Washing machine

• US 7,313,932 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Takahiko, Satoh, Masahiro, Matsumoto, Nobuhiro, Ryohke, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson; Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/471,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20050072194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,122 Days
• Field of Search: 68/3.R, 68/5.A, 68/120.2, 68/13.R
• US Class Current: 68/3.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 19/00 Washing machines using vibrations for washing purposes
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/40 Opening or locking status of doors
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/44 Opening, closing or locking of doors
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/20 Parameters relating to constructional components, e.g. door sensors
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/18 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/42 Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor

Abstract

A washing machine includes, a main body having a washing tub housed therein, a top plate laid on a top face of the main body and having a laundry entrance formed therein to permit laundry to be put therethrough in the washing tub, a lid covering the laundry entrance, a back panel laid on the top plate so as to be located in a rear side of the main body and having a connection pipe arranged therein for supplying water, an operation panel provided in a front portion of a top surface of the top plate, and a partial washing apparatus fitted to the back panel.

Claims

1. A washing machine, comprising:

a partial washing apparatus movable between a use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when in use and a non-use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when not in use; and

position detecting means for detecting a position of the partially washing apparatus,

wherein operation of the washing machine is controlled according to the position of the partial washing apparatus as detected by the position detecting means.

2. A washing machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a main body having a washing tub housed therein;

a top plate laid on a top face of the main body and having a laundry entrance formed therein to permit laundry to be put therethrough in the washing tub;

a lid covering the laundry entrance;

a back panel laid on the top plate so as to be located in a rear side of the main body and having a connection pipe arranged therein for supplying water; and

an operation panel provided in a front portion of a top surface of the top plate,

wherein, the partial washing apparatus is fitted to the back panel.

3. A washing machine, comprising:

a partial washing a apparatus movable between a use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when in use and a non-use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when not in use; and

position detecting means for detecting a position of the partial washing apparatus,

wherein,

a laundry entrance through which to put laundry in a washing tub is formed in a top face of a main unit,

a lid for openably closing the laundry entrance is provided,

locking means for locking the lid is provided, and

the locking means is controlled according to the position of the partial washing apparatus as detected by the position detecting means.

4. A washing machine, comprising:

a main body having a washing tub housed therein;

a laundry entrance formed in a top face of the main body so as to permit laundry to be put therethrough in the washing tub;

a lid covering the laundry entrance; and

a partial washing apparatus fitted on an external surface of the main body so as to be located above the lid, the partial washing apparatus being movable between a use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when in use and a non-use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when not in use, and

wherein even if the lid is opened or closed with the partial washing apparatus in the non-use position, the lid and the partial washing apparatus do not interfere with each other.

5. A washing machine as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the lid can be opened with a washing portion of the partial washing apparatus located in a position in which the washing portion faces the laundry entrance.

6. A washing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the lid is hinged to the main unit so as to be rotatable in a vertical plane, and

a gate opening through which to let the partial washing apparatus pass is formed in the lid so that the lid can be opened with the washing portion of the partial washing apparatus located in the position in which the washing portion faces the laundry entrance.

7. A washing machine as claimed in claim 6,

wherein the partial washing apparatus is combined with a tray for sustaining a piece of laundry, the tray being so shaped as to partially or completely close the gate opening.

8. A washing machine, comprising:

a partial washing apparatus movable between a use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when in use and a non-use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when not in use, the partial washing apparatus being combined with a tray for receiving laundry; and

a drain outlet provided in a bottom surface of the tray,

wherein tray detecting means for detecting presence of the tray is provided.

9. A washing machine as claimed in claim 8,

wherein the tray detecting means is provided in the partial washing apparatus.

10. A washing machine as claimed in claim 8,

wherein operation of the partial washing apparatus is controlled according to a result of detection by the tray detecting means.

11. A washing machine, comprising:

a partial washing apparatus movable between a use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when in use and a non-use position in which the partial washing apparatus is placed when not in use, the partial washing apparatus being combined with a tray for receiving laundry; and

a drain outlet provided in a bottom surface of the tray, wherein

a laundry entrance through which to put laundry in the washing tub is formed in a top face of the main unit, and

a lid for closing the laundry entrance is provided, the lid being so designed that

when the partial washing apparatus is in the non-use position, as the lid is opened and closed, the tray is opened and closed together, and

when the partial washing apparatus is in the use position, the lid alone is opened and closed.

12. A washing machine, comprising:

a partial washing apparatus fitted on an outer surface of a main unit having a washing tub housed therein, the partial washing apparatus rotatable in a horizontal plane between a use position where the partial washing apparatus is placed when in use and a non-use position where the partial washing apparatus is placed when not in use;

locking means for keeping the partial washing apparatus in the non-use or use position is provided;

a laundry entrance though which to put laundry in a washing tub is formed in a top face of a main unit;

lid state detecting means for detecting an open/closed state of a lid covering the laundry entrance is provided, and

wherein the locking means locks rotation of the partial washing apparatus when the lid state detecting means detects that the lid is open with the partial washing apparatus in the non-use or use position.