WASHING MACHINE

Abstract

 An objective of the present invention is to provide a washing machine capable of avoiding deceleration or stop of rotation of a washing drum even when laundry is unevenly placed in a washing tub and effectively avoiding an operation time delay by reliably and rapidly removing the unbalance of the washing tub during a dehydration operation. A baffle of the washing machine (1) in the present invention, which serves as a balancer, includes: a partition portion (71) for suppressing a flow of adjusted water (W) that is injected from a top end (Id) side by a water injection device (1c) toward a base end (1e) side so that the adjusted water (W) retains at the top end (Id) side; and an outlet portion (72) for discharging the injected adjusted water (W) from the base end side (1e) of a washing drum (1b).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a washing machine having a dehydration function.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Washing machines installed in general households or laundromats are equipped with a washing and dehydration function and a washing, dehydration and drying function.

[0003] A washing machine having a dehydration function generates vibrations and noises due to a shifting of laundry in a rotating drum. Also, if the shifting of the laundry is relatively large, the eccentricity of the rotating drum at the time of rotation becomes large. A large torque is required for the rotation, so a dehydration operation cannot be started. In order to solve this problem, a user needs to stop the operation of the washing machine and manually eliminate the shifting of the laundry.

[0004] In order to avoid such troublesome work, a solution has been provided as follows: when it is determined that the magnitude of the unbalance, which is the shifting of the laundry, is larger than a predetermined value, the rotating drum is decelerated until it reaches the rotation speed at which the centrifugal force becomes smaller than the gravity according to the output timing of a position detection unit so as to eliminate the shifting of the laundry (see Patent Literature 1).

[0005] Further, in order to prevent occurrence of unbalance generated when the laundry is shifted to the front portion of the rotating drum at the time of dehydration, a solution has been provided as follows: a difference in the detected vibration amount is calculated by an acceleration sensor provided to the front portion and the rear portion of the rotating drum, thereby detecting an unbalanced state in which the laundry is biased toward the front portion of the rotating drum (see Patent Literature 2).

Current Technical Literatures

[0006] Patent Literatures

Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-290089

Patent Literature 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-82558

SUMMARY

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention

[0008] In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the centrifugal force is gradually reduced by decelerating the rotation of the rotating drum so that the overlapping laundry is dropped by gravity. However, in this conventional technique, the laundry that is entangled and clumped together falls down as it is, so it is impossible to unravel this lump. When the rotating drum is rotated in such a state, the unbalance has not been eliminated, and thus, the unbalance is detected again and the deceleration of the rotating drum is repeated.

[0009] On the other hand, regarding the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, when the rotating drum is rotated, a difference between the vibration value detected by the front vibration detection unit and the vibration value detected by the rear detection unit is calculated. Then, when the difference between the vibration values exceeds a preset threshold value, the rotation of the rotating drum is decelerated or stopped.

[0010] However, even with this conventional technique, the laundry entangled with each other and lumps still remain in the rotating drum without being unraveled, which is not a fundamental solution to eliminate the unbalance.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2, since the rotation of the rotating drum is decelerated or stopped, the following problems exist: every time the dehydration operation is repeated, not only the starting power is required and the power consumption increases, but also the time required for the washing, i.e. the operation time, is delayed. Especially, in a washing machine installed in a laundromat, the delay in operation time leads to a decrease in the rotation efficiency of the customer in the store.

[0012] It should be noted that, these problems may occur not only in a drum type washing machine having a rotating drum (washing tub) but also in a vertical type washing machine as well.

[0013] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, a washing machine is provided, which can avoid the deceleration or stop the rotation of the washing tub even when the laundry is unevenly distributed in the washing tub and effectively avoid delays in the operation time by eliminating unbalance of the washing tub during the dehydration operation reliably and promptly.

[0014] The technical solution for solving the technical problem

[0015] The present invention takes the following measures in view of the above problems.

[0016] A washing machine of the present invention includes: a washing tub having a driving device provided at a base end side thereof and opened at a top end side thereof, a plurality of hollow balancers provided at an inner circumferential surface of the washing tub along a direction of an axis of the washing tub, and a water injection device for injecting adjusted water into each of the plurality of hollow balancers individually. The each of the plurality of hollow balancers includes: a partition portion capable of retaining the adjusted water at a top end side by suppressing a flow of the adjusted water injected from the top end side of the washing tub by the water injection device toward the base end side, and an outlet portion capable of discharging the injected adjusted water from the base end side of the washing tub.

[0017] Further, the balancer is a baffle capable of agitating laundry.

[0018] Further, the washing tub has a drum extending in along the direction of the axis in a substantially horizontal manner or in an inclined manner with an angle close to a horizontal direction and rotatably supported around the axis, and the partition portion has an inclined surface that is inclined so as to gradually come close to a rotation center of the drum from the top end side to the base end side of the washing tub.

[0019] Further, the washing tub has a drum extending along the direction of the axis in a substantially horizontal manner or in an inclined manner with an angle close to a horizontal direction and rotatably supported around the axis, and the partition portion is a partition rising wall that is used for separating a priority reservoir region erected inward from an outer wall surface of the balancer and provided at the top end side for preferably storing the adjusted water and a discharge promotion region that passes through the outlet portion and provided at the base end side for discharging the adjusted water.

[0020] Further, the direction of the axis of the washing tub extends in a substantially vertical direction, the partition portion has a bottom surface for storage that protrudes from an inner wall surface of the balancer and is capable of suppressing downward falling of the adjusted water, and the outlet portion has an opening through which the adjusted water can be dropped downward from the bottom surface for storage.

The effect of the present invention

[0021] According to the present invention, by providing a partition portion, the adjusted water is intentionally stored at the top end side of the washing tub where the unbalance of the washing tub is remarkably influenced and is the most distant position from the driving device so as to apply relatively large balance weight to the washing drum in the dehydration operation compared with the case in which the same amount of the adjusted water is uniformly distributed from the top end side to the base end side. Therefore, it is possible to reliably and quickly eliminate the unbalance of the washing tub during the dehydration operation. As a result, the amount of the adjusted water is saved, the time and opportunity required for injecting the adjusted water can be effectively reduced, and the delay of the operation time due to the uneven distribution of the laundry can be effectively avoided.

[0022] Further, according to the present invention in which the balancer is a baffle, it is possible to achieve both functions of adjusting the balance of the washing tub and stirring by scraping up the laundry or the like.

[0023] Further, according to the present invention, the partition portion has an inclined surface that is inclined so as to gradually come close to the rotation center of the drum from the top end side to the base end side of the washing tub, and the adjusted water is preferably stored at the top end side of the washing tub by the action of the centrifugal force generated due to the rotation of the drum so that it is possible to effectively demonstrate the effect of the balancer with a smaller amount of the adjusted water, and it contributes to the reduction of the operation time caused by the reduction of the amount of the adjusted water and the shortening of the water injection time.

[0024] Further, according to the present invention, the washing tub has a drum, and the partition portion is a partition rising wall that is used for separating a priority reservoir region erected inward from an outer wall surface of the balancer and provided at the top end side for preferably storing the adjusted water and a discharge promotion region that passes through the outlet portion from the priority reservoir region and is provided at the base end side for discharging the adjusted water. Even if it has a simple structure, the effect of adjusting the balance with a smaller amount of water can be achieved.

[0025] Further, according to the present invention, the direction of the axis of the washing tub extends in the substantially vertical direction, the partition portion has a bottom surface for storage which protrudes from the inner wall surface of the balancer and is capable of suppressing falling down of the adjusted water, and the outlet portion has an opening through which the adjusted water can be dropped downward from the bottom surface for storage. Even if it is a so-called vertical type washing machine, effects of the vibrations and the noises generated due to eccentricity of the dehydration tub can be suppressed with a smaller amount of adjusted water in a short time, and it is possible to effectively avoid a delay in operation time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] 

FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a cross section of a washing machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing functions of a main portion of the washing machine 1;

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a cross section of a washing machine 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing functions of a main portion of the washing machine 1; and

FIG. 5 is a view schematically showing a cross section of a main portion of a washing machine 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

First Embodiment

[0027] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a structure of a washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a vertical cross section of a part of the washing machine 1 in the present embodiment.

[0029] The washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, which can be suitably used, for example, in a laundromat or home, includes: a washing machine main body 1a; a washing tub 1b including an outer tub 3 having an axis S1 extending in a substantially horizontal manner and a drum 2; a water injection device 1c having a water receiving unit 5 and a nozzle unit 6; a driving device 40; and a control unit (not shown in drawings).

[0030] The washing machine body 1a shown in FIG. 1 has a substantially cuboid shape. On the front surface 10a of the washing machine main body 1a, an opening 11 for taking out laundry to and from the drum 2 is formed, and an opening and closing lid 11a capable of opening and closing the opening 11 is attached.

[0031] The outer tub 3 is a bottomed tubular member provided inside the washing machine body 1a, and is capable of storing washing water therein. As shown in FIG. 1, an acceleration sensor 12 capable of detecting accelerations in three directions, for example, right and left directions, vertical and depth directions, is attached to the outer circumferential surface 3a of the outer tub 3.

[0032] The drum 2 is disposed coaxially with the outer tub 3 in the outer tub 3 and is a bottomed tubular member rotatably supported. The drum 2 can accommodate the laundry therein, and has a large number of water through holes 2b (see FIG. 1) on its wall surface 2a.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, the driving device 40 in which a motor (not shown) serving as its main body rotates a drive shaft 17 extending toward the bottom portion 2c of the drum 2, and the driving device provides a driving force to the drum 2 to rotate the drum 2.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, three baffles (water injection pipes) 7 as balancers are provided at equal intervals (equiangular) in the circumferential direction on the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2. Each baffle 7 extends in the vertical direction from the base end portion 2c of the drum 2 to the top end portion thereof and is formed so as to protrude from the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2 toward the axis line S1. In addition, each baffle 7 has a hollow shape, and the baffle 7 is formed in an arcuate cross-sectional shape, which is not shown.

[0035] The water receiving unit 5 is constituted by water guiding gutters 5a, and the water guiding gutters 5a have, for example, a three-layered structure in a radial direction toward the axis S1 of the drum 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the water guiding gutters 5a is fixed to the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2. The same number of water guiding gutters 5a as that of the baffle 7 is provided, and a water passage for allowing the adjusted water W to flow into any one of the baffles 7 is formed therein. As shown in FIG. 1, a communicating member 5a1 is connected to the interior of the baffle 7, and the adjusted water W is supplied from the water receiving unit 5.

[0036] Such a water receiving unit 5 and such a baffle 7 are connected by a communicating member 5a1, respectively.

[0037] The nozzle unit 6 injects the adjusted water W individually into such a water guide gutter 5a. The nozzle unit 6 includes: three water injection nozzles 6a; and water supply valves 62a connected to these water injection nozzles 6a, respectively. The same number of water injection nozzles 6a as that of the water guiding gutters 5a are provided, and they are provided at positions where the water can be injected into separate water guiding gutters 5a. It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, tap water is used as the adjusted water W. In addition, as the water supply valve 62a, it is also possible to adopt a direction switching water supply valve.

[0038] With such a structure, in a dehydration process in which the drain valve 50a is opened and the washing water in the outer tub 3 is discharged from the drain port 50, the adjusted water W in the water guiding gutter 5a of the water receiving unit 5 supplied from any one of the water injection nozzles 6a of the nozzle unit 6 flows into the baffle 7 via the communicating member 5a1. For example, in a case that when the adjusted water W is injected from any one of the water injection nozzles 6a, as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2, the adjusted water W flows into the baffle 7 from the water guiding gutter 5a via the communicating member 5a1. When the drum 2 is in a high speed rotation state, the adjusted water W flowing into the baffle 7 attaches to the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2 due to a centrifugal force and stays therein. As a result, the balance weight of the baffle 7 is increased, and the balance of the drum 2 is changed. In this manner, the baffle 7 is a pocket baffle structure capable of storing the adjusted water W by the centrifugal force. When the rotation speed of the drum 2 decreases as the dehydration process approaches to completion, the centrifugal force in the baffle 7 gradually decreases, the adjusted water W flows out by gravity, and drainage water is discharged to the outside of the outer tub 3 via the drain pipe 5. At this time, the adjusted water W flows into the lower and outer sides of a pulsator through the opening 71. Therefore, the adjusted water W is drained without wetting the clothes inside the drum 2.

[0039] Here, the washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment includes: a washing tub 1b having a driving device 40 disposed at the base end 1e side thereof and opened at a top end 1d side thereof; a plurality of baffles 7, as hollow balancers, disposed on the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2 which is the inner circumferential surface of the washing tub 1b along the direction of the axis S1; and a water injection device 1c for injecting the adjusted water W into each of the baffles 7 individually. The washing machine 1 is characterized by having a structure capable of preferentially retaining the injected adjusted water W from the top end 1d side of the washing tub 1b. Hereinafter, the structure of the baffle 7 as the balancer will be mainly described with respect to the specific structure of this embodiment.

[0040] The baffle 7 includes: a partition portion 71 that can cause the adjusted water W to stay on the top end 1d side by suppressing the flow of the adjusted water W injected from the top end 1d side of the washing tub 1b toward the base end 1e side by the water injection device 1c; and an outlet portion 72 capable of discharging the injected adjusted water W from the base end 1e side of the washing tub 1b.

[0041] The partition portion 71 is mainly composed of an inclined wall 73 provided from the outer wall so as to face in a direction inclined from the direction of the axis. Then, the surface of the inclined wall 73 is an inclined surface 74 which is inclined so as to gradually come close to the rotation center of the drum from the top end 1d side to the base end 1e side of the washing tub 1b.

[0042] The outlet portion 72 is capable of discharging the adjusted water W injected from the 5a1 constituting the water injection device 1c by a predetermined amount or more from the base end 1e side of the washing tub 1b.

[0043] FIG. 2 schematically shows the behavior of the baffle 7 in which the adjusted water W is injected multiple times during the dehydration process. In this way, in the same figure, water injection of the adjusted water W once is shown in a cross section. The adjusted water W concentrates in the vicinity of the top end 1d of the baffle 7 for the first water injection. Even if the water injection amount is the smallest, the adjusted water W preferentially concentrates on the top end 1d of the baffle 7 so that the amount of water injected into the baffle 7 is small. In other words, the number of times of water injection into the baffle 7 at least can effectively eliminate the eccentricity of the washing tub 1b. It should be noted that, as the number of times of water injection into the baffle 7 increases, the adjusted water W increases quantitatively, and the effect on the washing tub 1b, that is, the degree of eccentric unbalance resolution, gradually decreases.

[0044] In addition, as shown in the same figure, the outlet portion 72 of the baffle 7 is provided continuously with the top end 1d of the inclined surface 74 so that the adjusted water W having a predetermined amount or more can be discharged preferentially out of the washing tub 1b. As a result, it is possible to prevent the adjusted water W from exceeding a predetermined amount from being injected into the baffle 7 so as to effectively avoid an incorrect control due to excessive water injections.

[0045] As described above, in the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the baffle 7 serving as the balancer includes: a partition portion 71 that can cause the adjusted water W to stay on the top end 1d side by suppressing the flow of the adjusted water W injected from the top end 1d side of the washing tub 1b toward the base end 1e side by the water injection device 1c, and an outlet portion 72 capable of discharging the injected adjusted water W from the base end 1e side of the washing tub 1b.

[0046] With such a structure, by providing a partition portion 71, the adjusted water W is intentionally stored at the top end 1d side of the washing tub 1b where the unbalance of the washing tub 1b is remarkably influenced and is the most distant position from the driving device 40 so as to apply relatively large balance weight to the washing drum 1b in the dehydration operation compared with the case in which the same amount of the adjusted water W is uniformly distributed from the top end 1d to the base end 1e side. Therefore, it is possible to reliably and quickly eliminate the unbalance of the washing tub 1 during the dehydration operation. As a result, the amount of the adjusted water W is saved, the time and opportunity required for injecting the adjusted water W can be effectively reduced, and the delay of the operation time due to the uneven distribution of the laundry can be effectively avoided. As a result, if the washing machine 1 is installed in a laundromat store, it is advantageous to improve the rotation efficiency of the store by avoiding a delay in operation time. In addition, if the washing machine 1 is installed at home, it is advantageous to effectively use the user's time by avoiding delays in operation time.

[0047] Further, in this embodiment, since the balancer is served as a baffle 7, both functions of adjusting the balance of the washing tub 1b and stirring by scraping up the laundry or the like are achieved.

[0048] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the partition portion 71 has the inclined surface 74 that is inclined so as to gradually come close to the rotation center of the drum from the top end 1d side toward the base end 1e side of the washing tub 1b, the adjusted water W is preferentially stored at the top end 1d side of the washing tub 1b by the action of the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the drum so that the effect of the balancer can be effectively demonstrated with a smaller amount of the adjusted water W, which contributes to the reduction of the operation time caused by the reduction of the amount of the adjusted water and the shortening of the water injection time.

[0049] Hereinafter, other embodiments of the present invention will be described. In each of these embodiments, the same reference numerals are assigned to components corresponding to the constituent elements of the above embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Second Embodiment

[0050] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a structure of a washing machine 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the function for a partial vertical cross section of the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment.

[0051] The washing machine 1 of the present embodiment includes: a washing machine main body 1a; a washing tub 1b including an outer tub 3 having an axis S1 extending in a substantially horizontal manner and a drum 2; a water injection device 1c having a water receiving unit 5 and a nozzle unit 6; a driving device 40; and a control unit (not shown in drawings). The above structure is the same as that in the first embodiment.

[0052] The washing machine body 1a shown in FIG. 3 is formed as following solution: the washing machine body 1a has its front surface 10a facing slightly upward so that an opening 11 for taking in and out laundry to and from the drum 2 is formed obliquely upward, and the user opens and closes the opening and closing lid 11a capable of opening and closing the opening 11 obliquely from above. That is, the washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment is a so-called diagonal drum type fully automatic washing machine in which the washing tub 1b is attached in an oblique direction.

[0053] The washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment is also same with above-mentioned embodiment and includes: a washing tub 1b having a driving device 40 disposed on the base end 1e side and opened at a top end 1d side; a plurality of baffles 7, as hollow balancers, disposed on the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2 which is the inner circumferential surface of the washing tub 1b along the direction of the axis S1; and a water injection device 1c for injecting the adjusted water W into each of the baffles 7 individually. The structure of the baffle 7 as the balancer will be mainly described with respect to the specific structure of this embodiment.

[0054] Like the above-described embodiment, the baffle 7 includes: a partition portion 71 that can cause the adjusted water W to stay on the top end 1d side by suppressing the flow of the adjusted water W injected from the top end 1d side of the washing tub 1 b toward the base end 1e side by the water injection device 1c; and an outlet portion 72 capable of discharging the injected adjusted water W from the base end 1e side of the washing tub 1b. The partition portion 71 in this embodiment is a partition rising wall 75 that is partitioned into a priority reservoir region 75a erected inward from an outer wall surface of the baffle 7 and provided at the top end 1d side for preferably storing the adjusted water W and a discharge promotion region 75b that passes through the outlet portion 72 from the priority reservoir region 75a and provided at the base end 1e side for discharging the adjusted water W.

[0055] Further, FIG. 4 schematically shows the behavior of the baffle 7 in which the adjusted water W is injected multiple times during the dehydration process. As described above, also in this embodiment, the adjusted water W is concentrated in the vicinity of the top end 1d of the washing tub 1b in the baffle 7. Thus, even if the smallest amount of water is injected, the adjusted water W is preferably stored in the priority reservoir region 75a that is provided at the baffle 7, i.e. the top end 1d of the washing tub 1b, and the amount of water injection into the baffle 7 is small. In other words, the number of times of the water injections into the baffle 7 should at least eliminate the eccentricity of the washing tub 1b. In addition, in this embodiment, the adjusted water W increases quantitatively as the number of water injection into the baffle 7 increases, but unlike the above embodiment, the balance weight that can be added to the washing tub 1b is proportional to the number of times of water injections. In addition, similar to the above-described embodiment, the outlet portion 72 is provided continuously from the top end 1d of the partition rising wall in a manner of discharging the adjusted water W exceeding a predetermined amount from the base end 1e side of the washing tub 1b toward the discharge promotion region 75b.

[0056] As described above, even the washing machine 1 in the present embodiment, which is same with above-mentioned embodiment, it is possible to effectively reduce the time and the opportunity required for injecting the adjusted water W, so that the delay of the operation time due to the uneven distribution of the laundry can be effectively avoided.

[0057] Particularly, according to the present embodiment, even with a simple structure, it is possible to perform an effect of balance adjustment with a smaller amount of adjusted water W.

Third Embodiment

[0058] As shown in FIG. 5, the washing machine 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention in which the direction of the axis S1 of the washing tub (barrel) 1b extends in a substantially vertical direction is the washing machine 1 with the present invention applied to a so-called vertical fully automatic washing machine.

[0059] In such a vertical fully automatic washing machine 1, a pulsator (stirring blade) 4 is freely rotatably provided at the center of the bottom 2c of the drum 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the pulsator 4 is an ordinary pulsator having a substantially disc-shaped pulsator main body and a plurality of vane portions formed on the upper surface of the pulsator main body. The pulsator 4 stirs washing water stored in the outer tub 3 to generate a water flow.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 5, the driving device 40 in which a motor (not shown) serving as its main body rotates a driving shaft 17 extending toward the bottom portion 2c of the drum 2, and the driving device provides a driving force to the drum 2 and the pulsator 4 so that the drum 2 and the pulsator 4 are rotated. In the washing process of the washing machine 1, the washing machine 1 mainly rotates only the pulsator 4, and in the dehydration process, the drum 2 and the pulsator 4 are integrally rotated at a high speed.

[0061] As shown in the same figure, the washing machine 1 in the present embodiment is same with above-mentioned embodiments and includes: a washing tub (barrel) 1b having a driving device 40 provided at a base end 1e side thereof and opened at a top end 1d side thereof; a plurality of baffle plates 7, as hollow balancers, provided on an inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2 which is the inner circumferential surface of the washing tub (barrel) 1b along the direction of the axis S1 of the washing tub (barrel) 1b; and a water injection device 1c for injecting adjusted water W into each of the balancers 7 individually. The baffle plate 7 includes a partition portion 71 capable of retaining the adjusted water W at a top end 1d side by suppressing a flow of the adjusted water W injected from the top end 1d side of the washing tub (barrel) 1b by the water injection device 1c toward the base end 1e side; and an outlet portion 72 capable of discharging the injected adjusted water W from the base end 1e side of the washing tub (barrel) 1b.

[0062] Hereinafter, the baffle plate 7 included in the washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. It should be noted that, the baffle 7 according to this embodiment is structured and controlled so as to perform so-called washing, in which the washing water is poured from above the laundry in the washing process, but the description of this technical solution will be omitted.

[0063] In the present embodiment, the partition portion 71 has a storage wall 76 formed so as to protrude from the inner wall surface of the baffle plate 7. Further, the storage wall 76 has a bottom surface 77 for storage on the upper surface side thereof, which can suppress the falling down of the adjusted water W downward. In this embodiment, a case that one storage wall 76 is provided at a position somewhat above the middle of the baffle 7 in the vertical direction shown in the figure. However, it is of course possible to provide a plurality of storage walls 76 in the vertical direction or provide the bottom surface 77 for storage in an inclining manner.

[0064] In the present embodiment, the outlet portion 72 has a falling opening 78 which is an opening through which the adjusted water W can fall downward. In this embodiment, as shown in the same figure, the falling opening 78 is a hole or a slit provided on the storage wall 76 and formed in a manner that the adjusted water W can be dropped from the storage wall 76. However, in the present embodiment, for example, the following solution may be designed as: the amount of water per time during which the adjusted water W is injected is set to be larger than the amount of water per hour during which the adjusted water W falls from the falling opening 78, so that the adjusted water W is stored on the bottom surface 77 for storage.

[0065] In FIG. 5, the behavior of the baffle 7 in which the adjusted water W is injected multiple times during the dehydration process is shown. In this way, in the same figure, water injection of adjusted water W once is shown in a cross section. In the first water injection, the adjusted water W is concentrated above the storage bottom surface 77 of the baffle 7, that is, in the vicinity of the top end Id, and thus, even if the amount of water injection (in other words, the number of water injections to the baffle 7 is small or the water injection time is short) is small, the eccentricity of the washing tub (barrel) 1b can be effectively eliminated. It should be noted that, each time the amount of water injection into the baffle 7 increases, the adjusted water W increases quantitatively. In the present embodiment, due to the rise of the water level of the adjusted water W, the balance weight can be added to the washing tub 1b, that is, the effect of the unbalance elimination gradually increases.

[0066] As described above, the washing machine 1 in the present embodiment is similar to that in the above embodiment. By providing a partition portion 71, the adjusted water W is intentionally stored at the top end 1d side of the washing tub (barrel) 1b where the unbalance of the washing tub 1b is remarkably influenced and is the most distant position from the driving device 40 so as to apply relatively large balance weight to the washing drum (barrel) 1b in the dehydration operation compared with the case in which the same amount of the adjusted water W is uniformly distributed from the top end 1d side to the base end 1e side. Therefore, it is possible to reliably and quickly eliminate the unbalance of the washing tub (barrel) 1 during the dehydration operation. As a result, the amount of the adjusted water W is saved, the time and opportunity required for injecting the adjusted water W can be effectively reduced, and the delay of the operation time due to the uneven distribution of the laundry can be effectively avoided.

[0067] Further, the direction of the axis S1 of the washing tub (barrel) 1b according to the present invention extends in the substantially vertical direction, the partition portion 71 has a bottom surface for storage which protrudes from the inner wall surface of the baffle 7 and is capable of suppressing falling down of the adjusted water W, and the outlet portion 72 has an opening through which the adjusted water W can be dropped downward from the bottom surface for storage. Even if it is a so-called vertical type washing machine 1, effects of the vibrations and the noises generated due to eccentricity of the dehydration tub can be suppressed with a smaller amount of adjusted water W in a shorter time, and it is possible to effectively avoid a delay in operation time.

[0068] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the structure of the present embodiment is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made.

[0069] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the water receiving unit is constituted by three water guiding gutters 5a, and three baffles are provided correspondingly. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and three or more baffles may be provided as long as to form a structure that the number of the water guiding gutters is the same as those of the baffles. Besides, the water receiving unit may have a structure that multiple water guiding gutters are vertically stacked. Thus, a transverse width of the water receiving unit can be narrowed, and the opening of the drum can be expanded. Furthermore, the baffle may have a shape that expands upwards or downwards depending on the operation (situation) of the washing machine.

[0070] In addition, in above-mentioned embodiment, the partition portion, as the baffle, each of other embodiments discloses the technical solution having an inclined wall that has an inclined surface and a partition rising wall, but the technical solution in which these inclined walls and the partition rising wall are used together also can be adopted.

[0071] Other structures can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Description of the symbols

[0072] 1: Washing machine; 1b: Washing tub; 1c: Water injection device; 2: Drum; 20: Inner tub; 40: Driving device; 7: Balancer (baffle, baffle plate); 71: Partition portion; 72: Outlet portion; 73: Inclined wall; 74: Inclined surface; 75: Partition rising wall; 76: Storage wall; 77: Bottom surface for storage; 78: Opening (falling opening)

Claims

1. A washing machine, comprising:

a washing tub having a driving device provided at a base end side thereof and opened at a top end side thereof;

a plurality of hollow balancers provided at an inner circumferential surface of the washing tub along a direction of an axis of the washing tub; and

a water injection device for injecting adjusted water into each of the plurality of hollow balancers individually,

wherein the each of the plurality of hollow balancers comprises:

a partition portion capable of retaining the adjusted water at the top end side by suppressing a flow of the adjusted water injected from the top end side of the washing tub by the water injection device toward the base end side, and

an outlet portion capable of discharging the injected adjusted water from the base end side of the washing tub.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the each of the plurality of hollow balancers is a baffle capable of agitating laundry.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the washing tub comprises: a drum extending along the direction of the axis in a substantially horizontal manner or in an inclined manner with an angle close to a horizontal direction and rotatably supported around the axis, and
wherein the partition portion comprises: an inclined surface that is inclined so as to gradually come close to a rotation center of the drum from the top end side to the base end side of the washing tub.

4. The washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the washing tub includes: a drum extending along the direction of the axis in a substantially horizontal manner or in an inclined manner with an angle close to a horizontal direction and rotatably supported around the axis, and
wherein the partition portion is a partition rising wall that is used for separating a priority reservoir region erected inward from an outer wall surface of the each of the plurality of hollow balancers and provided at the top end side for preferably storing the adjusted water and a discharge promotion region that passes through the outlet portion from the priority reservoir region and provided at the base end side for discharging the adjusted water.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the direction of the axis of the washing tub extends in a substantially vertical direction,
wherein the partition portion has a bottom surface for storage that protrudes from an inner wall surface of each of the plurality of hollow balancers and is capable of suppressing downward falling of the adjusted water, and
wherein the outlet portion has an opening through which the adjusted water can be dropped downward from the bottom surface for storage.

Drawing