CN111373087A

CN111373087A - Drum type washing machine

Info

Publication number: CN111373087A
Application number: CN201880075438.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 川口智也; 佐藤弘树; 北川宏之
Original assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd; Aqua Co Ltd
Current assignee: Qingdao Haier Washing Machine Co Ltd; Haier Smart Home Co Ltd; Aqua Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-11-21
Filing date: 2018-06-12
Publication date: 2020-07-03
Also published as: JP2019092706A; WO2019100695A1; JP7178651B2

Abstract

The invention provides a drum type washing machine which can reliably reduce the unbalance of a washing drum during a dehydration process and quickly perform the dehydration process to shorten the washing time even if the deviation of the washing exists in the washing drum. The washing machine (1) of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a throw-in port sealing member (PK) for connecting the outer cylinder (3) and a washing machine main body (1a) as a frame for water sealing; a proximity switch (14) as a hollow balancer position detection device in the drum, which generates a signal once every time the drum (2) in the outer drum (3) rotates one circle; a single acceleration sensor (12) for detecting the vibration of the outer tub; and a central control unit (31) as an eccentric position detection means for detecting the eccentric positions (N) of the drum (2) in the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction, and the washing machine (1) calculates the eccentric positions (N) in the up-down direction and the left-right direction in consideration of the phase difference caused by the difference between the eccentric positions (N) in the front-rear direction of the drum (2).

Description

Drum type washing machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine having a dehydrating function.

Background

Some washing machines installed in general households or laundromats have a washing and dehydrating function and a washing, dehydrating and drying function.

The washing machine with dewatering function produces vibration and noise in the drum due to the bias of the washed matter. Further, if the offset of the laundry is large, the eccentricity of the drum at the time of rotation becomes large, and a large torque is required for the rotation, so that the dehydration operation cannot be started.

In order to remove the offset, the user stops the operation of the washing machine and removes the offset of the laundry by manual operation.

In order to eliminate such a troublesome operation, a technique has been proposed in which, when it is determined that the magnitude of the imbalance, which is the offset of the laundry, is greater than a predetermined value, the drum is decelerated until the drum reaches a rotation speed at which the centrifugal force is smaller than the gravity, based on the output timing of the position detection means, thereby canceling the offset of the laundry (see patent document 1).

In order to prevent the laundry from being unbalanced toward the front of the drum during the spin-drying process, a technique has been proposed in which the difference between the detected vibration amounts is calculated by acceleration sensors disposed at the front and rear of the drum, and the unbalanced state of the laundry toward the front of the drum is sensed (see patent document 2).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 9-290089

Patent document 2: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2009-82558

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In the technique disclosed in patent document 1, the rotation of the drum is decelerated to reduce the centrifugal force, and the laundry stacked on each other is dropped by gravity. However, in this conventional technique, the laundry entangled with each other into a mass falls directly, and therefore the mass cannot be disentangled. When the drum is rotated in such a state, the unbalance is not removed, and therefore, the unbalance is detected again, and the deceleration of the drum is repeated.

On the other hand, in the technique disclosed in patent document 2, when the drum is rotated, the difference between the vibration value detected by the front vibration detecting means and the vibration value detected by the rear detecting means is calculated. Then, in the case where the difference between the vibration values exceeds a preset threshold value, the rotation of the drum is decelerated or stopped.

However, even with this prior art, the laundry entangled with each other into a mass is not yet disentangled and remains in the drum, and is not a fundamental solution to eliminate the unbalance.

Therefore, the technique described in patent document 3 is expected to solve the problem that cannot be solved by the above two patent documents. Then, it is currently desired to provide a further specific control flow, a specific configuration for actively solving the problem.

The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problems. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a drum type washing machine capable of reducing the unbalance of a washing drum during a spin-drying process and rapidly performing the spin-drying process even if the laundry is biased in the washing drum, thereby shortening the washing time.

Means for solving the problems

The drum type washing machine of the present invention is characterized by comprising: a throw-in port sealing member for connecting the outer cylinder and the frame for water sealing; the roller position detection device generates a signal once when the roller rotates for one circle; a single acceleration sensor for detecting vibration of the outer tub; and an eccentric position detecting unit for detecting eccentric positions of the drum in the front-back direction, the up-down direction and the left-right direction, wherein the drum-type washing machine calculates the eccentric positions of the drum in the up-down direction and the left-right direction by considering the eccentric positions of the drum in the front-back direction. Here, the "front-rear direction" means a direction from the opening toward the rear wall in the horizontal direction when the opening of the washing machine is viewed from the front view, the "up-down direction" is synonymous with the vertical direction, and the "left-right direction" means a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction in the horizontal direction.

In the drum-type washing machine, the eccentric position detecting means measures a change value of a motor rotation speed, a change value of a motor current, and a difference between amplitude values in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction from the acceleration sensor during constant-speed rotation of the drum.

The drum-type washing machine is characterized in that the eccentric position detection means for the front-rear direction of the drum measures the difference between the amplitude values in the up-down direction and the left-right direction from the acceleration sensor during constant-speed rotation of the drum and the amplitude values in the front-rear direction.

The drum type washing machine is characterized in that the eccentric position detection unit of the front and back direction of the drum measures according to the difference of the phase change rate along with the rotation speed increase.

Effects of the invention

The drum-type washing machine of the present invention comprises: a frame; an outer cylinder fixed to the frame; a throw-in port sealing member for connecting the outer cylinder and the frame for water sealing; and a drum rotatably supported in the outer tub, the drum-type washing machine comprising: the roller position detection device generates a signal once when the roller rotates for one circle; a single acceleration sensor for detecting vibration of the outer tub; and an eccentric position detecting unit for detecting eccentric positions of the drum in the front-back direction, the up-down direction and the left-right direction, wherein the drum-type washing machine calculates the eccentric positions of the drum in the up-down direction and the left-right direction by considering the eccentric positions of the drum in the front-back direction.

Thus, the eccentric position in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction can be accurately measured regardless of the eccentric position in the front-rear direction of the drum without using a plurality of acceleration sensors.

The drum-type washing machine of the present invention is characterized in that the eccentric position detecting means measures a change value of a motor rotation speed, a change value of a motor current, and a difference between a lateral amplitude value and a vertical amplitude value from the acceleration sensor during constant drum rotation.

This makes it possible to measure the amplitude value in the left-right direction and the amplitude value in the up-down direction with higher accuracy.

The drum-type washing machine according to the present invention is characterized in that the drum front-rear direction eccentric position detection means measures the drum front-rear direction eccentric position based on a difference between a left-right direction amplitude value and a vertical direction amplitude value from the acceleration sensor during constant drum rotation and a front-rear direction amplitude value.

This makes it possible to measure the amplitude value in the front-rear direction with higher accuracy.

The drum type washing machine of the present invention is characterized in that the eccentric position detecting means in the front-rear direction of the drum measures the difference in the rate of change of the phase with the increase of the rotation speed.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a view schematically showing a cross section of a washing machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an electrical system block diagram of the washing machine 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining a control flow in the dehydration process of the washing machine 1.

Fig. 4 is a parameter table showing the water feed valve 62 being opened.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing an eccentric position in the drum 2.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing a state in which the inside of the drum 2 is under an opposing load.

Fig. 7 is a graph showing an outline of the dehydration process of the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing a control flow in the spin-drying process of the washing machine 1.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing the eccentric position adjustment process.

FIG. 10 is a schematic flow chart showing a main dehydration process.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a main dehydration process.

Fig. 12 is a schematic flowchart showing the process of the start determination.

FIG. 13 is a schematic flowchart showing a process of water filling.

FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart showing a process of water filling.

FIG. 15 is a schematic flowchart showing a process of water filling.

Fig. 16 is a graph showing a relationship between acceleration and the eccentric position N.

Fig. 17 is a graph showing the relationship between the difference between the left-right amplitude and the front-rear amplitude and the eccentricity amount.

Fig. 18 is a graph showing the relationship between the temporary eccentric position θ 1 and the actual eccentric position θ 2 and the rotational speed.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of a washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment. Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment.

The washing machine 1 of the present embodiment is suitable for use in, for example, a laundromat (laundromat) or a home, and the washing machine 1 includes: a washing machine main body 1a as a frame; a washing tub 1b including an outer tub 3 having an axis S1 extending substantially horizontally and a drum 2; a water injection device 1c having a water receiving unit 5 and a nozzle unit 6; a drive device 40; and a control unit 30 shown only in fig. 2. The front end of the outer tub 3 is indirectly supported by the washing machine main body 1a as a frame via a water seal inlet seal (hereinafter referred to as a seal PK). The seal PK is mainly made of, for example, a synthetic resin having elasticity, and an elasticity coefficient determined by a material, a shape, hardness, and the like of the seal is stored in the central control unit 31 in advance.

The washing machine main body 1a shown in fig. 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. An opening 11 for taking out and putting in laundry with respect to the drum 2 is formed in a front surface 10a of the washing machine main body 1a, and an opening/closing cover 11a capable of opening and closing the opening 11 is assembled. As shown in the figure, the washing machine main body 1a is in the following state: the opening 11 for taking in/out laundry with respect to the drum 2 is formed to face obliquely upward with the front surface 10a thereof facing slightly upward, and the user opens and closes the opening/closing cover 11a capable of opening and closing the opening 11 from obliquely upward. That is, the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment is referred to as a so-called inclined drum type full automatic washing machine in which the washing tub 1b is obliquely installed.

The outer tub 3 is a bottomed cylindrical member disposed inside the washing machine main body 1a, and can store washing water therein. As shown in fig. 1, an acceleration sensor 12 capable of detecting accelerations in three directions, i.e., the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction, is attached to the outer circumferential surface 3a of the outer tube 3.

The drum 2 is a bottomed cylindrical member disposed coaxially with the outer cylinder 3 in the outer cylinder 3 and rotatably supported in the outer cylinder 3. The drum 2 can accommodate laundry therein, and has a plurality of water holes 2b in a wall surface 2a thereof (see fig. 1).

As shown in fig. 1, the driving device 40 rotates the pulleys 15 and the belt 15b by the motor 10, and also rotates the driving shaft 17 extending toward the bottom portion 2c of the drum 2, thereby applying a driving force to the drum 2 and rotating the drum 2. In addition, a proximity switch 14 capable of detecting passage of a mark 15a formed on one pulley 15 is provided in the vicinity of the pulley 15. In the present embodiment, the proximity switch 14 corresponds to a drum position detecting device.

As shown in fig. 1, three lifting ribs 7 as hollow balancers are provided at equal intervals (at equal angles) in the circumferential direction on the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2. Each of the lift ribs 7 extends in the axial direction of the drum 2 from the base end portion 2c of the drum 2 across the tip end portion, and is formed to protrude from the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2 toward the axis S1. Further, each lifting rib 7 is hollow.

The water receiving unit 5 is configured such that the water guide pipe 5a is stacked in three layers in the radial direction along the axis S1 of the drum 2, for example, and is fixed to the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2 as shown in fig. 3. The water conduits 5a are provided in the same number as the lift ribs 7, and a water passage for allowing the conditioned water W to flow to any one of the lift ribs 7 is formed therein. Then, as shown in fig. 1, a communication member 5a1 is connected to the inside of the lifting rib 7, and the conditioned water W is supplied from the water receiving unit 5.

The water receiving unit 5 and the lifting rib 7 are connected by a communication member 5a 1.

The nozzle assembly 6 separately injects the conditioning water W into the water conduit 5 a. The nozzle block 6 includes three water injection nozzles 6a and

water feed valves

62a, 62b, and 62c connected to the water injection nozzles 6a, respectively. The water injection nozzles 6a are provided in the same number as the water conduits 5a, and are disposed at positions where water can be injected into the water conduits 5 a. In the present embodiment, tap water is used as the conditioning water W. As the

water supply valves

62a, 62b, and 62c, direction switching water supply valves may be used.

With such a configuration, in the dehydration process in which the drain valve 50a is opened and the washing water in the outer tub 3 is discharged from the drain port 50, the conditioning water W injected into the water conduit 5a of the water receiving unit 5 from any one of the water injection nozzles 6a of the nozzle unit 6 flows into the lift rib 7 through the communication member 5a 1. For example, as shown by the arrows in fig. 1, when the conditioned water W is injected from any one of the water injection nozzles 6a, the conditioned water W flows from the water conduit 5a into the lift rib 7 via the communication member 5a 1.

The lifting rib 7 has: a retention part 71 for retaining the conditioning water W injected from the top end 1d side of the washing cylinder 1b by the water injection device 1c by the centrifugal force during the dehydration process; and an outlet portion 72 for discharging the injected regulated water W from the base end 1e side of the washing tub 1 b. When the drum 2 is in a high-speed rotation state, the conditioning water W flowing into the lifter 7 adheres to the inner circumferential surface 2a1 of the drum 2 by centrifugal force and stays. This increases the weight of the lifting rib 7, and changes the eccentricity (M) of the drum 2. Thus, the lifting rib 7 is a pocket bag structure (pocket structure) capable of storing the conditioning water W by centrifugal force. When the spin-drying process is nearly completed and the rotation speed of the drum 2 is reduced, the centrifugal force in the lifting rib 7 is gradually attenuated, and the conditioned water W flows out of the outlet portion 72 by gravity and is discharged to the outside of the outer tub 3. At this time, the conditioned water W flows downward and outward from the drum 2 through the outlet 72. Therefore, the conditioning water W is discharged without wetting the laundry in the drum 2.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the washing machine 1 according to the present embodiment. The operation of the washing machine 1 is controlled by a control unit 30 including a microcomputer. The control unit 30 includes a central control unit (CPU)31 that manages the control of the entire system, and the control unit 30 is connected to a memory 32, and the memory 32 stores values described in detail below: a first rotation speed (N1) which is lower than the resonance point CP of the drum 2 and is a predetermined rotation speed, a first eccentricity threshold (ma), an eccentricity threshold for water injection, a rotation speed increase threshold, an eccentricity allowance threshold, and a spinning steady-state rotation speed. The control unit 30 causes the microcomputer to execute a program stored in the memory 32, thereby performing a predetermined operation, and temporarily stores data and the like used when the program is executed in the memory 32.

The central control unit 31 outputs a control signal to the rotational speed control unit 33, and further outputs the control signal to a motor control unit (motor control circuit) 34 to control the rotation of the motor 10. The rotation speed control unit 33 receives a signal indicating the rotation speed of the motor 10 from the motor control unit 34 in real time as a control element.

The acceleration sensor 12 is connected to the unbalance amount detection unit 35. The acceleration sensor 12 and the proximity switch 14 are connected to the unbalance position detection unit 36. The unbalance amount detecting unit 35 and the unbalance position detecting unit 36 constitute an eccentricity detecting means.

Thus, when the proximity switch 14 senses the mark 15a (see fig. 1), the unbalance amount detection unit 35 calculates the eccentric amount (M) of the drum 2 based on the magnitudes of the accelerations in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction obtained from the acceleration sensor 12, and the eccentric amount (M) is output to the unbalance amount determination unit 37.

The unbalance position detection unit 36 calculates an angle in the unbalance direction from the signal indicating the position of the mark 15a input from the proximity switch 14, and outputs an unbalance position signal as an eccentric position (N) to the water injection control unit 38. Here, the angle of the unbalance direction refers to a relative angle with respect to the lift rib 7 in the circumferential direction of the axis S1. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, for example, in order to show the relative angles between the eccentric positions and the three lift ribs 7(a), 7(B), 7(C) disposed at equal angular intervals around the axis S1, the intermediate position between the lift ribs 7(B) and 7(C) is set to 0 °.

When the signals indicating the eccentric amount (M) and the eccentric position (N) are input from the unbalance amount determination unit 37 and the unbalance position detection unit 36, the water injection control unit 38 determines the lifting rib 7 to which water should be supplied and the amount of the supplied water based on a control program stored in advance. Then, the water injection controller 38 opens the selected

water supply valves

62a, 62b, and 62c to start injecting the regulated water W. The water injection control unit 38 starts injecting the adjustment water W from the water injection nozzle 6a selected based on the calculation of the eccentric amount (M) into the water conduit 5a of the water receiving unit 5 when the eccentric amount (M) of the drum 2 is equal to or more than a predetermined reference, and stops injecting the adjustment water W when the eccentric amount (M) becomes equal to or less than the predetermined reference.

For example, as shown in fig. 3, when the laundry cluster ld (x) that is a factor of eccentricity is located between the lifter 7(B) and the lifter 7(C) of the drum 2, the water injection controller 38 performs the following control to supply the conditioning water W to the lifter 7 (a). When the laundry cluster ld (y) is located near the lifting rib 7(a), the water injection controller 38 performs the following control to supply the conditioning water W to both the lifting rib 7(B) and the lifting rib 7 (C).

In the present embodiment, a specific control in the case where water is injected into the plurality of lifting ribs 7 in order to reduce the eccentricity (M) as in the case where the laundry mass ld (y) is located near any of the lifting ribs 7 will be described in detail.

As shown in the parameter table of fig. 4, the central control unit 31 opens the water feed valves X and Z. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, the specification of the eccentric position (N) is divided into a case where the eccentric position (N) of one lifting rib 7 to be supplied with water is specified and a case where the eccentric position (N) of two lifting ribs 7 to be supplied with water is specified by equally dividing the drum 2 in the circumferential direction. Here, the description of "eccentric position (N)" in the present embodiment is a concept indicating either one or both of a temporary eccentric position (θ 1, not shown) that is temporarily calculated and a formal eccentric position (θ 2, not shown) that is formally determined. The temporary eccentric position (θ 1) and the actual eccentric position (θ 2) are described in detail later.

The region Y specifying the eccentric position (N) of one lifting rib 7 to be filled with water is the regions (p (a)), (p (b)) and (p (c)). The region Y of the eccentric position (N) required for eliminating eccentricity is defined as regions (p (ab), (p (bc)) and (p (ca)). In addition, the angle around the axis S1 of the regions (p (a), (p (b)) and (p (c)) is set to 20 °, and the angle around the axis S1 of the regions (p (ab), (p (bc)) and (p (ca)) is set to 100 °.

Note that the lift rib 7 corresponding to a character not described in ABC is the lift rib 7 closest to the eccentric position (N) in the present embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the acceleration sensor 12 is a three-axis sensor capable of detecting acceleration in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction.

Thus, even if the laundry is in a state (state of opposing load) in which the laundry is positioned to face the base end side and the top end side of the drum 2 as shown in fig. 6, the eccentric position (N) and the eccentric amount (M) can be accurately detected.

Fig. 7 is a graph showing an outline of the dehydration process of the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment. In fig. 7, the vertical axis represents the rotational speed of the drum 2, and the horizontal axis represents time. Fig. 8, 10, and 11 are flowcharts showing a main outline of the dehydration process. Fig. 8 shows a pre-dehydration process in the first half of the dehydration process, and fig. 10 and 11 show a main dehydration process as a process after the pre-dehydration process.

In the present embodiment, when receiving an input signal from a spin button not shown or a signal indicating that the spin process should be started during the washing mode operation, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP1 to start the pre-spin process.

< step SP1 >

In step SP1, central control unit 31 raises the rotation of drum 2 to the first rotation speed lower than resonance point CP of drum 2 after loosening and turning drum 2 (N1). When the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches the first rotation speed (N1), it proceeds to step SP 2. In the present embodiment, the first rotation speed (N1) is set to 180rpm lower than about 300rpm which is the resonance point CP of the drum 2.

< step SP2 >

In step SP2, the central control unit 31 executes control of the eccentricity amount (M) and the eccentricity amount/temporary eccentric position measurement on the eccentricity detection means based on the acceleration signal supplied from the acceleration sensor 12. At this time, the central control unit 31 calculates the respective eccentric amounts (M) for the respective directions based on the acceleration signals in the up-down direction, the left-right direction, and the front-rear direction obtained from the acceleration sensor 12, for example. The value used in the present control is an eccentricity (M) calculated based on the eccentricity (M) in the front-rear direction and the acceleration signal in either the up-down direction or the left-right direction, among the calculated values in the three directions.

< step SP3 >

The central control unit 31 compares the calculated eccentric amount (M) with a first eccentric amount threshold (ma) stored in the memory 32, and makes a start determination, that is, determines whether M < ma is satisfied. When determining that M < ma is satisfied, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP4, and when determining that M < ma is not satisfied, the central control unit proceeds to step SP 5. Here, the first eccentricity amount threshold (ma) is a threshold assuming the following case: the laundry is biased to a large extent so that it is difficult to reduce the eccentricity (M) to such an extent that the rotational speed of the drum 2 can be increased to the dehydration steady-state rotational speed even if the conditioning water W is supplied to the lifter 7. That is, when the process proceeds to step SP5, the eccentricity amount (M) is so large that it is difficult to complete the dehydration process even if the conditioned water W is supplied to the lift ribs 7.

The first eccentricity threshold (ma) is further explained. In the present embodiment, the acceleration sensor 12 is an acceleration sensor capable of detecting acceleration in the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction.

< step SP4 >

In step SP4, when the eccentricity amount (M) calculated in step SP2 is smaller than the first eccentricity amount threshold (ma) set for each eccentricity position, the central control unit 31 increases the rotation speed of the drum 2. The central control unit 31 continuously executes the control of the eccentricity amount/temporary eccentricity position measurement according to the present embodiment while increasing the rotation speed of the drum 2. Here, "continuously" is not necessarily limited to a case where the operation is continuously performed without interruption. It is needless to say that the control of the eccentricity amount/temporary eccentricity position measurement according to the present embodiment may be intermittently executed when the rotation speed of the drum 2 is increased to any number of rotation speeds up to the steady dehydration rotation speed.

In step SP5, the central control unit 31 stops the rotation of the drum 2 or reduces the rotation speed of the drum 2 to a rotation speed at which the gravity is higher than the centrifugal force, thereby performing a control of a so-called eccentric position adjustment process of stirring the laundry in the drum 2 in the vertical direction. Thereafter, the process returns to step SP 1. In fig. 7, the behavior of the rotation speed when the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches the dehydration steady-state rotation speed without supplying water to the lift ribs 7 is shown by a solid line. In fig. 7, the behavior of the rotation speed when the rotation speed reaches the dehydration steady-state rotation speed after water is injected to the lifting rib 7 only once is shown by the upper imaginary line, and the behavior of the rotation speed of the drum 2 in step SP5 is shown by the lower imaginary line.

The control of the eccentric position adjustment process will be further described with reference to fig. 9. First, when it is judged by the step SP3 that the eccentric amount (M) is large to such an extent that it is difficult to decrease, the rotation of the drum 2 is stopped (step SP 51). Thereafter, the drum 2 is rotated at a rotational speed at which the centrifugal force is reduced, and the laundry in the drum 2 is agitated, so that the eccentric amount (M) is changed (step SP 52).

Hereinafter, the control of the dehydration main process after step SP4 is schematically shown in fig. 10, specifically shown in fig. 11, and explained.

< step SP6 >

In step SP6, the central control unit 31 determines whether or not the eccentric amount (M) calculated in step SP2 shown in fig. 8 is larger than a water injection eccentric amount threshold value set in advance for the rotation speed of the drum 2. When the eccentric amount (M) is lower than the water injection eccentric amount threshold value, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP7 without injecting water into the lift rib 7. When the eccentricity (M) is larger than the eccentricity threshold for water injection, the central control unit 31 moves to SP7 after water is injected into the lift rib 7 during water injection.

< step SP7 >

In step SP7, the central control unit 31 increases the rotation speed of the drum 2 at a predetermined acceleration.

< step SP8 >

In step SP8, when the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches the dehydration steady-state rotation speed, the central control unit 31 maintains the rotation speed of the drum 2 in this state until the dehydration process is completed. In the present embodiment, the steady-state rotation speed of dehydration is set to 800 rpm.

Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing a specific process of the main dehydration step in the present embodiment.

< step SP71 >

In step SP71, the central control unit 31 increases the rotation speed by 20rpm per second until the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches 400 rpm. The central control unit 31 executes step SP6 in parallel while executing step SP 71.

< step SP72 >

In step SP72, the central control unit 31 determines whether or not the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches 400 rpm. If the rotation speed does not reach 400rpm, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP 71. If the rotation speed reaches 400rpm, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP 73.

< step SP73 >

In step SP73, the central control unit 31 increases the rotation speed by 5rpm per second until the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches 600 rpm. The central control unit 31 executes step SP6 in parallel while executing step SP 72.

< step SP74 >

In step SP74, the central control unit 31 determines whether or not the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches 600 rpm. If the rotation speed does not reach 600rpm, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP 73. If the rotation speed reaches 600rpm, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP 75. Here, the acceleration when the rotation speed of the drum 2 is increased to 400 to 600rpm is lower than that in other rotation regions because: the amount of water dehydrated from the laundry is larger in the rotation area than in other rotation areas, and unnecessary noise generated by the dehydrated water is reduced.

< step SP75 >

In step SP72, the central control unit 31 increases the rotation speed by 20rpm per second until the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches 800 rpm. The central control unit 31 executes step SP6 in parallel while executing step SP 72.

< step SP76 >

In step SP76, the central control unit 31 determines whether or not the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches 800 rpm. If the rotation speed does not reach 800rpm, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP 75. If the rotation speed reaches 800rpm, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP 8.

< step SP8 >

In step SP8, when the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches 800rpm, which is the steady rotation speed of the spin-drying operation, the central control unit 31 continues the spin-drying process while maintaining this state, and after confirming that the predetermined time has elapsed, the washing is ended. In other words, the central control unit 31 rotates the drum 2 at the dehydration steady-state rotation speed for a predetermined time to perform the dehydration process, as in the dehydration process in the normal washing. After that, the dehydration treatment is ended. Then, the dewatering is terminated, the deceleration of the drum 2 is started, and when the centrifugal force is smaller than the gravitational acceleration, the conditioning water W in the lift rib 7 flows out to be drained.

In the control method of the present embodiment, after step SP3 as the second eccentricity detection step, step SP6 as the water injection step and step SP7 as the rotation speed increase step are repeated until the rotation speed of the drum 2 reaches the dehydration steady-state rotation speed.

Next, a specific embodiment of the control method of the present embodiment is further described.

Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the start determination. The start determination is described below.

< step SP31 >

In step SP31, the central control unit 31 selects the eccentric amount (M) indicating a large value, from among the eccentric amount Mx in the left-right direction and the eccentric amount Mz in the up-down direction determined in step SP 25. In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the selected eccentric amount (M) is referred to as an eccentric amount Mxz.

< step SP32 >

In step SP32, the central control section 31 determines whether the eccentric amount Mxz is larger than a threshold value M _ xz that is a first eccentric amount threshold value (ma). If the eccentricity Mxz is smaller than the threshold value M _ xz, the central control unit 31 proceeds to step SP 33. If the eccentric amount Mxz is greater than the threshold value M _ xz, the central control unit 31 determines that the start-up is impossible, and proceeds to step SP5 to perform the eccentric amount adjustment process.

< step SP33 >

In step SP33, the central control portion 31 determines whether the eccentric amount My in the front-rear direction is larger than a threshold M _ y that is a first eccentric amount threshold (ma). If the eccentric amount My is smaller than the threshold value M _ y, the central control unit 31 determines that the start-up is possible. In this case, the rotation speed of the drum 2 is increased. If the eccentric amount My is larger than the threshold value M _ y, the central control unit 31 determines that the start-up is impossible, and proceeds to step SP5 to perform the eccentric amount adjustment process.

The above description ends the processing of the pre-dehydration process in the dehydration process. Next, the processing of the main dehydration process after the step SP6 will be described. Here, the processing of steps SP7 and SP8 has been explained, and therefore, the explanation will be mainly made with respect to step SP6, which is a specific processing of the water filling process.

Here, the washing machine 1 of the present embodiment is characterized by including: a charging port sealing member PK connecting the outer tub and the washing machine main body 1a as a frame for water sealing; a plurality of lifting ribs 7 as hollow balancers; a water injection device for injecting water to the lifting rib 7; a proximity switch 14 as a hollow balancer position detecting device in the drum, which generates a signal every time the drum rotates one revolution; a single acceleration sensor 12 for detecting the vibration of the outer tub; and a central control unit 31 as an eccentric position detecting means for detecting the eccentric positions N in the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction of the drum 2, and calculating the eccentric positions N in the up-down direction and the left-right direction in consideration of the phase difference caused by the difference between the eccentric positions N in the front-rear direction of the drum 2.

Each flowchart for calculating the eccentric position N in the up-down direction and the left-right direction is described below. First, a flowchart of step SP601 shown in fig. 13 is explained.

< step SP602 >)

In step SP602, the central control unit 31 measures the amplitude in the front-rear direction based on the signal from the acceleration sensor 12. After the amplitude in the front-rear direction is measured, the process proceeds to step SP 603.

< step SP603 >)

In step SP603, the central control unit 31 measures the amplitudes in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction based on the signal from the acceleration sensor 12. After the vertical and horizontal amplitudes are measured, the process proceeds to step SP 604.

< step SP604 >

In step SP604, the central control unit 31 determines the actual eccentric position N in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction from the amplitude in the vertical direction and the amplitude in the horizontal direction. In this case, in the present embodiment, the vertical and horizontal eccentric positions N are calculated in consideration of the phase difference generated by the difference between the front and rear eccentric positions N of the drum 2. In the present embodiment, the following embodiments can be exemplified: the relationship between the difference in the eccentric position N in the front-rear direction and the eccentric positions N in the up-down direction and the left-right direction is stored in the memory 32 as a map so that the central control unit 31 can read the map.

Next, fig. 14 shows a scheme thereof as step SP 602. The step SP602 is: the central control unit 31 as the eccentric position detecting means measures the amplitude in the front-rear direction using the change value of the motor rotation speed of the motor 10, the change value of the motor current, and the difference between the vertical amplitude value and the horizontal amplitude value from the acceleration sensor 12 during the constant-speed rotation of the drum 2.

< step SP602a >)

In step SP602a, the central control unit 31 detects a change in the motor rotation speed. When the change is detected, the process proceeds to step SP602 a.

< step SP602b >)

In step SP602b, the central control unit 31 detects the difference between the change value of the motor current and the amplitude values in the vertical and horizontal directions. Then, the amplitude in the front-rear direction is determined based on the difference.

Fig. 16 is a graph showing a relationship between the acceleration obtained by the acceleration sensor 12 and the pulse signal ps obtained by the proximity switch 14. In this figure, for convenience, the temporary eccentric position θ 1 is calculated from the time difference t1 between the maximum value (Ymax) of the acceleration in the left-right direction obtained by the acceleration sensor 12 and the pulse signal ps. In the present embodiment shown in fig. 12, the temporary eccentric position θ 1 is calculated from the maximum value (Ymax) and the minimum value (Ymin) of the acceleration as an example, but the temporary eccentric position θ 1 may be calculated from one or a plurality of values of the acceleration zero point, the maximum value (Ymax) and the minimum value (Ymin) of the acceleration as another example of the present invention. The temporary eccentric position θ 1 may be calculated as described above from the vertical and longitudinal accelerations.

On the other hand, if the change value of the motor current is plotted as a graph, the change value becomes a curve having an amplitude as shown in a graph showing the behavior of the acceleration. When the eccentric amount is large, the amplitude is larger than when the eccentric amount is small. However, the change value of the motor current is substantially the same amplitude amount regardless of whether the eccentric position is located on the front side or the rear side.

Here, in the present embodiment, the acceleration sensor 12 is provided near the front end of the drum 2. Therefore, the vertical and horizontal amplitudes detected by the acceleration sensor 12 are smaller when the acceleration sensor is located behind the drum 2 than when the acceleration sensor 12 is located eccentrically near, i.e., in front of the drum. In addition, when the eccentricity is located on the rear side of the drum 2, the amplitude in the front-rear direction tends to be larger than that when the eccentricity is located on the front side of the drum 2. Thereby, it is possible to determine at which position in the front-rear direction the eccentricity is located.

Next, fig. 15 shows the following as a modification of step SP602 for measuring the amplitude in the front-rear direction: the central control unit 31 measures the amplitude in the front-rear direction, that is, the eccentric position N in the front-rear direction, using the difference between the amplitude value in the front-rear direction from the acceleration sensor 12 and the amplitude value in the up-down direction/the amplitude value in the left-right direction.

< step SP602c >)

In step SP602c, the central control unit 31 detects the amplitude value in the vertical direction and the amplitude value in the horizontal direction by the acceleration sensor 12. After detecting the vertical amplitude value and the horizontal amplitude value, the process proceeds to step SP602 d.

< step SP602d >)

In step SP602d, the central control unit 31 detects the amplitude value in the front-rear direction by the acceleration sensor 12.

< step SP602e >)

In step SP602e, the central control unit 31 determines the eccentric position N in the front-rear direction based on the difference between the amplitude values in the up-down direction and the left-right direction from the acceleration sensor 12 during the constant-speed rotation of the drum and the amplitude values in the front-rear direction.

Fig. 17 is a graph showing the difference between the vertical amplitude value and the horizontal amplitude value and the vertical amplitude value when the rotation speed of the drum 2 is 220rpm, and the eccentricity is located at the front (front side), the center, and the rear (rear side), respectively, and the weight shown in the drawing is provided. In this way, the difference between the amplitude value in the vertical direction and the amplitude value in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction is different depending on the value of the load and any one of the vertical direction and the vertical direction. In particular, when the eccentricity is located rearward (rear side), the amplitude value in the front-rear direction tends to be larger.

That is, by detecting the difference between the amplitude values in the vertical direction and the amplitude values in the horizontal direction and the amplitude values in the longitudinal direction, the position in the longitudinal direction and the eccentricity amount of the eccentricity can be estimated.

In the present embodiment, the central control unit 31 is characterized in that the front-rear direction eccentric position detecting means of the drum 2 measures the front-rear direction eccentric position N based on a difference in the rate of change in phase with an increase in the number of revolutions.

Fig. 18 is a graph showing a temporary eccentric position θ 1 detected from the acceleration in the front-rear direction in the acceleration sensor 12 and a real eccentric position θ 2 as an actual eccentric position. The vertical axis represents the eccentric position (angle) in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and the horizontal axis represents the rotation speed of the drum 2. In the figure, the temporary eccentric position θ 1 shows both the temporary eccentric position θ 1 (front side) when the eccentric position is located on the front side and the temporary eccentric position θ 1 (rear side) when the eccentric position is located on the rear side.

As shown in this figure, since different behaviors are exhibited at the temporary eccentric position θ 1 (front side) and the temporary eccentric position θ 1 (rear side), it is obvious that different corrections need to be performed for deriving the true eccentric position θ 2, that is, calculation needs to be performed by different equations.

The graph shows a behavior in which the value of the temporary eccentric position θ 1 (rear side) rapidly changes (rises in the graph) in the middle of the rotation rise, for example, around a predetermined rotation speed such as 350 rpm. By detecting this behavior, it is also possible to estimate that the eccentric position is located on the rear side.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the eccentric position in the front-rear direction is estimated by a plurality of methods, which contributes to more accurate determination of the eccentric position.

As described above, the drum-type washing machine 1 of the present embodiment is characterized by including: a charging port seal PK for connecting the outer tub 3 and the washing machine main body 1a as a frame for water sealing; a proximity sensor 14 as a drum position detecting means for generating a signal every time the drum 2 rotates one revolution; a single acceleration sensor 12 for detecting vibration of the outer tub 3; and a central control unit 31 as an eccentric position detecting means for detecting the eccentric positions N in the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction of the drum 2, and calculating the eccentric positions N in the up-down direction and the left-right direction in consideration of the eccentric positions N in the front-rear direction of the drum 2.

Thus, the eccentric position N in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction can be accurately measured regardless of the eccentric position N in the front-rear direction of the drum 2 without using a plurality of acceleration sensors 12.

In the drum-type washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the central control unit 31 as the eccentric position detection means measures the change value of the rotation speed of the motor 10 during the constant-speed rotation of the drum 2, the current change value of the motor 10, and the difference between the left, right, and up and down amplitude values from the acceleration sensor 12.

Accordingly, the drum-type washing machine 1 of the present embodiment can measure the horizontal and vertical amplitude values with higher accuracy.

In the drum-type washing machine 1 of the present embodiment, the central control unit 31 as the means for detecting the front-rear eccentric position of the drum 2 measures the difference between the vertical amplitude value and the horizontal amplitude value from the acceleration sensor 12 and the front-rear amplitude value during constant rotation of the drum 2.

Accordingly, the drum-type washing machine 1 of the present embodiment can measure the amplitude value in the front-rear direction with higher accuracy.

The drum-type washing machine 1 of the present embodiment is characterized in that the central control unit 31, which is a means for detecting the eccentric position of the drum 2 in the front-rear direction, measures the difference in the rate of change of the phase with the increase in the rotation speed of the motor 10.

While one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the configuration of the embodiment is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example is disclosed in which the present invention is applied to a so-called inclined drum type fully automatic washing machine for home use as a washing machine, but it is needless to say that the control method of the present invention can be suitably applied even to a horizontal washer/dryer all-in-one machine widely applied to a laundromat store.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, three lifting beads 7 are provided, but it is needless to say that a configuration including four or more lifting beads 7 may be adopted. The lift ribs 7 need not necessarily be arranged at regular angular intervals in the circumferential direction of the drum 2, and need not necessarily have the same shape.

The other configurations can be variously modified within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention.

Description of reference numerals:

1 washing machine

1a frame (washing machine main body)

12 acceleration sensor

2 roller

3 outer cylinder

7 lifting rib

M eccentricity

N eccentric position

Claims

A drum type washing machine includes:

a frame;

an outer cylinder fixed to the frame;

a throw-in port sealing member for connecting the outer cylinder and the frame for water sealing; and

a drum rotatably supported in the outer cylinder,

the drum type washing machine is characterized by comprising:

the roller position detection device generates a signal once when the roller rotates for one circle;

a single acceleration sensor for detecting vibration of the outer tub; and

an eccentric position detecting unit for detecting the eccentric positions of the drum in the front-back direction, the up-down direction and the left-right direction,

the drum type washing machine calculates an eccentric position in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction in consideration of an eccentric position in a front-rear direction of a drum.
A drum type washing machine as claimed in claim 1,

the eccentric position detecting means measures a change value of a motor rotation speed, a change value of a motor current, and a difference between amplitude values in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction from the acceleration sensor during constant-speed rotation of the drum.
A drum type washing machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2,

the eccentric position detecting means for the drum in the front-rear direction measures the difference between the amplitude values in the up-down direction and the left-right direction from the acceleration sensor during constant-speed rotation of the drum and the amplitude values in the front-rear direction.
A drum type washing machine as claimed in claim 2,

the eccentric position detecting means in the front-rear direction of the drum measures the difference in the rate of change of the phase with the increase in the rotation speed.