JP2003093787A - Drum type washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a top-loading type drum type washing machine distributing weight evenly in the drum circumference direction and causing less vibration. SOLUTION: Inside an outer tub 2, the drum 4 for storing laundry is arranged while setting its end faces laterally. In a cylindrical part 42 of the drum 4, an opening part 43 for loading/unloading the laundry is formed. In the cylindrical part 42, a reinforcing frame is arranged in addition to the opening part 43. On the inside face of the cylindrical part 42 of the drum 4, an opening part balancer 61 matching the weight of an opening/closing lid arranged in the opening part and the reinforcing frame is installed in the position facing the opening part 43 at 180 degrees in the circumference direction. By means of the opening part balancer 61, weight around the opening part 43 is balanced out around rotary shafts 51L and 51R while the drum 4 is turned, and consequently, both eccentric weights can be canceled by each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drum-type washing machine which rotates about a horizontal axis, and more specifically, a so-called top loading type washing machine having an opening for loading and unloading laundry in a cylindrical portion of the drum. Drum type washing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A top-loading type drum washing machine in which a drum rotates about a substantially horizontal rotation axis is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-255187. Here, the top-loading type means that instead of putting the laundry in and out from the front end surface of the cylindrical drum arranged sideways, both end surfaces of the drum are closed, and when the drum is in a stationary state. The opening formed in the cylindrical portion of the drum stops above, and the laundry is put in and taken out through the opening.

[0003]

By the way, in a top loading type drum type washing machine in which a drum rotates about a substantially horizontal axis, an opening is provided in a cylindrical portion of the drum, and therefore a reinforcing frame surrounding the opening and an opening / closing mechanism. Is required. Therefore, the weight near the drum opening inevitably increases,
The weight is unevenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the drum. When the drum with uneven distribution of weight is rotated around the rotation axis,
Vibration occurs as the drum rotates.

A rotating shaft of a motor for rotating the drum is connected to one side surface of the drum, and the motor is fixed to the outer tank. Therefore, uneven distribution of weight occurs on the side surface of the outer tank to which the motor is attached. For this reason, the uneven distribution of the weight on the side surface of the outer tub due to the attachment of the motor promotes the vibration caused by the eccentric load in the drum, and the vibration on the side of the outer tub side on which the motor is not mounted may become large. Then, the objective of this invention is solving the said technical subject and providing a top loading type | mold drum type washing machine with few vibrations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a top loading drum type washing machine in which the weight is not unevenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the drum.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the drum (4) having the cylindrical portion (42) for accommodating the laundry is substantially horizontal. In a drum-type washing machine that rotates around various axes, an opening (43) formed in the cylindrical portion for putting the laundry in the drum and taking out the laundry from the drum, and the opening and the circumferential direction. The drum type washing machine is characterized in that it includes an opening balancer (61) having a weight corresponding to the weight of the opening provided at positions separated by 180 degrees.

The alphanumeric characters in parentheses represent corresponding constituent elements in the embodiments described later. The same applies in this section below. The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the opening includes an opening formed in a cylindrical portion, a reinforcing frame provided around the opening, and an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the opening. The drum type washing machine described in 1. Claim 3
The invention described is characterized in that the opening balancer is provided by utilizing a baffle (31) arranged in a drum for stirring the laundry.
It is the described drum type washing machine.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the drum is housed in the outer tank (2) and rotates in the outer tank. The drum is attached to one side surface (23R) of the outer tank and is substantially horizontal. The extended rotary shafts (51L, 51R) are provided on the drum rotation motor (6) connected to the drum at the tip thereof and on the opposite side (23L) to the side of the outer tub on which the motor is attached, which corresponds to the weight of the motor. The drum type washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a heavy motor balancer (62).

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a drum type washing machine in which a drum (4) for accommodating laundry is arranged in the outer tub (2) and which rotates about a substantially horizontal axis. On the other hand, the rotary shaft (5
1L, 51R) has a drum rotation motor (6) whose tip is connected to the drum, and a motor balancer having a weight corresponding to the weight of the motor, which is provided on the side (23L) of the outer tub opposite to the side where the motor is attached. (62) It is a drum type washing machine characterized by having.

As described in claim 1, when an opening balancer having a weight corresponding to the weight of the opening is provided at a position 180 degrees apart from the opening formed in the cylindrical portion of the drum in the circumferential direction, The weight of the opening and the weight of the opening balancer are balanced with each other about the rotation axis, and the two eccentrically distributed weights are offset when the drum rotates. Therefore, when the drum is rotated, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of vibration due to the weight unevenly distributed near the opening. Specifically, since the opening formed in the cylindrical portion includes the reinforcing frame and the opening / closing mechanism as described in claim 2, its weight increases. In a drum-type washing machine in which the drum rotates about a substantially horizontal axis, vibration occurs when the weight is unevenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the drum.Therefore, by providing an opening balancer corresponding to the weight of the opening, a reinforcing frame and an opening / closing mechanism are provided. The uneven weight distributed in the circumferential direction of the drum is canceled out. This makes it possible to provide a drum-type washing machine with less vibration.

As described in claim 3, the opening balancer may be provided by using a baffle formed on the inner wall surface of the drum for stirring the laundry. Normally, three baffles are provided on the inner wall surface of the drum, but by arranging the opening balancer by using the baffle located at a position approximately 180 degrees circumferentially from the drum opening, The provision of the balancer prevents the inner and outer walls of the drum from protruding.

As described in claim 4, when a motor balancer corresponding to the weight of the motor is provided on the side opposite to the one side surface of the outer tank on which the motor for rotating the drum is attached, the outer tank is arranged in the cylindrical direction of the outer tank. Weight balance can be improved. That is, the outer tub is usually elastically supported by the washing machine casing near the center thereof. Since the motor is arranged on one side surface of the outer tub, the outer tub is unevenly distributed on the one side surface side with respect to the support portion. Therefore, when the drum rotates in the outer tub and the vibration caused by the eccentric load caused by the uneven distribution of the laundry in the drum is generated, this vibration is propagated to the outer tub via the rotation shaft, and the one side surface side of the outer tub. The unevenly distributed weight may promote vibration and increase the vibration on the other side surface.

The motor balancer is provided on the side opposite to the one side surface of the outer tank to which the motor is attached, and cancels the unevenly distributed weight in the cylindrical direction caused by the weight of the motor. Therefore, even if the vibration due to the rotation of the drum housed in the outer tub propagates to the outer tub, the other side surface of the outer tub does not vibrate significantly, and the vibration of the entire outer tub can be reduced. it can. As described in claim 5, even if only the motor balancer is installed in the outer tub, the vibration can be effectively reduced, and the drum-type washing machine with less vibration can be realized.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 and 2 are vertical cross-sectional views showing an overall configuration of a so-called top-loading type drum-type washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, cutting is performed along a vertical plane along the front-rear direction. 2 is shown, and FIG. 2 shows a section taken along a vertical plane along the left-right direction.

The casing 1 constituting the outer appearance of the drum type washing machine is, for example, a washing machine pan for a vertical type vertical washing machine having a pulsator for generating a water flow in a tub for containing laundry. It is formed in a size that can be installed in. In addition, the height when installed on the floor (the height from the floor surface to the upper surface of the housing 1) is designed to be about the waist of the user. Inside the housing 1, a hollow cylindrical outer tank 2 is provided.
Are provided with the end faces left and right. The outer tub 2 is supported by a pair of dampers 3F and 3B and a pair of coil springs 3L and 3R. Specifically, the pair of dampers 3
F and 3B connect between the inner bottom surface of the casing 1 and the outer tub 2, and respectively support the lower frontward position and the lower rearward position of the outer tub 2. In addition, a pair of coil springs 3
L and 3R connect the left side surface and the right side surface of the housing 1 to the outer tub 2, respectively, and support the position of the outer tub 2 at the upper rear side.

Inside the outer tub 2, a drum 4 for accommodating the laundry is provided with its end faces left and right. Both side surfaces 41L, 41R of the drum 4 are closed, and the rotary shaft 51 is located at the center of each side surface 41L, 41R.
L and 51R are connected. Rotating shafts 51L, 51R
Are both side surfaces 41L, 41 along the same rotation axis set in a direction substantially orthogonal to the left and right side surfaces of the housing 1.
A bearing 52 extending from R to the left and right and attached to the outer tub 2.
It is rotatably received by L and 52R. Then, at the right end of the rotary shaft 51R, DD (direct drive)
A motor 6 is coupled by a method, and the drum 4 is rotated around the rotation axis in the outer tub 2 by the driving force of the motor 6.

The cylindrical portion 42 of the drum 4 is formed with an opening 43 for taking in and out laundry. Further, the front surface 11 and the upper surface 12 of the housing 1 are connected by a convex curved surface 13 having a substantially arcuate cross section when cut along a vertical plane along the front-rear direction. An opening 15 that can be opened and closed by the lid 14 is formed. And
An opening 22 is formed in the peripheral wall 21 of the outer tub 2 at a position facing the opening 15 of the housing 1, and the drum 4
The stop position is controlled so that the opening 43 overlaps the opening 22 of the outer tub 2. As a result, with the drum 4 stopped, the opening / closing lid 14 is opened and the drum 4
On the other hand, the laundry can be taken in and out from diagonally above through the openings 15, 22, 43.

Although not shown, the opening 22 of the outer tub 2 and the opening 43 of the drum 4 are provided with slide-type or lift-type opening / closing lids, respectively. It is designed to load and unload laundry in a closed state. The opening / closing lid of the opening 43 of the drum 4 may be configured to be automatically opened / closed in conjunction with opening / closing of the opening / closing lid of the opening 22 of the outer tub 2. The opening 43 formed in the cylindrical portion 42 of the drum 4 is provided with a reinforcing frame (not shown) in addition to the opening / closing lid. The open / close lid and the reinforcing frame, which are not shown, may be configured as illustrated in JP-A-2-255187.

Since the total weight of the opening / closing lid and the reinforcing frame is about 1.2 to 1.5 kg, the drum 4 having the substantially horizontal rotating shafts 51L and 51R.
Is unevenly distributed in the circumferential direction. When the drum 4 in which the weight is unevenly distributed is rotated, there is a possibility that vibration is generated as the drum 4 rotates. Therefore, in order to eliminate the uneven distribution of the weight and reduce the vibration, the cylindrical portion 42 of the drum 4 is
An opening balancer 61 corresponding to the weight of the vicinity of the opening 43 is attached to the inner surface of the above at a position 180 degrees apart from the opening 43 in the circumferential direction. In this way, when the drum 4 rotates, the opening balancer 61 provided and the weight in the vicinity of the opening 43 are balanced about the rotation shafts 51L and 51R, and the two unevenly distributed weights are offset. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of vibration when the drum 4 rotates.

On the right side surface 16 of the housing 1, a hose connection port 71 for connecting a water supply hose to an external water supply facility or the like.
Is provided, and a water supply pipe 72 extends from the hose connection port 71 toward the inside of the housing 1. Water pipe 72
Is branched on the way, and the tips of the branch pipes 72L and 72R enter the outer tub 2 to form water injection ports 73L and 73R below the rotary shafts 51L and 51R, respectively. Also,
A water injection port 7 is provided in the middle of each of the branch pipes 72L and 72R.
Water supply valves 74L and 74R for allowing and blocking the flow of water to 3L and 73R are provided. When the water supply valves 74L and 74R are opened, the water supplied through the water supply hose passes through the water supply pipe 72 and each water injection port 73.
It reaches L and 73R, and water is discharged downward from each water injection port 73L and 73R.

At the bottom of the peripheral wall 21 of the outer tank 2,
One end of the drain pipe 75 is connected, and the other end of the drain pipe 75 is connected to a drain port 76 provided on the right side surface 16 of the housing 1. In the middle of the drain pipe 75, the drain valve 7
7, the water supply valves 74L, 74R are opened with the drain valve 77 closed, and the water injection port 73L,
By supplying water from 73R, these water injection ports 7
Water discharged from 3L and 73R can be stored in the outer tub 2. Further, the water accumulated in the outer tub 2 can be discharged to the outside of the machine through the drain pipe 75 and the drain port 76 by opening the drain valve 77.

A large number of water passage holes (not shown) are bored in the cylindrical portion 42 of the drum 4, and the water accumulated in the outer tub 2 passes through the water passage holes into the drum 4. It is supposed to flow in. Further, on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 42 of the drum 4, three baffles 31 and 32 for lifting the laundry are provided at appropriate positions. At the time of washing and rinsing, the drum 4 is rotated in a state where water is stored in the outer tub 2 so that the laundry in the drum 4 is lifted by the baffles 31 and 32, and is moved from a certain height toward the water surface. The action of falling naturally is repeated. At the time of dehydration, the drum 4 is rotated at high speed, water contained in the laundry in the drum 4 is squeezed out by centrifugal force, and the dehydration from this laundry is scattered to the outer tub 2 side through the water passage holes. To do.

180 in the circumferential direction with the opening 43 of the drum 4.
The spaced baffles 31 may be utilized as an aperture balancer. That is, the baffle 31 located 180 degrees apart from the drum opening 43 is filled with a heavy object. Hereinafter, a baffle having a heavy object filled inside is referred to as a baffle balancer. With this baffle balancer,
When the drum 4 rotates, the weight near the opening 43 is
Both eccentric weights cancel each other out by balancing around L and 51R. Even if the opening balancer 61 is arranged on the inner surface of the drum 4, the capacity of the drum 4 is hardly impaired, but a slight protrusion occurs on the inner wall of the drum 4. The baffle balancer can also eliminate the protrusion by providing the opening balancer 61.

As described above, even if the drum 4 provided with the baffle balancer using the baffle 31 is rotated in the outer tub 2, no vibration occurs. In order to reduce the vibration of the drum 4 at the time of dehydration, a plurality of (for example, 16
(Individual) water tank 8 is attached. The water tanks 8 are partitioned from each other by partition plates provided at equal angular intervals around the rotation axis of the drum 4 in, for example, an annular hollow container, and each of the openings 81 has a center of rotation (the rotation axis 51).
L, 51R) are arranged at substantially equal angular intervals. For example, when an eccentric load is generated on the drum 4 due to uneven distribution of laundry, water is supplied from the water injection ports 73L and 73R while rotating the drum 4 at a predetermined speed to fill each water tank 8 with almost full water. From the stored state, the rotation speed of the drum 4 is controlled so that water is spilled from the water storage tank 8 located closest to the eccentric load. If the amount of weight loss due to water spilling from the water storage tank 8 is commensurate with the eccentric load, the eccentric load generated on the drum 4 becomes relatively small, and vibrations caused by the eccentric load (uneven distribution of laundry) Can be made smaller.

On one side 41R of the drum 4, a water tank 8 is provided.
A shield plate 66 is provided closer to the rotary shaft 51R than around the rotary shaft 51R. The shield plate 66 is inclined toward the rotary shaft 51R. By the rotation control of the drum 4, the water drained from the water storage tank 8 located above hits the shield plate 66 and is not drained into another water storage tank 8 located below, but is drained quickly. In order to further suppress the vibration of the drum 4 at the time of dehydration, a ring-shaped fluid balancer 9 is attached to the other side surface 41L of the drum 4 in a region inside the water tank 8 (on the rotation center side). .

The fluid balancer 9 has a cylindrical shape and is attached integrally with the drum 4. A liquid is sealed inside the fluid balancer 9, and a partition plate is provided at an appropriate position on the inner surface of the fluid balancer 9.
A gap is provided between the inner surface of the fluid balancer 9 and the partition plate so that the liquid can freely flow. As a result, the liquid in the fluid balancer 9 is transferred to the drum 4 at a low speed (about 1
While rotating at 00 rpm), it is unevenly distributed so as to generate a vibration having substantially the same phase as the vibration due to uneven distribution of the laundry, and when the rotation speed of the drum 4 exceeds a certain speed (about 300 rpm), the laundry is washed. Is unevenly distributed so as to generate a vibration having a phase opposite to that of the vibration due to the uneven distribution. Therefore, when the drum 4 rotates at high speed, vibration caused by uneven distribution of laundry is generated by the fluid balancer 9
It can be canceled by the vibration due to the uneven distribution of the liquid inside, and the vibration of the drum 4 can be suppressed.

Further, the water tank 8 and the facing surface of the fluid balancer 9 arranged on the other side surface 41L of the drum 4 are constructed so that the facing surface of the fluid balancer 9 is inclined toward the rotary shaft 51L. . Therefore, when the liquid in the water storage tank 8 located above is drained by the rotation control of the drum 4, the fluid balancer 9 serves as a shielding plate 66,
The drained water is prevented from mixing into another water tank 8 located below. As described above, since the outer tub 2 is supported by the inner surface of the housing 1 and the dampers 3F and 3B below the central portion, the outer tub 2 is supported by the motor 6 attached to the one side surface 23 of the outer tub 2. Is unevenly distributed in the cylindrical direction. Therefore, when the drum 4 rotates in the outer tub 2, the vibration of the drum 4 is transmitted to the outer tub 2 via the rotating shafts 51L and 51R, and is promoted by the unevenly distributed weight existing in the cylindrical direction of the outer tub 2 to drive the motor 6 The vibration on the other side surface side of the outer tub 2 which is not attached may increase. Therefore, in order to reduce the vibration of the outer tub 2, as shown in FIG. 2, a motor balancer 62 corresponding to the weight of the motor 6 is provided at a position on the lower left side of the outer tub 2. The motor balancer 62 is
Although it may be a heavy load such as a metal lump, if the drum type washing machine also has a function of drying the laundry after dehydration, a heavy weight dryer unit can be used as the motor balancer 62.

As described above, the motor balancer 62 cancels the unevenly distributed weight in the cylindrical direction generated in the outer tub 2 by the motor 6 arranged on the one side surface 23R of the outer tub 2. The vibration associated with the rotation of the drum 4 in the outer tub 2 causes the rotation shaft 51L and the rotation shaft 51 to rotate.
Even when propagating to the outer tub 2 via R, the outer tub 2 having no uneven weight distribution in the cylindrical direction due to the installation of the motor balancer 62 has
There is no fear of promoting vibration. In addition, the motor balancer 6
2 is a motor 6 attached to one side surface 23R of the outer tub 2.
Although it is provided on the opposite side to the lower left side of the outer tub 2, there is a sufficient gap between the outer tub 2 and the housing 1, and the motor balancer 62 and the inner surface of the housing 1 do not contact each other. The motor balancer 62 may be provided on the other side surface 23L of the outer tub 2.

As in the above embodiment, the opening balancer 61 or the baffle balancer may be used alone in the washing machine. If necessary, the motor balancer 62 and the opening balancer 61 or the baffle balancer may be simultaneously drummed. It may be used in a washing machine. In addition, the motor balancer 62
Only one may be used in the washing machine. Even if only the motor balancer 62 is provided in the outer tub 2, the effect of reducing vibration can be obtained. This makes it possible to provide a drum-type washing machine with less vibration.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the drum 4 which is separated from the opening 43 of the drum 4 by 180 degrees in the circumferential direction.
The inner surface is provided with an opening balancer 61 corresponding to the weight of the vicinity of the opening 43. Alternatively, the opening balancer 6
1 is provided by utilizing the baffle 31 on the drum 4. That is, as a baffle balancer, the drum 4
The baffle 3 corresponding to the weight near the opening 43 of the
1 is provided by filling the inside. By doing so, protrusion of the inner surface of the drum 4 due to the provision of the opening balancer 61 does not occur.

By mounting the drum 4 having the opening balancer 61 or the baffle balancer mounted on the washing machine, the unevenly distributed weights are offset when the drum 4 rotates, and the weight is centered on the substantially horizontal rotary shafts 51L and 51R. Fit. Therefore, vibration due to the rotation of the drum 4 does not occur, and a drum-type washing machine with less vibration is provided. In addition, the unevenly distributed weight in the cylindrical direction generated in the outer tub 2 by the motor 6 attached to the one side surface 2 is balanced by providing the motor balancer 62 on the other side surface side of the outer tub 2, so that the drum can be balanced. Even if vibration is generated in 4, the vibration is not promoted in the outer tub 2. Therefore, a drum type washing machine with less vibration is provided.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be implemented in other forms. For example, in the embodiment described above, the opening balancer 6
1 is provided on the inner surface of the drum 4, but a sufficient gap can be provided between the drum 4 and the outer tank 2, and if the opening balancer 61 does not contact the outer tank 2, it is provided on the outer surface of the drum 4. You may be asked. Further, the opening balancer 61 may be installed by being divided into several parts so as to be easily attached.

In addition, various design changes can be made within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a drum type washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention when cut along a vertical plane along the front-rear direction.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the drum type washing machine taken along a vertical plane along the left-right direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 case 2 outer tank 4 drums 14 Open / close lid 15 openings 21 Outer tank peripheral wall 22 Outer tank opening 31 baffle 32 baffles 41L drum one side 41R Drum other side 42 drum cylinder 43 Drum opening 51L rotating shaft 51R rotating shaft 61 Opening balancer 62 Motor balancer

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Taisuke Sonoda             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takayuki Kinouchi             2-5-3 Keihan Hondori, Moriguchi City, Osaka Prefecture             Within Yo Denki Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3B155 AA01 AA06 AA25 BA04 CA02                       CB06 DC02 DC10 MA01 MA02

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A drum-type washing machine in which a drum having a cylindrical portion for accommodating laundry is rotated around a substantially horizontal axis, wherein the drum is formed in the cylindrical portion and the laundry is put into the drum and A drum type washing machine comprising: an opening for taking out laundry and an opening balancer provided at a position 180 degrees apart from the opening in the circumferential direction and having a weight corresponding to the weight of the opening. Machine. 2. The opening portion includes an opening formed in a cylindrical portion, a reinforcing frame provided around the opening, and an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the opening. Drum type washing machine. 3. The drum type washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opening balancer is provided by using a baffle arranged in the drum for stirring the laundry. 4. The drum, which is housed in an outer tank and rotates in the outer tank, is attached to one side surface of the outer tank, and has a tip of a substantially horizontally extending rotary shaft connected to the drum. The rotation motor and a motor balancer having a weight corresponding to the weight of the motor, the motor balancer being provided on the side of the outer tub opposite to the side on which the motor is attached. Drum type washing machine. 5. A drum type washing machine in which a drum for accommodating laundry is arranged in an outer tub and rotates around a substantially horizontal axis, wherein a rotary shaft provided on one side surface of the outer tub and extending substantially horizontally. Is installed on the opposite side of the drum rotation motor with the tip of the
A drum-type washing machine having a motor balancer having a weight corresponding to the weight of the motor.