wall 222. The manual dispensing case body 221 integrally comprises a garment treatment agent receiving section 223 and an extension section 224. The garment treatment agent receiving section 223 constitutes the portion of the manual dispensing case body 221 that is in front of the center in the front-to-back direction. On the other hand, the extension section 224 constitutes the portion of the manual dispensing case body 221 that is in the center in the front-to-back direction and the portion of the manual dispensing case body 221 that is in rear of the center.
[0025] The garment treatment agent receiving section 223 is a roughly rectangular container with an open top. The user can manually pour liquid garment treatment agents, such as detergent or fabric softener, into this garment treatment agent receiving section 223. A notch 223a is formed at the upper end of the rear wall of the garment treatment agent receiving section 223. Therefore, the upper end of the rear of the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 is lower than the upper ends of the front, left, and right sides.
[0026] The extension portion 224 extends backward from the rear of the garment treatment agent receiving portion 223. The extension portion 224 is shaped by a connecting portion 224b that extends in the left-right direction between a pair of extension wall portions 224a that face each other at a predetermined distance in the left-right direction. The extension portion 224 is also equipped with a stopper 224c that protrudes upward at the upper part of its rear end. When the manual dispensing case 220 is pulled forward from inside the water filling case body portion 210, the stopper 224c engages with a locking portion (not shown) provided, for example, on the upper edge of the opening 206, when the amount the manual dispensing case 220 has been pulled forward reaches a predetermined amount. In this way, the stopper 224c prevents the manual dispensing case 220 from being pulled out from inside the water filling case body portion 210 by more than a predetermined amount. Furthermore, when the amount the manual input case 220 is pulled forward reaches a predetermined amount, the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 is positioned at least in front of the rear wall of the garment opening 4.
[0027] As illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, a notch 230 is formed in the front of the lower member 204 that constitutes the bottom of the water filling case body 210. In this case, the notch 230 has a shape in which the amount of the notch gradually increases from the right side to the left side towards the rear. This notch 230 constitutes the water inlet into which the water supplied to the water filling case 200 is poured into the water tank 3. The bottom surface of the lower member 204 forms an inclined surface that gradually slopes downward from the rear towards the front notch 230.
[0028] Furthermore, a roughly cylindrical water inlet 231 is provided on the left side of the rear of the lower member 204. An automatic water supply device 100 and a water supply valve unit 300 are connected to this water inlet 231. As a result, water can be supplied to the lower member 204, or in other words, to the water filling case 200, from the automatic water supply device 100, and also from the water supply valve unit 300. Note that the state in which water is supplied to the water filling case 200 from the automatic water supply device 100 via the water inlet 231 and the state in which water is supplied to the water filling case 200 from the water supply valve unit 300 via the water inlet 231 can be switched by a switching valve (not shown).
[0029] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the lower member 204 is provided with a rib 240 that extends along predetermined insertion and removal directions A1 and A2. The upper end of the rib 240 has a horizontal surface portion 240a and a vertical surface portion 240b. The horizontal surface portion 240a forms a generally or perfectly horizontal smooth surface. The vertical surface portion 240b forms a generally or perfectly vertical smooth surface. The vertical surface portion 240b is reinforced by a plurality of triangular plate-like portions 240c. The front end of the vertical surface portion 240b has a curved portion 240d that curves smoothly to one end in the left-right direction, in this case to the right. The front end of the rib 240 also curves smoothly to one end in the left-right direction, in this case to the right, following the curved shape of the curved portion 240d.
[0030] Furthermore, a stepped portion 241 extending along predetermined insertion and removal directions A1 and A2 is provided on the left side of the lower member 204. The rib 240 and the stepped portion 241 face each other with a predetermined distance between them in the left-right direction. A horizontal surface portion 241a and a vertical surface portion 241b are formed at the upper end of the stepped portion 241. The horizontal surface portion 241a forms a generally or perfectly horizontal smooth surface. The height of the horizontal surface portion 241a of the stepped portion 241 is generally or perfectly the same as the height of the horizontal surface portion 240a of the rib 240. The vertical surface portion 241b forms a generally or perfectly vertical smooth surface. The vertical surface portion 241b is integrated with the inner surface of the left side wall portion of the lower member 204 and is flush with that inner surface. In other words, a part of the inner surface of the left side wall portion of the lower member 204 forms the vertical surface portion 241b of the stepped portion 241.
[0031] Furthermore, the vertical surface portion 241b has a curved portion 241d that curves smoothly to the other end in the left-right direction, in this case to the left. The curved portion 240d of the rib 240 and the curved portion 241d of the stepped portion 241 face each other with a predetermined distance between them in the left-right direction.
[0032] As illustrated in Figure 8, within the water filling case body 210, the manual dispensing case 220 is supported from below at the lower ends of both its left and right ends by the horizontal surfaces 240a of the ribs 240 and the horizontal surfaces 241a of the stepped sections 241. That is, the ribs 240, by having horizontal surfaces 240a, function as an example of a support that movably supports the manual dispensing case 220 from below within the water filling case body 210. Similarly, the stepped sections 241, by having horizontal surfaces 241a, also function as an example of a support that movably supports the manual dispensing case 220 from below within the water filling case body 210.
[0033] Furthermore, within the water filling case body 210, the manual dispensing case 220 is sandwiched at both of its lower ends by the vertical surfaces 240b of the rib 240 and the vertical surfaces 241b of the stepped portion 241. The vertical surfaces 240b of the rib 240 and the vertical surfaces 241b of the stepped portion 241 serve to guide the manual dispensing case 220 along predetermined insertion and removal directions A1 and A2 when it is inserted into or removed from the water filling case body 210. In other words, the rib 240, by having its vertical surfaces 240b, also functions as a guide for moving the manual dispensing case 220 along predetermined insertion and removal directions A1 and A2. Similarly, the stepped portion 241, by having its vertical surfaces 241b, also functions as a guide for moving the manual dispensing case 220 along predetermined insertion and removal directions A1 and A2.
[0034] Furthermore, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the rib 240 divides the bottom of the lower member 204, in other words, the bottom of the water injection case body 210, into a basic flow path R1 and an additional flow path R2. The basic flow path R1 is an example of a first flow path, and the additional flow path R2 is an example of a second flow path. In this case, the width W1 of the basic flow path R1 in the left-right direction is wider than the width W2 of the additional flow path R2 in the left-right direction.
[0035] As illustrated in Figure 5, within the water filling case body 210, the manual input case 220 is mainly positioned above the basic flow path R1 and not above the additional flow path R2. Furthermore, the upper end of the rib 240, more specifically the upper end of the vertical surface portion 240b, is lower than the upper end of the manual input case 220, more specifically the upper end of the front wall portion 222, and even lower than the upper end of the manual input case body 221, when the manual input case 220 is housed within the water filling case body 210.
[0036] As illustrated in Figure 9, the width of the water filling case body 210 in directions B1 and B2 that intersect the predetermined loading and unloading directions A1 and A2, in this case generally or completely perpendicular directions, is longer than the width of the manual loading case 220 in directions B1 and B2, more specifically the width W4 of the manual loading case body 221. That is, in this case, directions B1 and B2 are directions that generally or completely coincide with the left-right direction of the washing machine 1, and the width W3 in that left-right direction is wider than the width W4 by at least the amount to which the above-mentioned additional flow path R2 is formed.
[0037] As illustrated in Figure 10, multiple flow paths R3 are formed in the upper part of the water filling case 200 through which water supplied from the water supply valve unit 300 flows. In addition, a well-known siphon structure 250 is provided inside the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 of the manual input case 220. The siphon structure 250 comprises an outlet pipe section 250a and a cap section 250b. The outlet pipe section 250a is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its upper and lower ends open, and protrudes upward from the bottom of the garment treatment agent receiving section 223. The cap section 250b is formed in a long cap shape with its lower end open and its upper end closed, and covers the outlet pipe section 250a from above. A predetermined gap is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the outlet pipe section 250a and the inner circumferential surface of the cap section 250b, and between the upper end of the outlet pipe section 250a and the inner surface of the upper part of the cap section 250b, through which water can pass.
[0038] The water supplied from the water supply valve unit 300 into the water filling case 200 is supplied to the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 of the manual input case 220 via multiple flow paths R3, as illustrated by the dashed arrow W1. The water supplied to the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 dissolves the garment treatment agent placed inside the garment treatment agent receiving section 223. When the water level of the water containing the dissolved garment treatment agent exceeds a predetermined water level S, in this case, when it exceeds the height of the upper end of the outlet pipe section 250a, it flows out to the bottom of the water filling case body section 210 from the outlet pipe section 250a of the siphon structure section 250 due to the well-known siphon phenomenon, as illustrated by the dashed arrow W2. The water containing the garment treatment agent that flows out from the outlet pipe section 250a then flows out from the notch section 230 and is supplied to the water tank 3, as illustrated by the dashed arrow W3.
[0039] At this time, if the amount of water W1 supplied to the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 via the multiple flow paths R3 is greater than the amount of water W2 flowing out via the siphon structure section 250, and the amount of water in the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 exceeds a predetermined allowable water volume, more specifically, if the water volume exceeds the lower end of the notch 223a, the excess water is discharged from the notch 223a as illustrated by the dashed arrow W4. This prevents the water in the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 from overflowing into the water filling case main body section 210 by exceeding the upper end of the garment treatment agent receiving section 223, that is, the upper end of the part other than the notch 223a.
[0040] However, if the amount of water in the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 significantly exceeds the predetermined allowable water volume, the water in the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 will overflow into the water filling case main section 210, exceeding the upper end of the garment treatment agent receiving section 223, i.e., the upper end of the part other than the notch 223a. Furthermore, if a large amount of water overflows, water may backflow from the water filling case main section 210 into the garment treatment agent receiving section 223, as illustrated by the dashed arrow W5, or water may overflow from the water filling case main section 210 over the front wall section 222 and out of the water filling case 200, as illustrated by the dashed arrow W6.
[0041] Therefore, according to the washing machine 1 of this disclosure, as described above, the width W3 of the water filling case body 210 in the direction intersecting the predetermined loading and unloading directions A1 and A2, in this case the direction B1 and B2 which is approximately or completely perpendicular, is made longer than the width W4 of the manual loading case 220 in the direction B1 and B2, and an additional flow channel R2 is formed in the lengthened portion.
[0042] According to this configuration example, even if the amount of water in the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 significantly exceeds a predetermined allowable amount, and the water in the garment treatment agent receiving section 223 overflows into the water filling case main body 210, exceeding the upper end of the garment treatment agent receiving section 223, i.e., the upper end of the part other than the notch 223a, the overflowing water can be discharged into the water tank 3 not only from the basic flow path R1 but also from the additional flow path R2. Therefore, even if the manual dispensing case 220 is made smaller and water is more likely to overflow from the manual dispensing case 220, it is possible to prevent the water from overflowing outside the water filling case 200.
[0043] Furthermore, according to the washing machine 1, the bottom of the water filling case body 210 is provided with a rib 240 that supports the manual dispensing case 220. With this configuration, the miniaturized manual dispensing case 220 can be stably supported within the water filling case body 210. In addition, according to the washing machine 1, the bottom of the water filling case body 210 is partitioned into a basic flow path R1 and an additional flow path R2 by this rib 240. That is, according to the washing machine 1, the bottom of the water filling case body 210 is partitioned into a basic flow path R1 and an additional flow path R2 by utilizing the rib 240 that supports the manual dispensing case 220. Therefore, there is no need to provide a dedicated component for partitioning the bottom of the water filling case body 210 into a basic flow path R1 and an additional flow path R2, thus avoiding an increase in the number of parts and structural complexity. Furthermore, by avoiding an increase in the number of parts and structural complexity, it is possible to realize a configuration in which there are no or few components that obstruct the flow of water within the water-filling case body 210, thereby improving the drainage performance of the water-filling case 200.
[0044] Furthermore, in the washing machine 1, the upper end of the rib 240 is lower than the upper end of the manual dispensing case 220. With this configuration, if the amount of water in the garment processing agent receiving section 223 significantly exceeds a predetermined allowable amount, the water in the garment processing agent receiving section 223 can be flowed into the additional flow channel R2 without being obstructed by the upper end of the rib 240. Therefore, excess water can be quickly discharged into the water tank 3 from the notch 230, further suppressing water from overflowing outside the water filling case 200.
[0045] Furthermore, according to the washing machine 1, the rib 240 also functions as a guide for moving the manual dispensing case 220 along predetermined in / out directions A1 and A2. This configuration stabilizes the movement of the manual dispensing case 220 along predetermined in / out directions A1 and A2, improving operability when inserting or removing the manual dispensing case 220. In addition, the washing machine 1 utilizes the rib 240, which supports the manual dispensing case 220, to realize a configuration in which the manual dispensing case 220 moves along predetermined in / out directions A1 and A2. Therefore, there is no need to provide a dedicated component for moving the manual dispensing case 220 along predetermined in / out directions A1 and A2, thus avoiding an increase in the number of parts and structural complexity. Furthermore, by avoiding an increase in the number of parts and structural complexity in this way, it is possible to realize a configuration in which there are no or few components that obstruct the flow of water within the water filling case body 210, thereby improving the drainage performance of the water filling case 200.
[0046] Furthermore, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 8, the washing machine 1 allows for the formation of a recess 260 in the upper part of the additional flow path R2 in the water filling case 200. This recess 260 can be used as space for, for example, a bath water pump 400, thereby making effective use of the limited space in the machine room 6.
[0047] Furthermore, according to the washing machine 1, as described above, even if the manual dispensing case 220 is miniaturized, the presence of the additional flow path R2 can suppress water overflow outside the water filling case 200. Therefore, the manual dispensing case 220 can be miniaturized without difficulty, and consequently, the water filling case 200 as a whole can be miniaturized. By miniaturizing the water filling case 200 as a whole, it is possible to easily secure space for relatively large components such as the automatic dispensing device 100, and the limited space in the machine room 6 can be utilized more effectively.
[0048] This embodiment is not limited to the one described above, and various modifications and extensions can be made without departing from its essence. For example, the clothing treatment agent introduced into the clothing treatment agent receiving section 223 may be a detergent, a fabric softener, or other treatment agents, such as a deodorant, odor remover, disinfectant, or bleach. The clothing treatment agent introduced into the clothing treatment agent receiving section 223 may be liquid or gel, or powder or solid. Furthermore, the width and length of the additional channel R2 relative to the basic channel R1 can be changed as appropriate.
[0049] Furthermore, this embodiment can be applied to so-called horizontal-axis type washing machines in which the rotational axis of the rotating drum extends horizontally or in an inclined direction. Furthermore, this embodiment can be applied to washing machines with a drying function. Furthermore, this embodiment can be applied to washing machines without a drying function. Furthermore, this embodiment can be applied to various garment processing devices, for example, any device capable of performing some kind of treatment on clothing, such as deodorizing, deodorizing, sterilizing, or bleaching.
[0050] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented merely as examples 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 variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0051] In the drawing, 1 is the washing machine (clothing processing device), 3 is the water tank (clothing processing tank), 200 is the water filling case, 210 is the main body of the water filling case (housing section), 220 is the manual dispensing case (manual dispensing section), 240 is the rib (support section), 260 is the recess, R1 is the basic flow path (first flow path), and R2 is the additional flow path (second flow path).
Claims
1. A garment processing tank for storing clothes, A water filling case into which water is poured into the garment processing tank, Equipped with, The aforementioned water filling case is A manual dispenser where the garment treatment agent is manually dispensed by the user, A housing unit that houses the manual input unit so as to be movable in a predetermined inlet / outlet direction, Equipped with, The bottom of the storage section is provided with a support part for supporting the manual input section, The support section divides the bottom of the housing section into a first channel and a second channel. A garment processing apparatus in which the width of the storage section in a direction intersecting the loading / unloading direction is longer than the width of the manual loading section in a direction intersecting the loading / unloading direction, and the second flow path is formed in the longer portion.
2. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper end of the support portion is lower than the upper end of the manual input portion.
3. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support portion moves the manual input portion along the input / output direction.
4. The garment processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the water injection case has a recess above the second flow path.