CA2409070A1 - Apparatus for detecting detergent remnants and method of same - Google Patents

Apparatus for detecting detergent remnants and method of same Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2409070A1
CA2409070A1 CA002409070A CA2409070A CA2409070A1 CA 2409070 A1 CA2409070 A1 CA 2409070A1 CA 002409070 A CA002409070 A CA 002409070A CA 2409070 A CA2409070 A CA 2409070A CA 2409070 A1 CA2409070 A1 CA 2409070A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
water
circuit
electric conductivity
memory
microprocessor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002409070A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Yi-Chia Liao
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA002409070A priority Critical patent/CA2409070A1/en
Publication of CA2409070A1 publication Critical patent/CA2409070A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N27/00Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means
    • G01N27/02Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating impedance
    • G01N27/04Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating impedance by investigating resistance
    • G01N27/06Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating impedance by investigating resistance of a liquid
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F34/00Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F34/14Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
    • D06F34/22Condition of the washing liquid, e.g. turbidity
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01NINVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/18Water
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/20Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
    • D06F2103/22Content of detergent or additives
    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06FLAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2105/00Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2105/58Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
  • Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Electric Means (AREA)

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting detergent remnants and a method of same mainly employs a water detection probe to detect the electric conductivity data of the water and uses a display device to indicate the results in the form of pictures or data so that users may know detergent remnants on the laundries and determine whether additional rinsing is required thereby to save electric power, water and time, and prevent the detergent remnants from remaining on the laundries.

Description

APPARATUS FOR DETECTING DETERGENT REMNANTS
AND METHOD OF SAME
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to detection of detergent remnants and particularly an apparatus for detecting detergent remnants through testing electric conductivity of water and a method of same to enable users to know detergent remnants on the clothes to enhance health care and save electricity, water and time.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Nowadays most households use washing machines or washers to replace human labor to do laundry. With continuous technology innovations, a wide variety of electronic or mechanical washers have been developed and introduced that equip with thorough cleaning power, such as ozone washers, supersonic washers, rolling drum washers, etc. While those washers provide cleaning functions for clothes and other laundries, they still have shortcomings pending to be overcome, notably:
1. The general washers cannot determine whether detergent remnants remain on the laundries. Consumers have to guess or determine by viewing or smelling. These approaches are not effective and not efficient.
i 2. As users are not sure whether the laundries have been thoroughly cleaned, they have to resort multiple washing and rinsing to ensure the cleaning is thoroughly accomplished. It results in waste of water resource, electric power and time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for detecting detergent remnants and a method of same. It includes a detection device to test the electric conductivity of water and based on the electric conductivity value to determine the detergent remnants in the water so that users can clearly know whether the clothes and laundries have detergent remnants thereby to prevent human body from being harmed.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
2o FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the outside appearance of an embodiment of the detection apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the internal construction of an embodiment of the detection apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the detection apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a process block diagram of the detection apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 5A is a process flow chart of the invention in operation.
FIG. 5B is another process flow chart of the invention in operation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
to Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention is an apparatus for detecting detergent remnants. It mainly functions by dropping a detection device into a washer among the laundries and through detecting the electric conductivity of the water to determine the amount of detergent remnants. The detection device 10 consists of a spherical element including an upper semispherical dome 11 and a lower semispherical dome 12 that have respectively a screw thread 110 and 120 to couple tightly with each other on a coupling groove 13. There is a water detection probe 14 located on the surface of the detection device 10 to test the electric conductivity of 2o water. A display device 15 is provided to indicate the detergent remnant amount.
Refer to FIGS. 3 and 4 for the circuit diagram and process flow of the invention.
The detection device 10 of the invention has a plurality of circuits to perform measurement and detection of the detergent remnant.
The circuits include:
a power supply circuit 20 which generates power supply through a battery (not shown in the drawings) to provide electric power required for the operation of the detection device 10;
a water quality detection circuit 30 which repeatedly detects the electric conductivity of the water at a desired interval through regular signals generated by a microprocessor circuit 50;
a microprocessor starting circuit 40 to output a start signal T
1 o when the water detection probe 14 detects water to activate the microprocessor circuit 50 to operate; and a microprocessor circuit 50 which enters in a normal operating condition after having received the start signal T from the microprocessor starting circuit 40, and reads water electric conductivity data detected by the water quality detection circuit 30, and performs comparison of the detergent remnant through a percentage process equation P, then displays the results on a display device 15 to enable users to see.
Refer to FIGS. 5A and SB for the process flows of the invention.
2o First, a container 16 is provided to hold clean laundry water 17 for laundry use; place the detection device 10 into the container 16, the detection device 10 floats on the water surface with the water detection probe 14 submerged below the water surface due to selected balance weights disposed inside the detection device 10;
the water detection probe 14 detects the clean laundry water 17; the microprocessor starting circuit 40 outputs a start signal T to the microprocessor circuit 50; the microprocessor circuit 50 determines that water is presented and switches from a water saving condition to a normal operating condition ON; meanwhile the water quality detection circuit 30 starts reading the data of electric conductivity of the water and records the data of electric conductivity as the first clean water electric conductivity data (a), and the first clean water electric conductivity data (a) is stored in the memory Ymin of the microprocessor circuit 50, and set Ymax = Ymin in the memory.
1o Next, the detection device 10 and the clean laundry water 17 in the container 16 are poured into a washer to proceed laundry operations.
Meanwhile, the water quality detection circuit 30 repeatedly detects the electric conductivity of the water at a desired interval through regular signals generated by the microprocessor circuit 50, and stores the detected electric conductivity data into memory (Ynow) of the microprocessor circuit 50; and performs comparison through a percentage process equation P resided in the memory, then displays the results in a percentage bar chart picture on the 2o display device 15 to enable users to see.
In the event that the washer remains no water for a selected period of time, the microprocessor circuit 50 determines that the laundry operations have been finished. Or when the washer does not discharge water for a period of time, the microprocessor circuit 50 determines that no laundry operation is performed. These two s types of conditions will lead the microprocessor circuit 50 to automatically enter a power saving condition.
The percentage process method of the invention to determine the detergent remnant is elaborated as follows (based on the principle that greater electric conductivity indicating more detergent remnant, and smaller electric conductivity indicating less detergent remnant):
A. When the detection device 10 is disposed into the clean water of the container 16, the microprocessor circuit 50 stores the detected first clean water electric conductivity data (a) in the l0 memory Ymin, and in the mean time sets memory Ymax =
Ymin;
B. The water quality detection circuit 30 periodically detects the electric conductivity of the water and stores the tested electric conductivity data into the memory Ynow. When memory Ynow > memory Ymax , the memory Ymax = memory Ynow, and x = (Ymax - Ymin)/ 100, and y = Ynow - Ymin;
where x is 1 % of the difference of the maximum electric conductivity value (maximum detergent remnant) and the minimum electric conductivity value (minimum detergent remnant);
y is the difference of the currently detected electric conductivity value and the minimum electric conductivity value (minimum detergent remnant); and y/x = z (detergent remnant percentage).
In other words, when the water quality detection circuit 30 detects the water existing condition, the microprocessor circuit 50 compares the detergent remnant through the percentage process equation P.
On the other hand, when no water is detected, the microprocessor circuit SO starts a timer to count for 30 minutes. If water is detected within 30 minutes, the detection process is started. If no water is detected after 30 minutes, enter the power saving condition (OFF).
In summary, the invention can achieve the following effects:
1. By placing the detection device 10 of the invention into the 1 o washer to couple with the display device 15 which displays pictures or data, users may conveniently see detergent remnants in the washer, and can be sure whether the laundries still have detergent remnants. It helps to achieve better health care, and also saves time, electric power and water.
1 s 2. In the event that the electric power in the detection device 10 is exhausted, the upper and lower domes 11 and 12 may be separated to replace and replenish the battery in the power supply circuit 20 to provide electric power needed for the detection device 10.
20 3. The detection device 10 of the invention is designed in a spherical form which has a smooth surface to facilitate smooth rolling in the washer. It also has selected balance weights in the interior to keep the water detection probe 14 always submerged below the water surface to detect clean laundry 25 water 17.

Claims (5)

What is Claimed is:
1. An apparatus for detecting detergent remnants by disposing a detection device into a washer to do washing with laundries and through testing electric conductivity of the water to detergent remnants on the laundries, comprising:
a power supply circuit including a battery to provide electric power required for operations of the detection device;
a water quality detection circuit repeatedly testing the electric conductivity of the water at a desired interval through regular signals generated by a microprocessor circuit;
a microprocessor starting circuit outputting a start signal when a water detection probe detects the water to activate the microprocessor circuit to operate; and a microprocessor circuit for receiving the start signal from the microprocessor starting circuit to enter in a normal operating condition, and reading water electric conductivity data detected by the water quality detection circuit, and performing comparison of the detergent remnants through a percentage process equation, then displaying detergent remnants information on a display device for users viewing.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus employs the display device to display in pictures or data for users viewing.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detection device includes an upper dome and a lower dome which have a coupling groove consisting of an upper screw thread and a lower screw thread to engage with each other tightly and securely.
4. A method for detecting detergent remnants by disposing a detection device into a container which contains clean laundry water, the detection device having a water detection probe to test the clean laundry water, the method comprising steps of:
outputting a start signal from a microprocessor starting circuit to a microprocessor circuit so that the microprocessor circuit enters in a normal operating condition;
reading data of electric conductivity of the water by a water quality detection circuit and recording the detected data of electric conductivity as a first clean water electric conductivity data, and storing the first clean water electric conductivity data in a memory Ymin of the microprocessor circuit;
disposing the detection device and the clean laundry water contained in the container into a washer; and detecting electric conductivity data of the water at a desired interval by the water quality detection circuit through regular signals generated by the microprocessor circuit, and storing the detected data in another memory Ynow of the microprocessor circuit, and processing comparison through a percentage process equation resided in the memory; and displaying the result of the processing comparison on a display device.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the processing comparison through a percentage process equation is obtained as follows:
storing the electric conductivity data in the memory Ymin, and making memory Ymax = Ymin, and when memory Ynow >
memory Ymax, memory Ymax = memory Ynow, x = (Ymax - Ymin)/100;
y = Ynow - Ymin; and y/x = z (percentage of the detergent remnants)
CA002409070A 2002-10-21 2002-10-21 Apparatus for detecting detergent remnants and method of same Abandoned CA2409070A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002409070A CA2409070A1 (en) 2002-10-21 2002-10-21 Apparatus for detecting detergent remnants and method of same

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002409070A CA2409070A1 (en) 2002-10-21 2002-10-21 Apparatus for detecting detergent remnants and method of same

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2409070A1 true CA2409070A1 (en) 2004-04-21

Family

ID=32399763

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002409070A Abandoned CA2409070A1 (en) 2002-10-21 2002-10-21 Apparatus for detecting detergent remnants and method of same

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2409070A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111434830A (en) * 2019-01-11 2020-07-21 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 Washing machine and control method thereof
US11225746B2 (en) 2018-08-27 2022-01-18 Ecolab Usa Inc. System and technique for extracting particulate-containing liquid samples without filtration

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11225746B2 (en) 2018-08-27 2022-01-18 Ecolab Usa Inc. System and technique for extracting particulate-containing liquid samples without filtration
US11739460B2 (en) 2018-08-27 2023-08-29 Ecolab Usa Inc. System and technique for extracting particulate-containing liquid samples without filtration
CN111434830A (en) * 2019-01-11 2020-07-21 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 Washing machine and control method thereof
CN111434830B (en) * 2019-01-11 2023-03-31 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 Washing machine and control method thereof

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
FZDE Discontinued
FZDE Discontinued

Effective date: 20051021