Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corporation

Tomonori Uchiyama

Hironori Sasaki

Yasuhiro Komori

Satoshi Nagai

Hiroshi Nishimura

Takayuki Honmura

Ken Isonaga

Hidetake Hayashi

Masami Hattori

Shun Kato

A microbubble generator is formed from at least two of a flow path constituting section that constitutes a flow path through which a liquid is passable, and a decompression member including a colliding section that is fitted into the flow path constituting section and locally reduces a cross-sectional area of the flow path to generate microbubbles in the liquid that passes through the flow path. This microbubble generator includes an outlet connecting to a negative pressure producing section of the decompression member, an outside air introduction port provided in the flow path constituting section to introduce outside air, and an outside air introduction path communicating between the outside air introduction port and the outlet.

Microbubble generator, washing machine, and home appliance

A minute bubble generator includes a flow path member including a flow path allowing a liquid to pass therethrough; and a colliding part provided in the flow path and generating minute bubbles in the liquid passing through the flow path by locally reducing a cross sectional area of the flow path. The colliding part is formed integrally with the flow path member and is provided closer to an upstream end or a downstream end relative to a lengthwise center of the flow path.

Minute bubble generator, home appliance provided with minute bubble generator, and method of manufacturing minute bubble generator

A washing machine () including a wash tub configured by a water tub () and a rotary tub (); a connecting port () connected to a water source; a water feeding case () connected to the connecting port () to receive water from the water source and containing a detergent storing part () in which a detergent is stored; a first water feeding port () configured to feed water flown into the water feeding case () into the wash tub; a minute bubble generator () configured to generate minute bubbles in water passing therethrough; a minute bubble water path (B) extending from the connecting port () and reaching into the wash tub from the first water feeding port () after passing through the minute bubble generator () and the detergent storing part () inside the water feeding case (); a tap water path (A) extending from the connecting port () to the wash tub without passing through the minute bubble generator (); a water supplying valve for tap water () provided midway of the tap water path (A) and capable of opening and closing the tap water path (A); and a water supplying valve for minute bubble water () provided midway of the minute bubble water path (B) and capable of opening and closing the minute bubble water path (B).

Washing machine

A washing machine includes a water tub storing water, a rotary tub arranged in the water tub, a dissolving area in which a detergent is fed and dissolved, an FB feed-water pathway which includes a fine-bubble generation apparatus allowing generation of fine bubble water and along which water fed from a feed-water source is passed through the fine-bubble generation apparatus to be fed to the dissolving area as fine bubble water, an FB feed-water valve opening and closing the FB feed-water pathway, and a control apparatus controlling opening and closing of the FB feed-water valve. The detergent and the fine bubble water are controllably brought into contact with each other to dissolve the detergent, in a washing course in which the washing machine is operated and during a period when the detergent is dissolved in feed-water.

A liquid electromagnetic valve includes an inlet connected to an external liquid source; an outlet discharging liquid entering from the inlet; a flow path forming member having a flow path connecting the inlet and the outlet formed thereto; an opening-closing member capable of opening and closing the flow path; a drive portion opening and closing the opening-closing member based on a control performed by an external element; and a minute bubble generator provided in the flow path and having plural narrowing portions for adding minute bubbles to a liquid passing through the flow path by narrowing the flow path in plural stages.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Tomonori Uchiyama