JPH11276794A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate a trouble that soiling is moved to washing with little soiling, washing water is soiled and laundry is not finely finished, a filter is easy to be clogged due to waste yarn, soiling and detergent components, and the filter has a short life, when washing with much soiling and washing with little soiling are washed together, in a water saving type washing machine purifying washing water by using a purifier or a purifying filter and rinsing while circulating washing water. SOLUTION: This washing machine is provided with at least a soiling filter 29 in a circulating path 17 circulating water within a water tank, a bypass 31 having a detergent filter 30, a switching means alternatively selecting weather or not a side is switched to the side of the bypass and switches to the bypass 31 in a rinsing process. A as a result, because washing can be performed, while removing soiling by circulating washing water in a washing process, washing efficiency is improved. In a rinsing process, efficient rinsing can be performed because detergent components are mainly purified.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water-saving type washing machine for washing and rinsing while purifying washing water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a water-saving type washing machine purifies washing water using a purifier or a purifying filter, and performs rinsing while circulating.

[0005] For example, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of a conventional washing machine. 1 is an outer tub of the washing machine, and a water tub 2 is swingable by a hanging rod 3 via a vibration absorbing spring 4. Suspended. A drive motor 5, a transmission gear box 6 and the like are arranged below the water tank 2, and the rotation of the drive motor 5 is transmitted to a shaft 8 of the transmission gear box 6 via a belt 7. On the opposite side of the shaft 8 of the transmission gearbox 6, a tank removing shaft 9 and a pulsator shaft 10 are provided in the shaft 9.

A washing and dewatering tub 11 is attached to the dewatering shaft 9, and a pulsator 12 for stirring the laundry is fixed to the pulsator shaft 10. The transmission gear box 6 incorporates a transmission gear for changing the rotation speeds of the dehydrating shaft 9 and the pulsator shaft 10 and a clutch for switching the respective rotation speeds. The pulsator 12 is rotated at a low speed of about 160 rpm, and the rotation of the shaft 8 of the transmission gear box 6 is directly transmitted to the dehydrating shaft 9 without passing through the transmission gear at the time of spin-drying. Is to be rotated.

The filter 13 is connected to a connecting hose 15 connected to a drain 14 at the lower part of the water tub 2, and the washing water filtered by the filter in the filter 13 is sucked by a circulating pump 16 to be circulated by a circulating hose 17 and a water supply. The water is circulated from the upper part of the water tub 2 to the washing and dewatering tub 11 via the hose 18. A drain hose 19 is connected to a lower part of the filter 13, and a water stop valve 20 is provided in the middle of the drain hose 19. Water stop valve 2
0 is controlled so as to be closed during washing and rinsing and to be opened during drainage and dehydration.

Therefore, at the time of washing, after a predetermined amount of laundry and washing water are put into the washing and dewatering tub 11, washing is started.
In this case, the pulsator 12 executes the washing water without circulating the washing water. The washing time is determined based on the amount of laundry, dirt, and the like.
At the time of rinsing, the washing water is circulated through the drain port 14, the connecting hose 15, the filter 13, the pump 16, and the circulation path 17 to return to the tub 11 by the action of the pump 16. During this time, lint, dirt, detergent, and the like are filtered by the filter 13, so that rinsing can be performed using the washing water as it is, and water can be saved.

[0007]

However, in such a washing machine, when a heavyly-washed laundry and a less-dirty laundry are washed together, dirt may be transferred to the less-dirty laundry, The washing water was dirty and the laundry was not finished cleanly.

During the rinsing, all the washing water is supplied to the filter 13.
, There is a problem that the lint, dirt, and detergent components in the washing water easily clog the filter 13 and have a short life. For this reason, backwashing with water is conceivable, but not very effective.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a washing machine having a circulation path for circulating water in a water tub, wherein at least a dirt filter is provided in the circulation path. A detour having a detergent filter is provided, and switching means for selectively forming a circulation path through the detour is provided so that the circulation path is switched between the washing step and the rinsing step.

[0010] Thus, washing can be performed while circulating washing water in the washing process to remove dirt, thereby improving washing efficiency. In the rinsing step, the detergent is mainly purified, so that efficient rinsing can be performed. Since the washing and rinsing can be performed only with the once-washed washing water, the amount of water used can be reduced to about half of the conventional amount, as compared with a case where fresh water is replaced every time of rinsing. Furthermore, by using a soil filter for washing and a detergent filter for rinsing, not only can efficient washing and rinsing be performed, but also filter clogging is less than in the past, and the time to replace the filter or the number of times of washing of the filter is reduced. can do.

Further, if a strainer for filtering large dust is provided on the upstream side of the dirt filter in the circulation path, the dirt filter is less likely to be clogged. If the bypass is provided downstream of the dirt filter, the detergent filter is less likely to be clogged. If the switching means, for example, the switching valve is switched in response to the turbidity of the washing water, washing can be performed efficiently.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of a washing machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of a washing machine according to the present invention. The same parts as those in FIG. The features in FIG. 1 include a strainer 27 for catching lint and relatively large dust in the washing water / rinsing water, a dirt filter 29 for purifying dirt in the washing water / rinsing water, and a detergent filter 30 for purifying a detergent component in the rinsing water. Are provided separately in the circulation path. However, the detergent filter 30 is provided in the circulation path 17 so that the washing water and the rinsing water can be selected.
Are provided in a parallel detour 31 via switching valves 25 and 26. Reference numeral 23 denotes a supply valve for supplying tap water to the circulation path 17, and reference numeral 24 denotes an electromagnetic valve for controlling supply of circulating water and tap water to the water tank 2.

The strainer 27 has a mesh size of about 150 mesh, and is detachably mounted on the connecting hose 15 so as to capture lint and relatively large dust in the washing water and the rinsing water. If the strainer 27 is clogged, the door 28 provided at the lower front part of the outer tub 1 is opened, the strainer 27 is taken out, the lint and large dust are removed, and the strainer 27 is installed again. As shown in FIG. 2, the dirt filter 29 is provided with a cylindrical wound filter and / or a hollow fiber membrane filter 33 having a pore diameter of about several microns inside the housing 32, and the washing water flowing from the outer peripheral portion is washed. It is purified by the filter 33 and discharged from the inner periphery in the direction of the arrow. As shown in FIG. 3, the detergent filter 30 is provided with a cylindrical filter 35 made of activated carbon fiber and granular activated carbon inside a housing 34. The detergent filter 30 purifies the rinse water flowing from the outer peripheral portion by the filter 35 and cleans the inside. Discharge in the direction of the arrow from the periphery. Reference numeral 36 denotes a turbidity sensor provided in the connection hose for detecting the turbidity of the circulating washing water and rinsing water. The output of the turbidity sensor is used to determine the end of the washing process and the end of the rinsing process in the microcomputer control unit. Is done.

Next, the solenoid valve 20 for washing, rinsing and spin-drying is used.
Table 1 shows the operations of the pumps 16 through 26. These controls are performed by the microcomputer control unit.

[0016]

[Table 1]

At the time of washing, a predetermined amount of laundry and washing water are put into the washing / dewatering tub 11, and then washing is started. At the time of washing, the circulation of the washing water returns to the tub 11 through the drain port 14, the hose 15, the strainer 27, the pump 16, the dirt filter 29, the three-way switching valve 25, the circulation path 17, and the switching valve 24 by the operation of the pump 16. Do. During this time, strainer 2
7 removes relatively large dust and lint from the washing water. Next, the dirt filter 29 captures small dust of several microns or more in the washing water and a part of the builder in the detergent. Therefore, during washing, the washing water is cleaned of dirt, and washing can always be performed with clean washing water.
(For example, washing for 9 minutes while purifying with a 3 micron hollow fiber membrane filter improved the degree of washing by about 20% compared to conventional washing.) Note that the detergent component contributing to washing is not captured in this circulation path. Therefore, the washing efficiency does not decrease.

Next, when the turbidity sensor 36 detects that the turbidity of the washing water becomes close to 50 NTU, for example, or when the washing time corresponding to the amount of laundry elapses, the valves 25 and 26 are switched, and the bypass 31 is opened. Then, the washing water flows through the bypass 31. For this reason, the washing water is purified by the detergent filter 30, so that dirt during rinsing can be captured to some extent by the dirt filter 29, so that rinsing can be performed efficiently.

When the turbidity of the rinsing water becomes close to 20 NTU, or when the rinsing time corresponding to the amount of the laundry elapses, dehydration starts from rinsing. At the time of dehydration, the valve 20 is opened and the valve 2
Close 5. Then, the rinse water is drained out of the machine through the hose 19.

When the washing machine is not used, the valves 23, 2
5 and 26 are opened, and tap water is supplied to the dirt filter 29 or the detergent filter 30, whereby the dirt on both filters 29 and 30 is washed out and regenerated. Although not shown in the drawings, when the tap water is supplied, the degree of regeneration can be further improved by performing ultrasonic vibration, sonic vibration, ultrasonic heating, or heater heating on the stains or the detergent filters 29 and 30. it can. In addition, when the attached matter of the detergent filter 30 is washed away, the attached matter passes through the dirt filter 29, but this does not pose a problem due to the relationship of the coarseness of the eyes.

According to the washing machine, since large dust and dirt are purified even in the washing process, heavy dirt is transferred to other laundry or washing is not sufficiently performed due to washing water stain. Nothing. In addition, since lint, large garbage, and dirt are generally collected by the strainer 27 and the dirt filter 29 during the washing, the dirty washing water after the end of the washing process is directly applied to the detergent filter inside the filter 13 as in the related art. The clogging of the detergent filter 30 is reduced as compared with the case where the rinsing step is performed by passing through.
Therefore, the time required for each filter to be clogged becomes longer and the regeneration operation is easy, and as a result, the purification function is maintained for a long time.

[Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 4 shows a case in which the dirt filter 29 and the detergent filter 30 are provided in a parallel relationship, and 37 is a switching valve. Table 2 shows the operations of the solenoid valves and the pump 16 at the time of washing, rinsing, and spin-drying.

[0024]

[Table 2]

The operation of the washing step is basically the same as that of the first embodiment. However, in the rinsing step, the rinsing water does not pass through the dirt filter 29 due to the operation of the three-way switching valve 25 but passes only through the detergent filter 30. Therefore, clogging of the dirt filter 29 is reduced as compared with the case of the first embodiment.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the washing can be performed while circulating the washing water in the washing process to remove dirt, so that the washing efficiency is improved without being affected by the dirt of the washing water. In the rinsing step, the detergent is mainly purified, so that efficient rinsing can be performed. Since the washing and rinsing can be performed only with the once-washed washing water, the amount of water used can be reduced to about half of the conventional amount, as compared with a case where fresh water is replaced every time of rinsing. Furthermore, not only can efficient washing and rinsing be performed by using a soil filter at the time of washing and a detergent filter at the time of rinsing,
The clogging of the filter is less than before, and the time for replacing the filter or the number of times of cleaning the filter can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since large dust is removed by the strainer, the dirt filter is less likely to be clogged. According to the invention of claim 3, clogging of the detergent filter hardly occurs. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the washing process proceeds in response to the turbidity of the washing water and the rinsing water, so that washing can be performed efficiently. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the contamination of each filter is reduced, the regeneration operation is easy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a first embodiment of a washing machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an outline of a dirt filter in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an outline of the detergent filter in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a second embodiment of the washing machine of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing an outline of a conventional washing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outer tub of washing machine 2 Water tub 3 Rod 4 Vibration absorption spring 5 Driving motor 6 Gearbox 7 Belt 8 Shaft 9 Dehydrating shaft 10 Pulsator shaft 11 Washing and dewatering tub 12 Pulsator 14 Drain outlet 15 Connecting hose 16 Circulating pump 17 Circulation Road 19 Drain hose 27 Strainer 29 Dirt filter 30 Detergent filter 23, 24, 25, 26 Solenoid valve

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A washing machine having a circulation path for circulating water in a water tub, wherein at least a dirt filter is provided in the circulation path, a bypass having a detergent filter is provided, and a circulation path via the bypass is selected. A washing machine provided with a switching means which is integrally formed, and switching a circulation path between a washing step and a rinsing step. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a strainer for filtering large refuse is provided on the upstream side of the dirt filter in the circulation path. 3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the bypass is provided downstream of the dirt filter. 4. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the switching of the switching means is performed in response to turbidity of the washing water. 5. The washing according to claim 1, wherein the dirt filter and the detergent filter are washed off with water flowing in a direction opposite to the circulating water and drained from a drain hose. Machine.