Drum-type laundry machine

Abstract

A drum-type laundry machine of the present invention ensures that a lid (outer lid) thereof can advantageously be opened and closed. An outer lid ( 31 ) includes a plurality of bar members ( 31 A) each extending laterally and connected to one another in parallel relation by a flexible member and, hence, is bendable between the respective bar members ( 31 A). The outer lid ( 31 ) is slidable with its right and left side edges being fitted along side edges of an opening ( 4 ) of a housing ( 2 ). Accordingly, there is no possibility that the outer lid ( 31 ) of the drum-type laundry machine ( 1 ) hits against a faucet projecting from a wall for supplying water into the drum-type laundry machine, even if the drum-type laundry machine is installed with a rear face of the housing ( 2 ) thereof fitted along the wall.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A drum-type laundry machine comprising: 
 a drum rotatable about a rotation shaft extending at an angle within a predetermined angular range with respect to a horizontal axis, the drum having an opening formed in a circumference thereof for loading and unloading of laundry;    a housing defining an outer shape of the drum-type laundry machine and accommodating the drum therein, the housing having an inlet opening provided in a top face thereof and permitting access to the opening of the drum for the loading and unloading of the laundry; and    a slide lid which is slidable along the inlet opening for covering and uncovering the inlet opening.    
     
     
         2 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the top face of the housing includes an oblique face inclined forwardly downward,    wherein the inlet opening extends from a front portion of the oblique face to a rear portion of the top face,    wherein the slide lid is slid rearward from a front edge of the inlet opening to uncover the inlet opening, and is slid forward to the front edge of the inlet opening to cover the inlet opening.    
     
     
         3 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the top face of the housing further includes another oblique face inclined rearwardly downward, and convexly projects upward so as to have the greatest height at an anteroposteriorly predetermined position.  
     
     
         4 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 3 , 
 wherein the predetermined position is a rearward position,    wherein the oblique faces each have a convexly curved surface.    
     
     
         5 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 1 , 
 wherein the slide lid has a first lid and a second lid,    the drum-type laundry machine further comprising a coupling mechanism for opening and closing the first and second lids in association with each other.    
     
     
         6 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a guide member engaged with a side edge of the slide lid for guiding the slide lid in a lid sliding direction; and    a restriction member for restricting displacement of the slide lid in a direction intersecting the lid sliding direction so as to prevent the side edge of the slide lid from disengaging from the guide member.    
     
     
         7 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the slide lid is bendable in the sliding direction along the inlet opening and the housing.  
     
     
         8 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the slide lid is accommodated in a suspended state in a rear portion of the housing when the slide lid is opened.  
     
     
         9 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising a guide surface for guiding the slide lid so as to suspend the slide lid in the rear portion of the housing when the slide lid is opened.  
     
     
         10 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the guide surface projects rearwardly of a component disposed within the housing to prevent the slide lid from interfering with the component.  
     
     
         11 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the slide lid comprises a main body, and a flexible sheet member which covers an upper surface of the main body and is bendable in accordance with the bending of the slide lid.  
     
     
         12 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the sheet member is attached to the main body of the slide lid with a predetermined amount of slack provided in the lid sliding direction.  
     
     
         13 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising a foreign matter intrusion preventing member provided in a gap defined between an upper surface of the slide lid and the housing for preventing a foreign matter from intruding into the rear portion of the housing along the upper surface of the slide lid.  
     
     
         14 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising an electric opening/closing mechanism for electrically opening and closing the slide lid.  
     
     
         15 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising a start button for starting an operation of the drum-type laundry machine, 
 wherein the electric opening/closing mechanism closes the slide lid in response to pressing of the start button.    
     
     
         16 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 an open/close lid provided in the housing to be opened and closed when the laundry is taken into or out of the drum; and    an open/close sensor for detecting whether the open/close lid is closed;    wherein the electric opening/closing mechanism permits the slide lid to be closed when the open/close sensor detects that the open/close lid is closed.    
     
     
         17 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a water supply valve which is opened for introducing tap water into the laundry machine; and    a bath water pump which is driven for introducing bath water into the laundry machine;    wherein the water supply valve is disposed on one side of a slide lid slidable region where the slide lid is slidable in the lid sliding direction, and the bath water pump is disposed on the other side of the slide lid slidable region.    
     
     
         18 . A drum-type laundry machine comprising: 
 a drum rotatable about a rotation shaft extending at an angle within a predetermined angular range with respect to a horizontal axis, the drum having an opening formed in a circumference thereof for loading and unloading of laundry;    a housing defining an outer shape of the drum-type laundry machine and accommodating the drum therein, the housing having an inlet opening provided in a top face thereof and permitting access to the opening of the drum for the loading and unloading of the laundry;    an open/close lid for covering the inlet opening;    biasing means for biasing the open/close lid in a lid opening direction; and    holding means for holding the open/close lid in a closed state for preventing the open/close lid from being opened.    
     
     
         19 . A drum-type laundry machine comprising: 
 a drum rotatable about a rotation shaft extending at an angle within a predetermined angular range with respect to a horizontal axis, the drum having an opening formed in a circumference there of for loading and unloading of laundry;    a housing defining an outer shape of the drum-type laundry machine and accommodating the drum therein, the housing having an inlet opening provided in a top face thereof and permitting access to the opening of the drum for the loading and unloading of the laundry;    an open/close lid for covering the inlet opening; and    biasing means for biasing the open/close lid, the biasing means being adapted to apply no biasing force to the open/close lid in a lid opening direction when the open/close lid is in a closed state and to apply a biasing force to the open/close lid in the lid opening direction when the open/close lid is opened to a predetermined position.    
     
     
         20 . A drum-type laundry machine comprising: 
 a drum rotatable about a rotation shaft extending at an angle within a predetermined angular range with respect to a horizontal axis, the drum having an opening formed in a circumference thereof for loading and unloading of laundry;    a housing defining an outer shape of the drum-type laundry machine and accommodating the drum therein, the housing having an inlet opening provided in a top face thereof and permitting access to the opening of the drum for the loading and unloading of the laundry;    a first lid piece pivotally attached along one of opposite edges thereof to the housing for covering a portion of the inlet opening;    a second lid piece pivotally attached to the other edge of the first lid piece for covering the other portion of the inlet opening; and    guide means for guiding an edge of the second lid piece opposite from the first lid piece along the inlet opening.    
     
     
         21 . A drum-type laundry machine comprising: 
 a drum rotatable about a rotation shaft extending at an angle within a predetermined angular range with respect to a horizontal axis, the drum having an opening formed in a circumference thereof for loading and unloading of laundry;    a housing defining an outer shape of the drum-type laundry machine and accommodating the drum therein, the housing having an inlet opening provided in a top face thereof and permitting access to the opening of the drum for the loading and unloading of the laundry; and    an open/close lid for covering the inlet opening, the open/close lid comprising a plurality of lid pieces connected to one another in a foldable manner, one of the lid pieces being attached to the housing so as to be pivotal in a direction intersecting a lid piece connection direction in which the lid pieces are connected to one another.    
     
     
         22 . A drum-type laundry machine comprising: 
 a drum rotatable about a rotation shaft extending at an angle within a predetermined angular range with respect to a horizontal axis, the drum having an opening formed in a circumference thereof for loading and unloading of laundry;    a housing defining an outer shape of the drum-type laundry machine and accommodating the drum therein, the housing having an inlet opening provided in a top face thereof and permitting access to the opening of the drum for the loading and unloading of the laundry; and    an open/close lid for covering the inlet opening, the open/close lid comprising a first lid piece and a second lid piece connected to each other in a foldable manner, the first lid piece being pivotally attached along a rear edge thereof to the housing in association with a rear edge of the inlet opening;    wherein the first lid piece covers a relatively great portion of the inlet opening and has a relatively great depth;    wherein the second lid piece covers a relatively small portion of the inlet opening and has a relatively small depth;    wherein, when the open/close lid is in an open state, the first lid piece projects upward from the top face of the housing, and the second lid piece is folded as extending downward from an upper edge of the first lid piece to a middle portion of the first lid piece.    
     
     
         23 . A drum-type laundry machine as set forth in  claim 22  further comprising: 
 an outer tub fixedly disposed in the housing and surrounding the drum, the outer tub having an inner opening provided in association with the inlet opening; and  
 an inner lid pivotally attached along one edge thereof to the outer tub for covering and uncovering the inner opening;  
 wherein, when the inner lid is in an open state, the inner lid projects upward with an upper edge thereof being in non-overlapping relation with the folded second lid piece.