CN109563670B

CN109563670B - Washing machine

Info

Publication number: CN109563670B
Application number: CN201780044624.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 久保哲也; 德崎雅朗; 东山義幸; 片冈義则; 野町哲治; 井泽克也
Original assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Priority date: 2016-09-05
Filing date: 2017-07-27
Publication date: 2021-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 2037-07-27
Also published as: CN109563670A; SG10201914023WA; PH12019500303A1; CN112981875B; TWI711738B; WO2018042962A1; TW201812134A; SG11201900831WA; MY197795A; CN112981875A

Abstract

The washing machine includes: a damper holding body (18) provided in a space (6a) formed in a cover hinge section (31) of the cover body (3); and a shock-absorbing damper (19) of a rotary type for damping the rotation of the lid body (3), one end of which is in clearance fit with the damper holder (18), and the other end of which is axially supported by a lid hinge bearing (24). The damper holder (18) is configured as follows: the front end is screwed and fixed to the lid body by a tapping screw (20), and a hooking protrusion (18a) formed at the rear end is inserted and fixed to a groove (22) formed in the lid body (3). According to the structure, the cover body (3) can be smoothly opened and closed without collision noise. Moreover, the damper holder (18) can be temporarily fixed during assembly, so that productivity can be improved, and the damper holder (18) can be reliably fixed to the lid body (3), so that deformation and damage due to impact force of rotational operation of the damper can be suppressed, and reliability can be improved.

Description

Washing machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a washing machine having a cover body that openably and closably covers a laundry inlet and the like on an upper surface.

Background

Conventionally, the following structure has been proposed for such a washing machine: a damper mechanism is provided for preventing generation of a large impact sound when the lid is closed (see, for example, patent documents 1 and 2).

Fig. 24 is a partially cut-away vertical sectional view of the conventional washing machine disclosed in patent document 1. Fig. 25 is a partially cut-away cross-sectional view of a main portion of the conventional washing machine described in patent document 1. Fig. 26 is a partially cut-away cross-sectional view of the lid portion of the conventional washing machine disclosed in patent document 1.

In fig. 24, 25 and 26, a water tank 242 is suspended and supported by an elastic support mechanism 243 and is accommodated in a main body 241, a washing and dehydrating tank 244 is rotatably disposed at the central inner bottom of the water tank 242, and a stirring blade 245 for stirring is rotatably disposed in the washing and dehydrating tank 244. The stirring blade 245 and the washing and dehydrating tub 244 are rotationally driven by a motor 247 fixed to the outer bottom of the water tub 242.

A top cover 255 is attached to the uppermost part of the outer casing 241, a washing and dehydrating tub 244 has a washing inlet 256 facing the inside of the top cover 255 at the center, and a flat cover 257 is pivotally supported above the washing inlet 256 so as to be openable and closable. The cover 257 is formed of a front cover 259 and a rear cover 258 on the rear side, and the front cover 259 is rotatably coupled to the rear cover 258 for opening and closing operations by a user. In fig. 24, the cover 257 is shown in an open state by the cover 257a, and the front cover 259a is bent to be parallel to the rear cover 258 a. As shown in the cover 257a, the cover 257 rotates to a substantially vertical state when opened.

As shown in fig. 25, a shaft hole 260 extending laterally to both the left and right is formed at the rear end portion of the rear cover 258, a shaft support portion 262 is provided to protrude from the top cover 255, a shaft 261 is provided to the shaft support portion 262 so as to be slidable in the shaft hole 260 and to protrude laterally, and the shaft hole 260 of the rear cover 258 is brought into clearance fit with the shaft 261 to rotatably support the lid body 257.

A rod body 264 having a fan-shaped gear portion 269 is integrally formed behind and below the shaft hole 260 of the rear cover 258, and the fan-shaped gear portion 269 formed at the lower end of the rod body 264 meshes with a spur gear 271 of a rack gear 265 configured to be movable back and forth in the rear portion of the top cover 255. The rack gear 265 is linked to the piston rod 266 and is linked to a damper main body 267, and the damper main body 267 is fixedly disposed below the rear portion of the cap 255 and has a resistance along the horizontal axis direction.

A toggle spring 270 extending outward from an arm of the torsion coil portion for applying a biasing force in a direction to open or close the lid 257 is attached to the lever 264, and when the lid 257 is in a horizontal state, the lever 264 is biased in a counterclockwise direction (arrow F) about the shaft hole 260 in order to close the lid 257.

The damper main body 267 is formed in a one-way biasing structure that applies resistance only when the piston rod 266 moves rearward (in the direction of arrow G), and does not apply resistance to forward movement of the piston rod indicated by the direction of arrow C in the opposite direction.

Thus, when the cover 257 is opened in the direction of arrow a, the lever 264 rotates in the direction B about the shaft 261, and the rack gear 265 meshing with the fan-shaped gear 269 moves in the direction C, but there is no resistance of the damper main body 267. On the other hand, when the lid 257 is closed from the open state (in the E direction), the rack gear 265 meshing with the fan-shaped gear 269 moves rearward (in the G direction), and the rotation of the lid 257 is reduced by receiving the resistance of the damper main body 267.

In addition, in the conventional washing machine, a cover body that openably and closably closes the laundry entrance is provided, and the cover body is rotatably supported by a hinge structure. In order to improve the operability of the lid, a hinge spring for reducing the opening force of the lid is provided. The hinge spring has one end fixed to a hinge portion formed in the lid body and the other end attached to an upper frame of the washing machine, and applies a rotational force to the lid body (see, for example, patent document 3).

Fig. 27 and 28 are exploded perspective views of a lid body of a conventional washing machine.

When the cover 302 and the upper housing 301 are attached to each other, the hinge shaft 305 formed on the upper housing 301 is inserted into the hinge hole 304a formed at the end of the cover 302. A protrusion is formed in the hinge portion 304 of the lid body 302, and the locking portion 303a at one end of the hinge spring 303 is inserted into and locked in the mounting hole 304b formed in the protrusion, and the locking portion 303b at the other end of the hinge spring 303 is inserted into and locked in the locking hole 307a formed in the upper housing 301. Further, an insertion hole 306 into which the hinge portion 304 is inserted is formed in the upper housing 301, and a recess 307 for supporting the hinge spring 303 is formed continuously with the insertion hole 306.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open No. 2000-167290

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2009-207651

Patent document 3: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 6-315597

Disclosure of Invention

However, in the conventional structure shown in fig. 24 to 26, when the lid 257 is closed from the open state, a sharp impact sound or the like is eliminated to some extent, but when the lid is opened from the closed state, resistance to the rotational force due to the meshing between the gear portion 269 and the rack gear 265 is generated in addition to resistance of the springs, and therefore, the work of opening the lid is troublesome for the user. Further, when the rear cover 258 is opened and stops at a position close to a position substantially perpendicular to the top cover 255, there is no resistance of the damper main body 267, and therefore there is a problem that a striking impact sound is generated at a stopper portion between the rear cover 258 and the top cover 255.

In addition, in the conventional example, the lid body 257 is divided into the front lid 259 and the rear lid 258, but as a recent trend of design, a lid having a large one-piece structure is often used. In this case, when the lid is lifted to open the lid from the closed state, the lid is strongly opened by the opening force of the toggle spring 270 and the inertial force of the entire lid body, which causes a problem of generating a stronger impact sound and a feeling of discomfort in use.

The invention provides a washing machine, which can restrain the collision sound generated when the cover body is opened and realize smooth opening and closing actions, and can prevent the deformation around the damper retainer by utilizing the reliable fixation between the damper retainer and the cover body, and improve the productivity by utilizing the stabilization of the operation.

The washing machine of the present invention comprises: a top cover which is arranged on the upper part of the washing machine main body; a laundry inlet formed in the top cover; a cover body which is arranged to cover the clothes inlet opening in an openable and closable manner; and a shock-absorbing damper of a rotary type for damping rotation of a cover body pivotally supported by the top cover. A space portion is formed in the shock-absorbing damper holding portion of the lid body, one end of the damper holding body is fixed to the lid body by a screw, and the engaging convex portion at the other end is engaged and fixed to an engaging portion formed in the lid body.

With this configuration, the lid can suppress the collision noise and can be smoothly closed. Further, when the lid body is opened, since the resistance of the shock absorber is reduced by the urging force of the hinge spring, the lid body can be opened smoothly while suppressing the collision noise as in the case of opening.

Further, since the damper holder can be temporarily fixed at the time of assembly, productivity can be improved, and since the damper holder is reliably fixed to the lid body, deformation and damage due to impact force of rotational operation of the damper can be suppressed, and reliability can be improved.

In addition, in the cover structure of another conventional washing machine, since the damper holder for housing the damper is mounted in a cantilever manner and a large load is applied to the mounting portion, the cover or the damper holder may be deformed or damaged due to an increase in weight of the cover.

The invention provides a washing machine, which can prevent deformation and damage of a cover or a damper even if the weight of the cover is heavy.

The washing machine of the present invention comprises: a top cover which is arranged on the upper part of the washing machine main body; a cover body which is supported above the top cover by a cover hinge shaft in a shaft-supporting manner; a cover spring for applying a force to the cover body in a direction to open the cover body; a spring shaft for supporting the cover spring; an impact-relaxing damper of a rotary type for weakening rotation of the lid body; and a damper holder for housing the shock-absorbing damper. The damper holder has an attachment rib for being fixed to the cover by a screw or the like and a positioning rib located in a direction substantially opposite to the attachment rib, and the cover has an attachment portion for being attached to the attachment rib by a screw or the like and a groove into which the positioning rib is inserted.

According to this configuration, the force applied to the shock absorbing damper when the lid is closed can be received by the mounting rib and the positioning rib, and therefore deformation and damage of the lid or the shock absorber can be prevented.

In the conventional structure shown in fig. 27 and 28, in order to fix hinge spring 303, hinge spring 303 needs to be bent from a free length state to an attached state at the time of assembly and attached to attachment hole 304b of lid 302 and locking hole 307a of upper housing 301, which is problematic in that workability is poor.

The invention provides a washing machine, for which the assembly between a cover body and an upper frame body can be easily carried out.

The invention comprises the following steps: a housing; an upper frame mounted on the upper part of the housing and having a clothes input opening for taking out and putting in the washings at the approximate center; and a cover body which is rotatably provided on the upper frame body and can cover the clothes inlet in an opening and closing manner. The lid hinge shaft is provided behind the lid body, the hinge portion for supporting the lid body in rotation is formed behind the upper frame body, the hinge portion has a bearing for receiving the lid hinge shaft, and the metal plate having a bent portion bent substantially vertically by bending is fixed to the rear of the lid body by a fixing member. A through hole is formed in the bent portion, a spring shaft for pivotally supporting a hinge spring that biases the lid body in a direction to open the lid body is inserted into the through hole, and the fixing members are located at both ends in the axial direction of the spring shaft.

Thus, the spring shaft can be prevented from being separated from the leaf spring by a simple structure, and the cover body and the upper frame body can be easily assembled.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an external view of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention in a state where a lid is closed.

Fig. 2 is an external view of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention in an open state of a cover.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing an open/close state of a cover of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a lid body of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a lid and a top cover unit of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a shock absorber for damping impact of a lid body of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 7A is a main part cross sectional view of a cover body of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 7B is an enlarged view of a portion H of fig. 7A.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a cover body of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is an external perspective view of a washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a partially sectional side view showing an opening/closing operation of a lid body of a washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 11A is a main part sectional view showing a structure of a lid part of a washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 11B is a main part sectional view showing a state in which the cover of the washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention is opened.

Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the attachment between the upper frame and the lid body of the washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a cover of a washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a shock absorber for damping impact of the lid body of the washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 15-15 of fig. 12.

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 of fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a longitudinal sectional view of a washing machine according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 18 is a longitudinal sectional view of main parts of an upper frame and a lid body of a washing machine according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 19 is a plan view of the upper frame and the lid of the washing machine according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 20 is a bottom view of the lower cover frame of the washing machine according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 21 is an enlarged view of a main portion of fig. 20.

Fig. 22 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 22-22 in fig. 21.

Fig. 23 is a side sectional view showing a state where the upper housing and the lower cover housing of the washing machine according to embodiment 3 of the present invention are attached.

Fig. 24 is a partially cut-away vertical cross-sectional view of a conventional washing machine.

Fig. 25 is a partially cut-away sectional view of a main portion of a conventional washing machine.

Fig. 26 is a partially cut-away cross-sectional view of a lid portion of a conventional washing machine.

Fig. 27 is an exploded perspective view of a lid body of a conventional washing machine.

Fig. 28 is an exploded perspective view of a lid body of a conventional washing machine.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment.

(embodiment 1)

Fig. 1 is an external view of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention in a state where a lid is closed. Fig. 2 is an external view of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention in an open state of a cover. Fig. 3 is a side view showing an open/close state of a cover of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a lid body of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a lid and a top cover unit of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a structure of a shock absorber for damping impact of a lid body of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 7A is a main part cross sectional view of a cover body of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 7B is an enlarged view of a portion H of fig. 7A. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a cover body of a washing machine according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

In fig. 1, 2, and 3, a top cover 2 is placed on an upper portion of a washing machine main body 1, a laundry inlet 30 is formed in a substantially central portion of the top cover 2, and a lid body 3 pivotally supported by the top cover 2 so as to cover the laundry inlet 30 is disposed openably and closably above.

An operation display unit 4 for performing various input settings and displaying the setting contents is disposed on the top cover 2 at a position rearward of the lid body 3. A control device (not shown) for controlling the operation of the washing machine is housed inside the operation display unit 4.

The lid body 3 is divided into upper and lower portions, and includes a lid upper body 5 and a lid lower body 6, and a lid window 7 is installed above the lid upper body 5. Further, lid hinge portions 31 are formed on the left and right sides of the lid body 6, and a lid cover 9 for covering the internal structure is mounted on the lid hinge portions 31 so as to conform to the design shape of the lid body 6.

The lid body 3 is pivotally supported by the lid hinge shaft 10 on the top lid 2 and can pivot from a position in the closed state LO to a position in the open state LH at a substantially vertical angle fully opened with the lid hinge shaft 10 as a rotation center. When the lid body 3 is closed from the open state LH, after the lid body 3 passes through the position of the tilted state L1, the rotation operation is relaxed by a damper structure described later provided in the lid hinge shaft 10, and the lid body 3 reaches the position of the closed state LO so that a severe impact is not applied to the lid body 3.

As shown in fig. 4, the cover window 7 is fixed to the cover upper body 5 by a double-sided tape 11, and the cover decorative plate 8 is held and fixed to the front portion of the cover upper body 5 with the cover window 7 interposed therebetween.

A hinge mounting plate 14 for reducing the opening force of the lid body 3 and improving operability is disposed between the pair of lid hinge portions 31 of the lid body 3, and two hinge springs 12 having an urging force in the opening direction and two lid hinge shafts 13 for rotatably supporting are respectively attached to the hinge mounting plate 14 in bilateral symmetry.

The hinge attachment plate 14 is formed of a metal steel plate or the like, and shaft holes 15 are provided on both side surfaces formed to be bent for supporting the cover hinge shaft 13. The cover hinge shaft 13 is inserted through and supported by shaft holes 15 of the hinge mounting plate 14 and extends to both sides, and a portion of the cover hinge shaft 13 located between the shaft holes 15 is inserted through and held at the coil center of the hinge spring 12. The hinge mounting plate 14 to which the lid hinge shaft 13 and the hinge spring 12 are attached is attached to a screw boss 17 integrally formed with the lid lower body 6 by fastening with a tapping screw 16. The lid 3 is formed of the above members to be unitized.

In fig. 5, 6, 7A, and 7B, the damper holder 18 for holding the shock-absorbing damper 19 is provided in the space portion 6a formed in the left and right cover hinge portions 31 of the lid body 3, and the engaging convex portion 18a of the damper holder 18 is engaged and attached to the groove portion 22 of the lid lower body 6 by claw fitting.

Cover hinge bearing 24 is fastened and fixed to screw boss 26 integrally formed with top cover 2 by a plurality of self-tapping screws 25.

The shock-absorbing damper 19 applies resistance in the rotational direction of the arrow M shown in fig. 6, and the damping action of the movement of the damper lid body 3 rotating in the closing direction is applied to the rotational movement of the damper shaft 19a by the resistance of the viscous oil sealed inside the shock-absorbing damper 19. This allows the lid 3 to be smoothly closed without a collision sound. Further, when the lid body 3 is opened, the resistance of the shock absorber 19 is reduced by the urging force of the hinge spring 12, and therefore, the lid body can be smoothly opened without a collision sound.

The shock-absorbing damper is formed with a flat surface portion 19b, and the flat surface portion 19b is in clearance fit with an opening hole 18b of the damper holder 18 formed in the same shape, thereby performing positioning in the rotational direction.

The damper shaft 19a also has a damper shaft flat surface portion 19c, and the damper shaft flat surface portion 19c is positioned in the rotational direction by being fitted in clearance with the damper bearing hole 24a of the cover hinge bearing 24.

When the lid body 3 to be unitized is attached to the top lid 2, first, the lid body 3 is mounted downward from a nearly vertical angle and set on the top lid 2 so that the end portion of the hinge spring 12 is inserted into and engaged with the spring insertion hole 23 of the top lid 2. Here, the hinge spring 12 can be easily inserted into the spring insertion hole 23 in a free state without the repulsive force of the hinge spring 12. Next, after the engaging projection 18a of the damper holder 18 for holding the impact-relaxing damper 19 is inserted into the groove 22 of the cover lower body 6, the engaging projection 18a is slid outward, and the damper holder 18 is fastened and fixed to the screw boss 21 integrally formed with the cover lower body 6 by a plurality of tapping screws 20 in a state where the damper shaft 19a of the impact-relaxing damper 19 is engaged with the damper bearing hole 24a of the cover hinge bearing 24 provided in the top cover 2. Finally, the hinge cover 9 is installed.

In fig. 8, in the state where the lid body 3 is closed, the resistance of the shock-absorbing damper 19 is large, and a torque force in the direction of the arrow M2, which is the direction of opening the lid body 3, is applied, but the lid body 3 is stabilized in the closed state by the center of gravity balance of the lid body 3.

Here, the resistance of the shock-absorbing damper 19 is in a state where a torque force is applied in the direction of arrow M3, which is a direction in which the damper holder 18 is pulled away from the lid body 6, but both ends of the damper holder 18 are fixed to the lid body 3 by screwing one end of the damper holder 18 with the tapping screw 20 and inserting the hooking protrusion 18a at the other end into the groove portion 22 of the lid body 6, so that deformation and damage due to the impact force of the rotational operation of the damper can be suppressed. This can improve the reliability of the lid operation. In addition, in the assembly, the screw can be temporarily fixed by the claw fitting before the screw fixing, and therefore, the productivity can be improved.

As described above, the present embodiment includes the damper holder 18 and the shock-absorbing damper 19, the damper holder 18 is provided in the space portion 6a formed in the cover hinge portion 31 of the lid body 3, the shock-absorbing damper 19 is of a rotary type for damping the rotation of the lid body 3, one end thereof is in clearance fit with the damper holder 18, and the other end thereof is pivotally supported by the cover hinge bearing 24. The damper holder 18 is configured as follows: the front end is screwed and fixed to the lid body by tapping screws 20, and engaging projections 18a formed at the rear end are inserted and fixed to grooves 22 formed in the lid body 3. With this structure, the lid 3 can be smoothly closed without a collision sound. Further, when the lid body 3 is opened, since the resistance of the shock absorber 19 is reduced by the urging force of the hinge spring 12, the lid body can be opened smoothly without a collision sound.

Further, since the damper holder 18 can be temporarily fixed at the time of assembly, productivity can be improved, and since the damper holder 18 is reliably fixed to the lid body 3, deformation and damage due to an impact force of the rotational operation of the damper can be suppressed, and reliability can be improved.

(embodiment 2)

Fig. 9 is an external perspective view of a washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 10 is a partially sectional side view showing an opening/closing operation of a lid body of a washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 11A is a main part sectional view showing a structure of a lid part of a washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 11B is a main part sectional view showing a state in which the cover of the washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention is opened.

As shown in the external view of fig. 9, a top cover 52 is placed on the upper portion of the washing machine main body 51, a cover 53 is openably and closably disposed at a substantially central portion of the upper surface of the top cover 52, and a control board 55 for controlling the operation of the washing machine is disposed in front of the top cover 52.

The lid 53 is formed in a substantially circular planar shape having excellent design appearance, has a substantially circular transparent window 54 so that the inside can be seen at the center, and when the user opens the lid 53, the lid 53 is lifted from a recess 56 formed in front of the top cover 52.

As shown in the diagram of fig. 10 showing the opening and closing operation of the lid body 53, the lid body 53 is configured to be openable from the position of the closed state L0 to the position of the open state LH at a nearly vertical angle of full opening with the shaft hole 57 as a rotation center.

In the operation of opening the lid body 53 by the user, the lid body 53 can be lifted from the closed state L0 to the open state LH with a light force by the biasing force of the lid spring 69 described later.

When the lid 53 is closed from the open state LH, if the lid 53 is slightly closed and then released from the hand, the lid 53 is closed by its own weight, but the biasing force of the lid spring 69 and the impact-relaxing damper 72, which will be described later, relax the rotational movement of the closing, and close the lid 53 to the position of the closed state L0 so that no sharp impact is applied to the top lid 52.

The shock absorber 72 does not function when the lid 53 is opened, but functions when the lid 53 is closed. Therefore, when the lid 53 is opened, the lid 53 can be lifted with a light force, and when the lid 53 is closed, the turning operation is eased and the lid 53 is slowly closed.

As shown in fig. 11A and 11B, the lid body 53 is formed by superimposing a lid lower frame 59, which supports the outer peripheral portion of the lid main body 58 from below and has a substantially annular planar shape, and a lid upper frame 60, which covers the outer peripheral portion of the lid main body 58 from above and has a substantially horseshoe-shaped planar shape, on the lid main body 58 having a substantially circular planar shape and a convex spherical cross-section, and particularly, the lid main body 58 is formed of, for example, a transparent resin member, and the like, so that the user can visually recognize the state of laundry inside.

A step portion 61 is formed at the rear of the cover main body 58, and a flat plate-shaped cover 62 made of a non-transparent material is attached to the upper side, so that the coupling structural member of the cover upper frame 60 is formed in a horseshoe shape, and the cover main body 58 made of a transparent resin member is formed in a structure that is designed so that the internal structure described later cannot be seen.

A hinge 63 is integrally formed at the rear of the lid lower frame 59, and a shaft hole 57 or the like which is a rotation operation center of opening and closing the lid body 53 is formed.

Inside a space portion 90 formed when the lid lower frame 59 is attached to the rear of the lid main body 58, a lid spring 69, a spring shaft 80, a lid reinforcing plate 79 and the like are provided, the spring shaft 80 supporting the lid spring 69, a spring pressure of one end of the lid spring 69 being applied to the lid reinforcing plate 79, and the lid reinforcing plate 79 being formed of a metal steel plate or the like and fixed to the lid lower frame 59.

The other end 91 of the lid spring 69 is directed downward, and is inserted from above and fitted to the header reinforcing plate 76 attached to the header 52.

In fig. 11A showing the closed state in which the lid body 53 is closed, the lid spring 69 is twisted by substantially 90 degrees and applies a repulsive force to open the lid body 53 in the clockwise direction around the rotation center of the spring shaft 80 (the lid hinge shaft 77 as the rotation center of the lid body 53 is also located on the same axis) via the lid reinforcing plate 79. At this time, the lid spring 69 is set to have a repulsive force to open the lid smaller than the load generated by the weight of the lid 53 itself, and thus the lid 53 is kept in the closed state.

In the open state where the lid body 53 is lifted up to be substantially vertical and opened as shown in fig. 11B, the lid spring 69 prevents the lid from falling down with a slight urging force in the state where it extends to a substantially vertical free shape.

As shown in fig. 11A and 11B, the lid 53 in recent years is formed to have a relatively strong and heavy structure by, for example, bonding between the lid main body 58, the lid lower frame 59, and the lid upper frame 60, which are formed of a transparent resin member, and the spring force of the lid spring 69 is maximized in the closed state in which the lid 53 is closed, in order to reduce the load during the work for opening the lid 53. As described above, in order to support a relatively strong spring force, the lid reinforcing plate 79 is formed of a laterally long metal steel plate or the like, and the lid opening/closing operation can be received by reinforcing the rear portion of the lid lower frame 59 without directly applying the spring pressure of one end of the lid spring 69 to the lid lower frame 59.

As described above, although the spring force of the lid spring 69 is increased with respect to the weight of the lid body 53, a large force is not applied to the lid spring 69 when the lid is opened, and therefore a large force is applied to the damper holder 81 in the middle stage of closing the lid.

Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the attachment between the upper frame and the lid body of the washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a cover of a washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a shock absorber for damping impact of the lid body of the washing machine according to embodiment 2 of the present invention. Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 15-15 of fig. 12. Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 of fig. 15.

In the exploded perspective view of fig. 12, the lid body 53 integrally formed by sandwiching the lid main body 58 between the lid lower frame 59 and the lid upper frame 60 from above and below is attached to the lid installation portion 70 from above the top lid 52 so that the operating portions of the hinge portion 63, the other end 91 of the lid spring 69, the impact mitigating damper 72 (the structure to be described later in detail) and the like are directed downward.

A top cover side shaft support hole 71, a top cover reinforcing plate 76, a shock absorber receiving structure 73 for receiving a shock absorber, and the like are formed behind the cover setting portion 70 of the top cover 52, the top cover side shaft support hole 71 corresponds to the shaft hole 57 of the cover lower frame 59, the top cover reinforcing plate 76 is formed of a steel plate or the like having a cover spring insertion hole 75 into which the cover spring 69 is inserted and held, and the shock absorber receiving structure 73 has a substantially letter Y-shaped receiving portion 74 to which the shock absorber 72 is attached.

As shown in fig. 11B, before the lid body 53 is assembled to the top lid 52, the other end 91 of the lid spring 69 is directed downward in a free state substantially free from the spring-back force of the spring, and is inserted and fitted into the top lid reinforcing plate 76 disposed on the top lid 52 in this state.

The lid body 53 is attached to the top cover 52 from above, and the lid hinge shaft 77 is inserted and held in the shaft hole 57 and the top cover side shaft support hole 71 from the horizontal direction, so that the lid body 53 is configured to be openable and closable in the top cover 52.

In the exploded view of the lid body of fig. 13, the lid main body 58 having a substantially circular planar shape is formed with a horseshoe-shaped step portion 78 around its periphery and a step portion 61 at the rear, and the lid upper frame 60 having a substantially horseshoe-shaped planar shape and the flat lid cover 62 are fixed to the lid main body 58 by fitting, welding, bonding, or the like.

The substantially annular lid lower frame 59 is attached by fastening and fixing from below the lid main body 58 to a boss 83 integrally formed on the back surface of the horseshoe-shaped step portion 78 by a plurality of attachment screws 82.

A cover spring 69, a spring shaft 80 for supporting the cover spring 69, a cover reinforcing plate 79 for the cover spring 69, a damper retainer 81 into which the shock-absorbing damper 72 is inserted and rotatably retained, and the like are provided in a space 90 (see fig. 11A) formed by attaching the cover lower frame 59 below the stepped portion 61 on the rear side of the cover main body 58.

The spring shaft 80, the axis of the cover hinge shaft 77 that is the rotation center of the cover body 53 shown in fig. 12, and the rotation axis of the shock absorbing damper 72 are configured to be positioned on substantially the same rotation axis.

The lid cover 62 is configured to be designed with consideration given to the design that the lid spring 69, the lid reinforcing plate 79, and other internal structures that do not require visual recognition in actual use of the lid body 53 described above cannot be seen through the lid main body 58 formed of a transparent resin member to a user, and the lid body 53 in which the respective members are incorporated as described above is configured to be attached to the top lid 52 from above by preparing a unit member that is integrated as shown in fig. 12.

The lid 53 has a structure with a curved surface, a complicated design, and a high strength, and is integrated into a unit by incorporating a spring structure or an impact-absorbing damper 72, so that it can be configured in a preliminary step or the like, and can be easily attached even when assembled to the top lid 52, and therefore flexibility can be secured in a production step, and a lid structure with high productivity can be obtained.

In the exploded view of the impact-relaxing damper in fig. 14, the impact-relaxing damper 72 that resists rotation of the closing lid is formed of a bottomed cylindrical damper body 84, a damper shaft 85, and a convex portion 86 integrally formed with the bottom outer sole of the damper body 84, and the impact-relaxing damper 72 exerts a damping action of damping rotation of the relative rotational movement between the damper shaft 85 and the damper body 84 as indicated by an arrow M.

The damper main body 84 is inserted into a cylindrical damper holding body 81, and a convex portion 86 protruding from the bottom of the damper main body 84 is fitted into an opening 87 formed at an end of the damper holding body 81 to restrict rotation. The damper holding body 81 into which the damper main body 84 is inserted has an attachment rib 88 integrally formed on the damper holding body 81 and a positioning rib 89 positioned in a direction substantially opposite to the attachment rib 88, and the positioning rib 89 is inserted into the groove 66 formed in the rear portion of the lid lower frame 59 and the attachment rib 88 is fixed to the lid lower frame 59 by screws. Thus, the damper shaft 85 is fixed by the damper receiving structure 73 of the top cover 52 so as not to be rotatable in the rotational direction, and when the damper holder 81 is rotated in the case of opening and closing the lid body 53, the rotation restricting angle portion exerts a weakening action on the rotational operation.

At this time, although a force is applied to the damper holding body 81, the screw portion, and the groove 66, the damper holding body 81 receives forces at two locations, i.e., the mounting rib 88 and the positioning rib 89, and therefore, deformation and breakage of the damper holding body 81 and the like can be prevented.

Further, the shock absorber receiving structure 73 in which the shock absorber shaft 85 of the shock absorbing shock absorber 72 is non-rotatably attached to the top cover side is a structure in which the flat surface portion 95 at the tip end portion of the shock absorber shaft 85 is attached to the receiving portion 74 in a substantially Y-letter shape, and as shown in fig. 4, in this structure, the assembly work can be completed by simply attaching the lid body 53 to the top cover 52 from above, and productivity can be improved.

In a cross-sectional view along the rotation axis of the lid body 53 in fig. 15, the shock-absorbing dampers 72, which are rotatably inserted into the cylindrical damper holders 81, are arranged at substantially central portions (indicated by lines 16 to 16) of the lid main body 58 and the lid cover 62 located inside the space portion 90 formed by the assembly between the lid main body 58 and the lid lower frame 59, and the lid springs 69 and the spring shafts 80 are arranged on both the left and right sides on the same axis (indicated by J-J) with the shock-absorbing dampers 72 interposed therebetween.

On the left and right outer sides of the lid spring 69, a lid hinge shaft 77 that pivotally supports the lid body 53 so as to be openable with respect to the top lid 52 is inserted into and held in the shaft hole 57 and the top lid side shaft support hole 71 of the frame hinge portion 63 of the lid lower frame 59 so as to be coaxial with the spring shaft 80.

The spring shaft 80 is inserted through and supported by the coil center of the spring of the cover spring 69, and the spring shaft 80 is pivotally supported by small holes 93 of a plurality of cut-and-raised pieces (sheets し, japanese) 92 of the cover reinforcing plate 79 formed of a metal steel plate or the like.

The mounting of the impact-mitigating damper 72 will be described with reference to fig. 16 showing a cross section passing through 16-16 of the impact-mitigating damper 72, and after the positioning rib 89 extending 3mm to 10mm integrally with the damper holder 81 is inserted into the groove 66 provided at the rear of the cover lower frame 59, the mounting rib 88 is fixed by being sandwiched between 1 of the plurality of bosses 95 integrally formed with the cover lower frame 59 and the tapping screw 94.

At this time, the length of the positioning rib 89 is set within a range of 3mm to 10mm so that the tip end of the positioning rib 89 does not protrude outside the lid lower frame 59. Further, since the groove 66 is disposed behind the lid lower frame when the lid is closed, the groove 66 is located behind when the lid is closed and below when the lid is opened, and thus cannot be seen by the user.

As described above, the cover reinforcing plate 79 is formed in a laterally elongated shape to cover the left and right cover springs 69 disposed on the impact-mitigating damper 72, and is fixed to the cover lower frame 59 by a plurality of tapping screws 94, and functions as a reinforcing member of the cover 53 that receives loads from the impact-mitigating damper 72, the cover springs 69, the cover hinge shaft 77, and the like, which are formed inside the space portion 90 at the rear of the cover 53.

Further, the axes of the lid hinge shaft 77 of the lid body 53, the damper shaft 85 of the impact-mitigating damper 72, and the spring shaft 80 of the lid spring 69 are set to substantially the same line indicated by the line J-J as shown in fig. 15, and the opening and closing operation of the lid body 53 about the lid hinge shaft 77, the rotational operation of the impact-mitigating damper 72, and the rotational operation of the lid spring 69 are made to be about the same axis. According to this configuration, the operation is simplified, and no additional structure other than the rotation transmission is required for applying the spring load of the lid spring 69 to the lid body 53 and transmitting the rotation operation of the reduction force to the lid body 53.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since the force applied when the lid is closed is supported by the two portions, i.e., the attachment rib 88 and the positioning rib 89 formed in the damper holder 81, the force applied to 1 portion of the damper holder 81 and the lid body 53 can be reduced, and the deformation and damage of the attachment portion can be prevented.

Further, since the positioning rib 89 is formed to have a length of 3mm to 10mm and to be inserted into the groove 66, the damper holding structure can be downsized without impairing the design property.

(embodiment 3)

In fig. 17, a main body 111 (casing) of the washing machine is supported by a suspension 112 so as to suspend and damp a water tub 113 therein. The washing and dehydrating tub 115 serving as both a washing tub and a dehydrating tub is rotatably provided inside the water tub 113. The oscillator 119 is rotatably disposed at the inner bottom of the washing and dehydrating tub 115.

The transmission mechanism 120 is disposed on the outer bottom of the water tank 113. The transmission mechanism unit 120 includes a reduction gear (not shown) for washing, a switching clutch (not shown) for the washing and dehydrating shaft 114, and a brake (not shown) for stopping the washing and dehydrating tub 115.

A motor 121 is attached to the outer bottom of the water tank 113, and a motor-side pulley 122 is attached to the motor 121. A machine-side pulley 123 is coupled to the washing/dewatering shaft 114, and the motor-side pulley 122 and the machine-side pulley 123 are coupled to each other by a belt 124. With the above-described structure, the power of the motor 121 is transmitted to the washing and dehydrating shaft 114 via the belt 124. Further, by controlling the switching clutch, the oscillator 119 is rotated by the motor 121 or the oscillator 119 and the washing and dehydrating tub 115 are simultaneously rotated.

An upper frame 125 is disposed above the main body 111 of the washing machine. A laundry input/output port 126 (laundry input port) for communicating the washing and dehydrating tub 115 with the outside is formed at a substantially central portion of the upper housing 125, and the laundry input/output port 126 is openably and closably covered with a cover 127. A control device 128 is disposed on the upper portion of the rear side of the upper housing 125, and the upper portion of the control device 128 is covered with an operation panel 129 for performing various input settings and displaying the setting contents. A water supply valve 130, a water injection tank 131, and the like that can be opened and closed by electromagnetic force are provided in the rear side of the upper housing 125.

The control device 128 includes a control unit (not shown) for controlling the motor 121 and the like and sequentially controlling a series of steps of washing, rinsing, and dewatering.

A heating water generating device 132 is attached to the outer bottom of the water tank 113. The heating water generating device 132 is provided with a heater (not shown) for heating the washing water. The water tank 113 and the heated water generating device 132 are connected to each other through an inflow path (not shown) and an outflow path (not shown).

Fig. 18 is a front-rear longitudinal sectional view of main portions of an upper frame and a lid body of the washing machine according to the present embodiment. Fig. 19 is a plan view of the upper frame and the lid body of the washing machine of the present embodiment. Fig. 20 is a bottom view of the lower cover frame of the washing machine of the present embodiment. Fig. 21 is an enlarged view of a main portion of fig. 20. Fig. 22 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 22-22 in fig. 21. Fig. 23 is a side sectional view showing a state where the upper housing and the lower cover housing of the washing machine of the present embodiment are attached.

As shown in fig. 18, the lid 127 is provided to openably cover the laundry loading/unloading port 126 and is inclined forward and downward. As shown in fig. 18 and 19, the lid body 127 is formed of an upper lid frame body 127a constituting an upper portion, a lower lid frame body 127b attached to a front portion, a rear portion, and both side portions of the upper lid frame body 127a from below and having a substantially concave shape in a vertical cross section, and a glass plate 127 c.

As shown in fig. 20, cover hinge shafts 135 are provided on both rear sides of the lower cover frame 127 b. A hinge portion (not shown) for supporting the rotation of the lid 127 is provided behind the upper frame 125. A bearing portion (not shown) for receiving the lid hinge shaft 135 is formed in the hinge portion, and the lid hinge shaft 135 is inserted and supported in the bearing portion, so that the lid body 127 can be rotatably opened and closed with respect to the upper housing 125.

As shown in fig. 20 to 23, the lower cover frame 127b and the metal plate 138 are fastened and fixed to each other by screws 139 (fixing members) at the rear side of the lower cover frame 127 b. The metal plate 138 is formed at a plurality of locations with bent portions 140 that are bent substantially vertically by bending. A through hole (not shown) is formed in the bent portion 140, and a spring shaft 137 for pivotally supporting the hinge spring 136 is inserted into the through hole. Hinge spring 136 biases lid 127 in a direction to open lid 127. Screws 139 are provided at both axial ends of the spring shaft 137.

According to the above configuration, the spring shaft 137 is inserted and supported in the through hole, and the screw head 139b of the screw 139 suppresses the movement of the spring shaft 137 in the axial direction. Therefore, spring shaft 137 can be prevented from coming off through the through hole and hinge spring 136. In the conventional structure, it is necessary to form a groove in the spring shaft and to fit an E-ring, but in the present embodiment, such a step is not necessary, and the movement of the spring shaft 137 can be easily suppressed with a small number of steps.

When lid 127 and upper housing 125 are assembled, lid hinge shaft 135 is connected to a bearing portion of upper housing 125, and one end of hinge spring 136 is inserted into a spring insertion hole (not shown) in the rear of upper housing 125. The other end of hinge spring 136 is fixed to lower cover frame 127 b. Therefore, as in the conventional structure, an unstable operation of bending the hinge spring from the free length state to the attached state and attaching the hinge spring to the locking hole of the upper frame and the attachment hole of the lid body is not required, and the assembly can be easily performed. Further, the possibility that the hinge spring rubs against the upper housing during assembly and damages the upper housing can be reduced.

In the present embodiment, the structure in which the lid 127 and the metal plate 138 are fixed together by screw fastening has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be fixed by another method.

In addition, although the present embodiment has been described as the configuration in which two hinge springs 136 and two spring shafts 137 are provided, the present invention is not limited to this, and similar effects can be obtained also in the configuration in which 1 hinge spring 136 and one spring shaft 137 are provided and screws 139 are disposed at both ends of the spring shaft 137.

In addition, the present invention may also be formed of a dual-tub type washing machine.

As described above, the present invention includes: a top cover which is arranged on the upper part of the washing machine main body; a laundry inlet formed in the top cover; a cover body which is arranged to cover the clothes inlet opening in an openable and closable manner; and a shock-absorbing damper of a rotary type for damping rotation of a cover body pivotally supported by the top cover. Further, a space portion is formed in the shock-absorbing damper holding portion of the lid body, one end of the damper holding body is fixed to the lid body by a screw, and the engaging convex portion at the other end is engaged and fixed to an engaging portion formed in the lid body.

This can suppress the collision noise and allow the lid to be smoothly closed. Further, when the lid body is opened, since the resistance of the shock absorber is reduced by the urging force of the hinge spring, the lid body can be opened smoothly while suppressing the collision noise.

In addition, the present invention includes: a top cover which is arranged on the upper part of the washing machine main body; a cover body which is supported above the top cover by a cover hinge shaft in a shaft-supporting manner; a cover spring for applying a force to the cover body in a direction to open the cover body; a spring shaft for supporting the cover spring; an impact-relaxing damper of a rotary type for weakening rotation of the lid body; and a damper holder for housing the shock-absorbing damper. The damper holder has an attachment rib for being fixed to the cover by a screw or the like and a positioning rib located in a direction substantially opposite to the attachment rib, and the cover has an attachment portion for being attached to the attachment rib by a screw or the like and a groove into which the positioning rib is inserted.

In addition, the present invention includes: a housing; an upper frame mounted on the upper part of the housing and having a clothes input opening for taking out and putting in the washings at the approximate center; and a cover body which is rotatably provided on the upper frame body and can cover the clothes inlet in an opening and closing manner. The lid hinge shaft is provided behind the lid body, the hinge portion for supporting the lid body in rotation is formed behind the upper frame body, the hinge portion has a bearing for receiving the lid hinge shaft, the metal plate is fixed to the rear of the lid body by a fixing member, and the metal plate has a bent portion bent substantially vertically by bending. A through hole is formed in the bent portion, a spring shaft for pivotally supporting a hinge spring that biases the lid body in a direction to open the lid body is inserted into the through hole, and the fixing members are located at both ends in the axial direction of the spring shaft.

According to this structure, the spring shaft can be prevented from coming off the leaf spring with a simple structure, and the cover and the upper frame can be easily assembled.

Industrial applicability

As described above, the washing machine according to the present invention can suppress the collision noise generated when the lid is opened, realize smooth opening and closing operations, and improve the reliability and productivity of the lid structure, and thus can be applied to other electric devices having a lid.

Description of the reference numerals

1. A washing machine main body; 2. a top cover; 3. a cover body; 5. covering the upper body; 6. a cover lower body; 6a, 90, a space portion; 12. a hinge spring; 13. 77, 135, cover hinge shaft; 18. a damper retainer; 18a, a hooking convex part; 19. an impact-mitigating damper; 19a, 85, damper shaft; 20. 94, self-tapping screw; 22. a groove part; 24. covering the hinge bearing; 30. a laundry input port; 31. a cover hinge portion; 51. a washing machine main body; 52. a top cover; 53. a cover body; 58. a cover main body; 59. covering the lower frame body; 66. a groove; 69. a cover spring; 72. an impact-mitigating damper; 73. a shock absorber receiving structure; 74. a substantially letter-Y shaped receiving portion; 76. a top cover reinforcing plate; 79. a cover reinforcing plate; 80. a spring shaft; 81. a damper retainer; 86. a convex portion; 87. an opening part; 88. a mounting rib; 89. a positioning rib; 111. a main body (housing); 125. an upper frame body; 126. a laundry input/output port (laundry input port); 127. a cover body; 136. a hinge spring; 137. a spring shaft; 138. a metal plate; 139. screws (fixing members); 140. a bending part.

Claims

1. A washing machine, wherein,

the washing machine includes:

a top cover which is arranged on the upper part of the washing machine main body;

a laundry inlet formed in the top cover;

a cover body which is arranged to cover the clothes inlet opening in an openable and closable manner; and

a shock-absorbing damper of a rotary type having a damper shaft and a damper body, the shock-absorbing damper being configured to reduce rotation of the lid body pivotally supported by the top lid by applying a reduction action for reducing rotation of the damper shaft and the damper body with respect to each other,

a space portion is formed in the lid body, a damper holding body for holding the shock-absorbing damper is provided in the space portion, the damper shaft of the shock-absorbing damper is pivotally supported by a lid hinge bearing provided in the top lid, one end of the damper holding body is fixed to the lid body by a screw, and an engaging portion formed in the lid body is engaged and fixed with an engaging projection at the other end.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein,

the engaging portion is formed by a groove portion.

3. A washing machine, wherein,

the washing machine includes:

a lid body which is supported above the top cover by a lid hinge shaft so as to be openable and closable;

a cover spring that urges the cover body in a direction to open the cover body;

a spring shaft for supporting the cover spring;

an impact-relaxing damper of a rotary type having a damper shaft and a damper body, the damper shaft and the damper body being configured to apply a damping action of damping a relative rotational movement between the damper shaft and the damper body to damp rotation of the lid body; and

a damper holder for housing the shock-absorbing damper,

the damper holder has an attachment rib for fixing to the lid body with a screw and a positioning rib located in a direction substantially opposite to the attachment rib,

the cover body has a mounting portion for mounting the mounting rib with a screw and a groove into which the positioning rib is inserted.