CN107012645B

CN107012645B - Washing machine

Info

Publication number: CN107012645B
Application number: CN201710039142.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 村上宽
Original assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products and Services Corp
Current assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products and Services Corp
Priority date: 2016-01-28
Filing date: 2017-01-19
Publication date: 2019-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 2037-01-19
Also published as: JP2017131425A; CN107012645A

Abstract

A washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a body having a washing tub; an inlet and outlet provided at an upper portion of the body, for taking in and out laundry with respect to the washing tub; a cover pivotally supported by the body and covering the entrance/exit in an openable/closable manner; an operation panel provided on the cover and configured to have a capacitive touch sensor; and a control circuit board provided on the main body side for performing signal processing of the operation panel.

Description

Washing machine

The present application is based on Japanese patent application No. 2016-014395, filed on 28/1/2016 and enjoys the benefit of priority of this application, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a washing machine.

Background

In a so-called vertical axis type washing machine, a washing tub having an upper surface opened is generally provided in a main body, and a top cover provided on an upper surface portion of the main body is provided with an access opening positioned above the washing tub and a lid for opening and closing the access opening. Further, an operation panel for performing instruction input and display related to the washing operation is provided on an upper surface of a front edge portion of the top cover.

In this case, the height of the top cover is uniform as a whole including the operation panel, and the access opening is located on the rear side of the operation panel. Therefore, the user needs to go over the upper surface of the operation panel in order to load the laundry, and particularly, the user with a small size may have difficulty in loading the laundry. Therefore, in recent years, it has been considered to provide an operation panel on the cover so as to facilitate the laundry loading operation to the entrance.

However, since the operation panel and the operation substrate on the back side thereof are built in the front portion of the double-folding type cover, the thickness of the cover as a whole tends to increase, and the weight also tends to increase.

Disclosure of Invention

The washing machine of the first embodiment includes: a body having a washing tub; an inlet and outlet provided at an upper portion of the body, for taking in and out laundry with respect to the washing tub; a cover pivotally supported by the body and covering the entrance/exit in an openable/closable manner; an operation panel provided on the cover and configured to have a capacitive touch sensor; and a control circuit board provided on the main body side for performing signal processing of the operation panel.

The washing machine of the second embodiment includes: a body having a washing tub; an inlet and outlet provided at an upper portion of the body, for taking in and out laundry with respect to the washing tub; a cover pivotally supported by the body and covering the entrance/exit in an openable/closable manner; an operation panel provided on the cover and configured to have a capacitive touch sensor; and a control circuit board provided in the cover at a position different from the operation panel in a plan view, and configured to perform signal processing of the operation panel.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a vertical right side view schematically showing the entire structure of a washing machine according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an upper portion of the washing machine according to the first embodiment in an open state of the cover.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the lid portion according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the operation panel portion according to the first embodiment taken along the line 4-4 in fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the operation panel according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the lid portion according to the second embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional side view of the lid portion according to the third embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the washing machine according to the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional side view of a lid portion according to the fourth embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the lid portion according to the fifth embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a lid portion according to the sixth embodiment.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments applied to a so-called vertical axis type washing machine (full automatic washing machine) will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that portions substantially common to the plurality of embodiments are given common reference numerals, and new drawings and redundant description are omitted.

(first embodiment)

First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 5. Fig. 1 schematically shows the overall structure of a washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment, and as shown in fig. 2 and 3, the washing machine 1 is configured to include a cover 3 on an upper portion of a main body 2. As shown in fig. 1, the main body 2 includes an outer box 4, and the outer box 4 is formed of, for example, a steel plate and has a rectangular box shape as a whole. A top cover 20 and a rear cover 21, which will be described later, are provided on an upper portion of the outer box 4. Four legs 5 are provided at the bottom of the outer box 4.

A water tank 6 for storing washing water is provided in the outer casing 4 so as to be elastically supported (suspended and supported) by an elastic suspension mechanism 7. As partially shown, the elastic hanging means 7 has a known structure including, for example, four hanging rods 7a provided at four corners of the outer box 4, and springs 7b disposed at lower ends of the hanging rods 7 a. A drain port 8 is formed in the bottom of the water tank 6. A drain passage 10 having an electronically controlled drain valve 9 is connected to the drain port 8. Although not shown, an air collector is provided at the bottom of the water tank 6, and a water level sensor for detecting the water level in the water tank 6 via an air pipe connected to the air collector is provided.

A vertical axis type washing tank 11 also serving as a dewatering tank is rotatably provided in the water tank 6. The washing tank 11 has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and a plurality of dewatering holes 11a are formed in the peripheral wall thereof. A liquid-filled rotary balancer 12, for example, is attached to the upper end of the washing tub 11. Further, an agitator 13 called a pulsator is disposed at an inner bottom of the washing tub 11. Laundry, not shown, is accommodated in the washing tub 11, and a washing operation including washing, rinsing, and spin-drying strokes of the laundry is performed.

A water tank cover 14 is attached to an upper portion of the water tank 6. The water tank cover 14 is provided with an opening 14a for taking in laundry at a substantially central portion, and an inner lid 15 for opening and closing the opening 14a is attached. The illustration of the inner lid 15 is omitted in fig. 2. As shown in fig. 1, a water supply port 14b for supplying water is provided at the rear portion of the upper surface of the water tank cover 14. Although detailed illustration and explanation are omitted, a water supply mechanism is provided in the rear cover 21. The water supply mechanism includes a known structure including a hose connection port 22 (see fig. 2) connected to a water supply source such as a tap water pipe, a water supply valve, a water supply cartridge, and a water supply hose 16 (see fig. 1). The water supply hose 16 has a distal end connected to the water supply port 14 b.

A driving mechanism 17 having a known structure is disposed at a lower portion (outer bottom portion) of the water tank 6. Although not shown or described in detail, the driving mechanism 17 includes a washing machine motor, a hollow tub shaft 18, a stirring shaft 19 penetrating the tub shaft 18, a clutch mechanism, and the like. The washing machine motor is composed of an outer rotor type DC three-phase brushless motor. The clutch mechanism selectively transmits the rotational driving force of the washing machine motor to the shafts 18, 19. The washing tub 11 is connected to an upper end of the tub shaft 18. The upper end of the stirring shaft 19 is connected with the stirring body 13.

The clutch mechanism is controlled by an operation control device, for example, using a solenoid as a drive source. The clutch mechanism transmits the driving force of the washing machine motor to the agitator 13 through the agitating shaft 19 in a fixed (stopped) state in which the washing tub 11 is fixed (stopped) at the time of washing and at the time of rinsing (washing stroke). This directly drives the agitator 13 in forward and reverse rotation at a low speed. In addition, the clutch mechanism transmits the driving force of the washing machine motor to the washing tub 11 through the tub shaft 18 in a connected state where the tub shaft 18 and the agitating shaft 19 are connected at the time of dehydration (dehydration stroke) or the like. This directly rotates and drives the washing tub 11 (and the agitator 13) in one direction.

Although not shown, the operation control device is mainly configured by a computer. To this operation control device, an operation signal from an operation panel 26, which will be described later, is input, and detection signals from the water level sensor and a rotation sensor that detects rotation of the washing machine motor are input. The operation control device drives and controls the washing machine motor and the clutch mechanism, and controls the water supply valve and the drain valve 9. With the above configuration, the operation control device controls each mechanism of the washing machine 1 based on the input signals from each sensor and the control program stored in advance according to the operation schedule set by the user through the operation panel 26, and the like. Thus, the operation control device automatically executes the washing operation composed of the known washing, rinsing and dehydrating processes.

As shown in fig. 1, a top cover 20 made of synthetic resin having a thin hollow box shape is attached to an upper portion of the outer box 4. A substantially circular laundry entrance 20a is formed in the center of the upper surface of the top cover 20 above the washing tub 11. As shown in fig. 2, a recess 23 is provided in a front edge portion of the upper surface of the top cover 20 within a predetermined range located at a center portion in the left-right direction. The recess 23 forms a hand-gripping gap with the lid 3. The portion of the concave portion 23 over which the laundry is thrown is formed lower than the upper surface of the top cover 20.

A rear cover 21 is attached to a rear portion of the doorway 20a of the top cover 20 so as to extend in the left-right direction along a rear edge portion of the main body 2. The rear cover 21 is provided with the water supply mechanism and a circuit board 29 (see fig. 3) to be described later is disposed. A cover 3 for opening and closing the entrance 20a is provided on the upper surface of the top cover and on the front side of the rear cover 20. In the present embodiment, the cover 3 is provided in a known double-folded type in which the front cover portion 24 and the rear cover portion 25 are rotatably connected, and both the front cover portion 24 and the rear cover portion 25 have a rectangular shape extending in the lateral direction.

In this case, the front cover portion 24 and the rear cover portion 25 each have a thin rectangular box shape. As shown in fig. 3, the rear edge of the front cover part 24 and the front edge of the rear cover part 25 are rotatably connected by an intermediate hinge part 30. The rear edge of the rear cover 25 is rotatably connected to the rear of the top cover 20 by a rear hinge 31. Thereby, the cover 3 is switched between the closed state (see fig. 1 and 3) and the open state (see fig. 2). As shown in fig. 1 and 3, in the closed state in which the cover 3 is closed, the front cover portion 24 and the rear cover portion 25 cover the entire upper surface (the doorway 20a) of the top cover 20 in a flat plate shape. As shown in fig. 2, in the open state in which the lid 3 is opened, the front lid portion 24 and the rear lid portion 25 are folded by the intermediate hinge portion 30 to stand at the rear portion of the top cover 20, thereby opening the doorway 20 a.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, 3, and the like, an operation panel 26 having a horizontally long rectangular shape is provided on the front cover portion 24. The operation panel 26 is configured to include an operation unit for allowing a user to give a power supply switch, various setting instructions, and the like to the washing machine 1, a display unit for performing necessary display, and the like. Next, the structure of the operation panel 26 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 2 to 5.

Although not shown in detail, the front cover portion 24 is formed in a hollow shape by a cover top panel 27 and a case 24 made of plastic, the cover top panel 27 being disposed on the upper surface side, and the case 24 being disposed on the rear surface side, having an open upper surface, and being thin in the vertical direction. The cover top panel 27 is made of, for example, hard glass and has light transmittance. As shown in fig. 4, the operation panel 26 is configured such that an operation unit 28, which will be described later, is disposed on the back surface side of the cover panel 27.

Fig. 5 shows, for example, a state in which the operation unit and the display unit are all displayed (all power sources are turned on) on the operation panel 26 (operation unit 28). The operation panel 26 is provided with a power on key 32, a power off key 33, and a start key 34 for starting a washing operation (each stroke). Further, a course selection key 35 for selecting any one of courses for automatically executing the washing operation, and a course display unit 40 for displaying the selected (set) course are provided. In addition, the "standard process" in the processes is set as a default setting, and when the user does not perform an operation, the standard process is automatically set.

Further, the operation panel 26 is provided with a wash key 36, a rinse key 37, and a spin key 38 for manually setting respective strokes of a washing operation. The operation panel 26 is provided with a washing time display unit 41, a rinsing frequency display unit 42, and a spinning time display unit 43, and the set time and frequency, and the remaining time and frequency during the washing operation are displayed as needed. Further, a water level key 39 for manually setting the water level and a water level display 44 for displaying the water level are provided. As described above, the keys 32 to 39 constitute the operation section, and the display sections 40 to 46 constitute the display section.

In this case, the keys 32 to 39 constituting the operation unit are each constituted by a known capacitance type touch sensor that is touched by a finger of a user. That is, each of the keys 32 to 39 includes an operation button provided on the front surface of the cover top panel 27 in a virtual manner, and a capacitance detection unit located on the rear surface side thereof. The capacitance type touch sensor detects a change in capacitance when a user touches (approaches) an operation button of the cover top panel 27 with a finger.

Further, although detailed illustration and explanation are omitted, the cover upper panel 27 is set in a translucent state by coating paint on the back surface side, for example. As will be described later, the operation buttons (frames and characters) are projected and displayed only when the LEDs as the light sources are turned on by the display means, and are seen bright. However, the operation buttons of the power-on key 32 and the power-off key 33 are always displayed by printing. The display units 40 to 46 are also configured to project and display desired characters and symbols only when the LEDs as the light sources are turned on, and to appear bright.

Next, the operation unit 28 will be described mainly with reference to fig. 4. That is, as shown in fig. 4, the operation unit 28 is configured such that the LED substrate 47, the light guide plate 48, the pressing member 49, the flexible switch printed board 50, and the nameplate film 51 are arranged in this order from the back side. The LED board 47 is formed in a horizontally long rectangular shape, and a plurality of chip-type LEDs 52 as light sources for the keys 32 to 39 and the display units 40 to 46 are mounted on the front surface (upper front surface) thereof so as to correspond to the keys. The LED board 47 is provided with a connector for external connection, not shown.

The light guide plate 48 is formed of a colored (light-impermeable) rigid plastic molded product, and is formed in a thin, horizontally long rectangular shape as a whole. The light guide plate 48 integrally has a plurality of light guides 48a, and the plurality of light guides 48a guide the light of the LEDs 52 to the keys 32 to 39 and the displays 40 to 46 above without leakage. The light guide plate 48 is disposed on the LED substrate 47 in a positioned state.

The flexible switch printed board 50 is a thin sheet as a whole. Although not shown in detail, the flexible switch printed board 50 is configured such that a plurality of capacitance detection portions and wirings constituting the touch sensor, electrodes for preventing erroneous detection, and the like are printed on the surface of a flexible transparent base film made of, for example, PET. Further, the surface of the flexible switch printed board 50 is covered with a transparent cover film made of PET. The plurality of capacitance detection units are configured by printing and coating a conductive polymer having a certain transparency on the surface of the base film, for example, according to the positions and shapes of the keys 32 to 39. The wiring and the false detection prevention electrode are formed by, for example, printing silver paste. The flexible switch printed board 50 has a connection portion for electrical connection to the outside, and the connection portion is connected to the connector via the LED board 47.

The pressing member 49 is made of, for example, a transparent plastic material, has a cushioning thickness, and is provided in correspondence with each of the keys 32 to 39 (operation buttons). The pressing member 49 is disposed to be fitted into a recess formed in the upper surface portion of the light guide plate 48. The pressing member 49 functions as follows: the capacitance detecting portions of the flexible switch printed board 50 are pressed against the back surface of the cover top plate 27 via a nameplate film 51.

Although not shown in detail, the nameplate film 51 is configured such that a black light-shielding portion and a display light-transmitting portion are provided on the surface of a vertically long rectangular film. The light-transmitting portions for display are formed in correspondence with the frames and characters for displaying the operation buttons and the characters and marks constituting the display portions 40 to 46 (in a clear transparent state). The flexible switch printed board 50 and the nameplate film 51 are mounted on the upper surface of the light guide plate 48 in a stacked state in a positioned state, thereby constituting the operation unit 28. The operation unit 28 is held in contact with the back surface of the cover top panel 27 in the space of the front cover 24, thereby constituting the operation panel 26.

The circuit board 29 provided in the rear cover 21 is provided with a circuit for energizing the LEDs 52 of the operation panel 26, a signal processing circuit (detection unit) of a touch sensor (capacitance detection unit), and the like. At this time, as shown in fig. 3, the circuit board 29 and the operation panel 26 (connector of the LED board 47) are connected by a flexible thin film wiring 53. Therefore, the film wiring 53 passes through the connection portion (intermediate hinge portion 30) connected to the rear cover portion 25 from the connector of the LED substrate 47 in the front cover portion 24. Then, the film wiring 53 extends rearward inside the rear cover part 25, penetrates the rear hinge part 31, enters the rear cover 21, and is connected to the circuit board 29. The circuit board 29 is connected to the operation control device.

As described above, by controlling the lighting of the LED52 by the power-on circuit of the circuit board 29, light passes through the display light-transmitting portion of the nameplate film 51, and characters and the like are projected and displayed on the cover panel 27 (operation panel 26). In this case, for example, the operation buttons of the keys 34 to 39 are displayed when the power is turned on, and the display units 40 to 46 are displayed in a form corresponding to the current setting condition. The signal processing circuit of the circuit board 29 recognizes a touch operation of each key based on a detection signal of the capacitive touch sensor (capacitive detection unit). When the signal processing circuit recognizes a touch operation, the display of the display sections 40 to 46 is changed by the power-on circuit according to the operation result, and a setting operation signal is transmitted to the operation control device.

Next, the operation and effect of the above-described structure will be described. In the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, an operation panel 26 for performing setting operations and display related to the washing operation is provided on the cover 3 provided on the upper surface of the main body 2. Thus, the doorway 20a of the top cover 20 can be positioned further forward than when an operation panel is provided on the front upper surface of the top cover, that is, the front edge portion of the top cover 20 can be made narrower in width in the front-rear direction. Further, the front edge portion of the top cover 20 can be made lower in the up-down direction. Therefore, the distance and height of the portion over which the laundry passes when the laundry is thrown into and out of washing tub 11 can be reduced, and the work of throwing the laundry by the user can be facilitated. In particular, in the present embodiment, since the recessed portion 23 is provided in the front edge portion of the top cover 20, even a user with a small size can more easily perform the work of taking out the laundry.

The operation panel 26 is configured to have a capacitance type touch sensor, and the control circuit board 29 is provided at a position different from the cover 3, that is, on the main body 2 side. Thus, unlike an operation panel provided with a mechanical switch with a contact, the thickness of the operation panel 26 (operation unit 28) and thus the thickness of the front cover portion 24 of the cover 3 can be made relatively thin and lightweight. In addition, by providing the operation panel 26 to the front cover portion 24 of the folio type cover 3, the following advantages can be obtained: the operation panel 26 is located at a front position in the cover 3, and is convenient for a user to operate, and the operation panel 26 can be operated from the front even in an open state where the cover 3 is opened. Since the circuit board 29 is disposed in the rear cover 21, the thickness of the cover 3 can be made small, the circuit board 29 can be provided at a position having a high waterproof property, and the wiring (the thin-film wiring 53) can be made relatively short.

In particular, in the present embodiment, since the operation panel 26 is configured such that the operation unit 28 is provided on the back surface of the cover panel 27 made of hard glass, the operation panel 26 can be made excellent in design and beautiful in appearance. Meanwhile, it is easy for the user to observe the keys 32 to 39 and the display sections 40 to 46, and to operate the operation buttons. The operation button 26 can also be made excellent in water resistance, cleaning performance, durability, and the like. Further, since the operation panel 26 and the circuit board 29 are electrically connected to each other by the thin film wiring 53, the hinges 30 and 31 of the cover 3 can be easily inserted, the assembly property is excellent, and the appearance can be made beautiful.

(second embodiment, third embodiment)

Fig. 6 shows a second embodiment, which is different from the first embodiment in the structure of a cover 61 provided on the upper portion of the main body 2. That is, the cover 61 is of a double-folded type in which the front cover part 62 and the rear cover part 63 are rotatably connected, and in this second embodiment, the operation panel 64 is provided in the rear cover part 63.

In this case, the rear lid portion 63 is formed in a hollow shape by a lid panel 65 made of hard glass, for example, and a case 63a made of plastic, the lid panel 65 being disposed on the upper surface side, and the case 63a being disposed on the rear surface side thereof, being open at the upper surface side, and being thin in the vertical direction. The operation panel 64 is configured such that an operation unit 28 equivalent to the first embodiment is disposed on the back surface side of the cover panel 65. The circuit board 29 provided in the rear cover 21 and the operation panel 64 (connector of the LED board 47) are connected by a flexible film wiring 66.

The front cover portion 62 is formed of, for example, a plastic material, and has a box shape with an open lower surface and a thin vertical thickness, and a handle portion 62a is provided in a recessed shape at a front center portion of an upper surface thereof. The front half of the upper surface of the top cover 67 having the laundry entrance 67a is slightly inclined downward toward the front, and the front lid portion 62 is slightly inclined downward toward the front in the closed state. This reduces the height of the front edge portion of the top cover 67, thereby facilitating the laundry loading and unloading operation.

According to the second embodiment, the operation panel 64 of the touch sensor system is provided on the cover 61, and the circuit board 29 is provided in the rear cover 21. As a result, as in the first embodiment, the lid 61 can be made relatively thin and lightweight, while facilitating the loading and unloading of laundry to and from the doorway 67 a. Further, the operation panel 64 can be made excellent in design property, and also excellent in water resistance, cleaning property, durability, and the like. Further, by providing the operation panel 64 in the rear cover portion 63 of the cover 61, the thin film wiring 66 can be further shortened.

Further, since the operation panel 64 including the cover top panel 65 made of hard glass is provided in the rear cover 63, the weight of the rear cover 63 near the cover shaft (rear hinge portion 31) can be increased, and the front cover 62 can be made lighter, thereby facilitating the opening and closing operation of the cover 61. Further, since a space for forming the grip portion 62a in the front cover 62 can be secured, the operability is also good.

Fig. 7 shows a third embodiment, and the internal structure of a cover 71 provided on the upper portion of a main body 2 is different from that of the first embodiment. That is, the cover 71 is of a double-folded type in which the front cover portion 24 and the rear cover portion 25 are rotatably connected, and the operation panel 26 equivalent to that of the first embodiment is provided on the front cover portion 24 among them. In the third embodiment, a circuit board 72 including a power supply circuit, a signal processing circuit, and the like for the operation panel 26 is provided in the hollow portion of the rear cover portion 25. The circuit board 72 and the operation panel 26 (connector of the LED board 47) are connected by a flexible film wiring 73.

According to the third embodiment, the touch sensor type operation panel 26 is provided in the front cover portion 24 of the double-folding type cover 71, and the circuit board 72 is provided in the rear cover portion 25. This facilitates the operation of putting laundry into and out of the doorway 20a, and also makes the entire cover 71 thin and lightweight. Further, the operation panel 26 can be made excellent in design property, and also excellent in water resistance, cleaning property, durability, and the like. Further, by providing the circuit board 72 in the rear cover portion 25, the thin-film wiring 73 can be shortened, and the assembly property of the entire cover 71 can be improved.

(fourth to sixth embodiments and other embodiments)

Fig. 8 and 9 show a fourth embodiment. The fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the structure of the cover 81 provided on the upper portion of the body 2. That is, the cover 81 is formed as an integral body, and in the present embodiment, an operation panel 82 is provided on the front side of the cover 81. Specifically, the cover 81 is mainly made of, for example, a plastic material, and is configured in a rectangular box shape that is thin in the vertical direction, and a cover top panel 83 made of hard glass is formed substantially in the front half of the upper surface thereof. A hinge portion 84 is provided at the rear edge of the lid 81, and is rotatably attached to the top cover 20 via the hinge portion 84.

The operation panel 82 is configured such that an operation unit 28 equivalent to the first embodiment is disposed on the back surface side of the cover top panel 83. The control circuit board 29 of the operation panel 82 is provided in the rear cover 21 on the main body 2 side. The circuit board 29 and the operation panel 82 (connector of the LED board 47) are connected by a flexible film wiring 85. In this case, the film wiring 85 extends rearward inside the cover 81, penetrates the hinge portion 84, enters the rear cover 21, and is connected to the circuit board 29.

According to the fourth embodiment, the operation panel 82 of the touch sensor system is provided in the integrated cover 81, and the circuit board 29 is provided in the rear cover 21. As a result, as in the first embodiment, the entire lid 81 can be made relatively thin and lightweight, while facilitating the laundry loading operation to the doorway 20 a. Further, the operation panel 82 can be made excellent in design property, and also excellent in water resistance, cleaning property, durability, and the like.

Fig. 10 shows a fifth embodiment, and the structure of a cover 91 is different from the fourth embodiment and the like. That is, the cover 91 is still integrally formed, and in the present embodiment, the operation panel 92 is provided on the rear side of the cover 91. In this case, the cover 91 is provided such that a substantially rear half of an upper surface thereof is a cover upper panel 93 made of hard glass. The operation unit 28 is disposed on the back side of the cover panel 93 to constitute the operation panel 92. The circuit board 29 provided in the rear cover 21 and the operation panel 92 are connected by a flexible film wiring 94.

As in the fourth embodiment, according to the fifth embodiment, the laundry can be easily taken in and out of the doorway 20a, and the entire cover 91 can be made relatively thin and lightweight. Further, the operation panel 92 can be made excellent in design property, and also excellent in water resistance, cleaning property, durability, and the like. Further, the thin film wiring 94 can be shortened.

Fig. 11 shows a sixth embodiment, and the structure of the cover 101 is different from the fourth embodiment and the like. That is, the cover 101 is still configured as an integral body, and in the present embodiment, the operation panel 82 is provided on the front side of the cover 101. In this case, the cover 101 is provided such that substantially the front half of the upper surface thereof is a cover upper panel 83 made of hard glass. Operation unit 28 is disposed on the back side of cover top panel 83 to constitute operation panel 82. In the present embodiment, a circuit board 102 for controlling the operation panel 82 is provided on the rear side of the hollow portion in the cover 101. Circuit board 102 and operation panel 82 are connected by flexible film wiring 103 in cover 101.

According to the sixth embodiment, the laundry can be easily taken in and out through the doorway 20a, and the entire lid 101 can be made thin and relatively lightweight. Further, the operation panel 82 can be made excellent in design property, and also excellent in water resistance, cleaning property, durability, and the like. Further, by providing the circuit board 102 in the cover 101, the thin film wiring 103 can be shortened, and the assembly property of the entire cover 101 can be improved.

In the above embodiments, the operation panel and the circuit board are connected by the film wiring, but a lead wire such as a flexible flat cable may be used. In addition, in the fourth to sixth embodiments, a part of the upper surface of the cover is constituted by a glass plate (cover top panel), but the entire upper surface of the cover may be constituted by a glass plate. Further, the specific configuration of the operation unit, for example, the type of the light source in the circuit board, the configuration of the light guide plate, the pressing member, and the like may be variously modified. Various modifications are also conceivable for the type and number of keys (operation buttons) on the operation panel, the display mode of the display unit, and the like.

As described above, although the embodiments have been described, the embodiments are provided as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Claims

1. A washing machine is characterized by comprising:

a body (2) having a washing tank (11);

an access (20a, 67a) provided at the upper part of the main body (2) and used for throwing and taking the washings into and out of the washing tank (11);

a cover (3, 61, 71, 81, 91, 101) pivotally supported by the body (2) and covering the access opening (20a, 67a) in an openable and closable manner;

an operation panel (26, 64, 82, 92) provided on the cover (3, 61, 71, 81, 91, 101) and configured to have a capacitive touch sensor; and

and a control circuit board (29, 72, 102) provided on the main body (2) side, and provided with an energizing circuit for controlling lighting of the light source (52) of the operation panel (26, 64, 82, 92), for performing signal processing of the operation panel (26, 64, 82, 92).

2. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1,

the cover (3, 71) is of a double-folded type having a front cover part (24) and a rear cover part (25),

the operation panel (26) is provided to the front cover portion (24).

3. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1,

the cover (61) is of a double-folding type having a front cover part (62) and a rear cover part (63),

the operation panel (64) is provided to the rear cover section (63).

4. The washing machine as claimed in claim 1,

the covers (81, 91, 101) are formed as a single body,

the operation panel (82, 92) is provided on the front side or the rear side of the cover (81, 91, 101).

5. A washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the operation panel (26, 64, 82, 92) is configured such that the touch sensor is disposed on the back side of a cover top panel (27, 65, 83, 93) made of hard glass that constitutes the top surface of the cover (3, 61, 71, 81, 91, 101).

6. A washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the operation panel (26, 64, 82, 92) and the circuit board (29, 72, 102) are electrically connected by a thin film wiring (53, 66, 73, 85, 94, 103).

7. A washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the circuit board (29) is disposed in a rear cover (21) located at the rear of the upper surface of the main body (2).

8. A washing machine is characterized by comprising:

a body (2) having a washing tank (11);

an access (20a) provided at the upper part of the body (2) and used for throwing and taking the washings to the washing tank (11);

covers (71, 101) pivotally supported by the body (2) and covering the access opening (20a) in an openable and closable manner;

operation panels (26, 82) provided on the covers (71, 101) and configured to have a capacitive touch sensor; and

and a control circuit board (72, 102) that is provided in the cover (71, 101) at a position different from the operation panel (26, 82) in a plan view, and that is provided with a power supply circuit that controls lighting of the light source (52) of the operation panel (26, 82) and that processes signals of the operation panel (26, 82).

9. A washing machine according to claim 8,

the cover (71) is of a double-folded type having a front cover part (24) and a rear cover part (25),

the operation panel (26) is provided to the front cover part (24),

and the circuit board (72) is provided to the rear cover portion (25).

10. A washing machine according to claim 8,

the cover (101) is formed as an integral body,

the operation panel (82) is provided on the front side of the cover (101),

and the circuit substrate (102) is provided on the rear side of the cover (101).