DE102013002603A1 - Appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

Proposed is a household appliance with a liquid as operating means, wherein at least one control unit for controlling the cleaning unit and / or a resource streams and / or the liquid or liquid streams is provided, wherein the control unit at least one electronic microcontroller on an electronics carrier such as an electric Circuit board or printed circuit board (PCB), wherein a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the resource and / or a liquid level and / or the liquid in a memory is provided, which is characterized in that the sensor is designed as the microcontroller of the control unit, wherein the microcontroller is connected to an electrically conductive sensor surface.

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance according to the preamble of claim 1.

From the prior art, for example, by the WO 2005/053503 A1 Dishwashers with drying air circuits known. In these drying air circuits is a closed system of an ice water tank and a connected via a line with the ice water tank reservoir containing zeolite introduced. The drying air is dehumidified via condensation on the outer wall of the ice water container and heated on the outer wall of the reservoir with zeolite.

Also are from the DE 10 2010 047 058 A1 Household machines with a drying of moist objects with a primary circuit for removing moisture from drying air and a secondary circuit for drying moist objects by means of drying air known. The circuits include once a single-phase, consisting of at least two components liquid circuit of a liquid refrigerant and a completely dissolved solid, usually complete dissociating salts, the primary circuit, and on the other hand, a substantially single-phase gas / steam cycle, the secondary circuit. The operating direction of the primary and secondary circuits, depending on the selected process temperatures and media conditions, each represents a strand of a thermodynamic two-substance absorption cycle, which is operated cut open. One operating direction realizes the absorption phase of the cyclic process, the other operating direction describes the desorption or expulsion phase of the cyclic process. In the absorption phase, the two-component solution is enriched with the refrigerant component, in the desorption or Austreibungsphase the existing two-component solution of parts of the refrigerant valve is released.

Furthermore, from the DE 10 2010 047 058 A1 a domestic appliance known, for improved heat or energy management of the primary circuit comprises a hygroscopic withdrawal means for exothermic removal of moisture from the drying air and wherein the heating device is formed in the secondary circuit for heating the drying air by means of the heat released during the exothermic removal of moisture heat energy.

In addition, z. B. from the application DE 10 2011 117 734 the applicant already a drying with a hygroscopic liquid, esp. A LiCl solution known.

A disadvantage of the prior art, however, is still the comparatively large energy and thus the financial outlay for operating such household appliances. Today, however, energy efficiency and energy consumption are increasingly in the focus of the consumer and in the assessment of household appliances.

Object of the invention

Object of the present invention is to propose a household appliance, which reduces the energy and thus the financial outlay for the production and / or operation of such household appliances.

The object is achieved on the basis of a household appliance according to the preamble of claim 1 by the characterizing features of claim 1. The measures mentioned in the dependent claims advantageous embodiments and modifications of the invention are possible.

Accordingly, a household appliance according to the invention is characterized in that the sensor is designed as the microcontroller of the control unit, wherein the microcontroller is connected to an electrically conductive sensor surface.

According to the invention, the controller already present on the board / electronics carrier may advantageously be connected to a specific area or a conductive sensor area on the board (preferably pure copper tracks) and, despite system separation, sits close to a wall behind which one in this case Water flow takes place, the controller itself can be used as a capacitive proximity switch and detect the presence of water flow without further hardware equipment. This feature of the controller paired with the corresponding board surface can advantageously also be used for a filling height measurement of stationary or liquid media. What is crucial in both methods is the sensitive response to altered dielectric constants near the capacitor surface.

The property according to the invention can be advantageously used to construct a system-separated sensor (preferably completely sealed to the medium / liquid). This application can, for. B. also be executed in control units or printed circuit boards of Kombidosiergeräten or other devices of household appliances to detect liquid / media presence or media flow.

In a particularly preferred development of the invention, a drying unit of the household appliance comprises the microcontroller or sensor according to the invention. In the drying according to the invention, the solution or hygroscopic liquid enriched with the absorbed water from the last drying is advantageously expelled and / or heated until advantageously the original or primary degree of filling (level or pressure measurement) is reached. Thus, the heating for expulsion according to the invention is not timed (flat rate) as, but regulated in particular by this detected level reference point. The system according to the invention can respond advantageously to differently absorbed amounts of water as needed, which is not possible in a zeolithic system according to the prior art (in the absence of affordable suitable sensors). Therefore, previous zeolitic systems are only time-controlled. For example, in the case that the last rinse and thus the drying was carried out in a household machine with partial load, then it is assumed that the volume of water removed or absorbed is smaller than the normal amount of water. Thus, according to the invention can be heated shorter than in the full load state and it is a significantly smaller energy use for the expulsion necessary.

Preferably, a storage reservoir of the hygroscopic liquid comprises a heating unit for heating the hygroscopic liquid. Hereby, a concentration or regeneration of the hygroscopic liquid is achieved after the absorption of water from the drying air to be dried. Also quite another regeneration of the hygroscopic liquid could be provided, such as by means of a centrifuge and / or a semi-permeable membrane for separating the collected water.

In an advantageous variant of the invention, at least the microcontroller with the electrically conductive sensor surface is arranged on the storage reservoir of the hygroscopic liquid and / or its container / dividing wall.

Preferably, the microcontroller according to the invention detects the fill level of the storage reservoir, thus advantageously controlling or controlling the drying and / or expulsion or concentration, in particular the heating.

The withdrawal agent or the hygroscopic liquid is used advantageously the removal of moisture from the drying air; it dries the drying air.

The primary circuit is advantageously designed to remove moisture from drying air. The drying air itself circulates advantageously in a secondary circuit. With the help of the drying air moist objects are preferably dried in the household machine. For example, in the case of a dishwasher, the wet objects are dishes to be cleaned in the dishwasher, which is dried after the cleaning program according to the invention is completed, so that the user can remove dry dishes from the appliance and either use them immediately or store them in a cupboard, for example. The drying air is passed, for example, to the moist objects or actively blown, there absorbs the moisture from these objects and can / should then be effectively regenerated if it is to be used once more for drying.

For the regeneration of the drying air this example, the moisture is removed. In addition, the drying air can also be (subsequently) heated again, as heated air can generally absorb more moisture. This heating step may, for example, then take place before the drying air is blown onto the corresponding moist objects by means of the blower. For this purpose, the secondary circuit comprises a heating device for heating the drying air.

In the primary circuit, a hygroscopic withdrawal agent or the hygroscopic liquid is stored in a storage reservoir. A fabric is then hygroscopic if it can bind moisture from the environment, e.g. B. from the surrounding air. This deprivation of moisture can be an exothermic process in which heat energy is released. In thermodynamics, one speaks of exothermic processes when there is a (by definition) negative reaction enthalpy ΔH = ΔU + W <0, where ΔH is the reaction enthalpy, ΔU is the internal energy stored in the respective substances involved and W is the work done in the process. According to the invention, the drying air must be able to come into direct contact with the hygroscopic withdrawal agent.

It is particularly advantageous in the household appliance according to the invention that the released during the exothermic removal of moisture heat energy is further used, thus enabling a higher heat utilization. The heating device for heating the drying air is designed to use this released heat.

In order for the drying air to be able to come into direct contact with the withdrawal means, it may be advantageous for the primary and secondary circuits to have a common passage, ie they are directly coupled to one another.

As withdrawal agents, various substances may be considered. In particular, for embodiments of the invention, a number of electrolyte solutions into consideration, so regularly solutions that have hygroscopic properties, with dissociated ions, such as a salt. Inter alia, for example, an aqueous lithium chloride solution as a withdrawal agent in question.

In principle, however, it is also conceivable to use other aqueous solutions, in particular aqueous salt solutions. Another possibility is, for example, to use an alcohol solution, in particular a methanol solution. The choice of withdrawal means may depend, for example, on parameters of the household appliance or on what requirements are to be directed to the corresponding drying process. Crucial for this could be z. As the choice of the boiling point of the solution, the strength of hygroscopicity, the question of whether the withdrawal agent z. B. is approved for health reasons for the appropriate application, etc. be.

If the withdrawal means has come into contact with moist drying air, that is to say if moisture has passed from the drying air to the withdrawal means, this can also be concentrated again in an advantageous manner, so that it can continue to be used for dehumidifying the drying air. Therefore, the primary circuit may comprise a device for increasing the concentration of the withdrawal agent or the hygroscopic liquid.

This device for increasing the concentration of the withdrawal means can be designed, for example, as a heater. Due to the corresponding heating, liquid which originates, inter alia, from the moist objects, can evaporate from the withdrawal means, as a result of which the concentration of the withdrawal agent can again increase. In principle, it is possible to use a separate heating device within the household appliance.

Furthermore, however, it is also possible to take advantage of the fact that other units in the household machine are already warm or have to be heated anyway. For example, the device for increasing the concentration of the withdrawal means can be coupled to the heating or heating device of the household appliance in an advantageous manner. This may have the advantage that otherwise unused waste heat is used here for the function of the household machine and thus has a positive effect on the efficiency or on the heat utilization, especially in relation to the entire household machine.

In principle, it is also possible to use the device for increasing the concentration to dissipate heat from other components and thus to provide a kind of cooling for these components. Optionally, so can be advantageously dispensed with hitherto conventional heating and / or cooling devices.

Furthermore, it is conceivable to use other devices or methods according to the invention, in particular for increasing the concentration of the withdrawal means, such as. As centrifuges, evaporation with negative pressure, etc.

With a strong concentration of the electrolyte solution or the hygroscopic liquid may optionally be realized formation of salt crystals. This can be used for example for an advantageous latent heat storage, which also serves a higher heat utilization.

Higher utilization of heat or improved efficiency can not only contribute to making a household appliance according to the invention or a drying method according to the invention or designs and developments thereof even more environmentally friendly and ecological, but also contribute to a cost reduction in the operation of the machine.

Was u. a. With the heating device advantageously vaporized liquid from the withdrawal, this vaporized liquid can be brought into an advantageous condensation unit and condensed there. Subsequently, the liquid z. B. collected or optionally passed directly to the outlet from the appliance. It can thus be prevented that the concentration of the withdrawal means decreases.

Basically, condensation heat is released during condensation. These can be used in an advantageous manner in the context of the operation of the household appliance. For this purpose, for example, corresponding heat exchangers or the like can be provided. For example, it is possible to use this heat in conjunction with a liquor and / or dishwashing device. This also allows a higher heat efficiency and a better efficiency of the machine can be achieved.

The wet objects are housed in the household machine usually in a work or loading space, for example, in a dishwasher in a work space with appropriate baskets, in a washer-dryer regularly in a corresponding storage drum. Thus, the moist objects can be dried in an advantageous manner, the working space can be integrated within the secondary circuit and flowed through by drying air in an advantageous manner.

Subsequently, the drying air laden with drying air after drying of the moist objects due to the secondary circuit, for example, via the fan immediately sucked off again so that they do not moisten the dishes again in the opposite manner. Thereafter, the moist drying air, as already described above, is regenerated and returns, for example, back to the working space, where it can dry the already partially dried objects even further, etc. Also, the moist drying air may no longer back into the workspace, but out of the household machine.

So that the drying air in the secondary circuit can absorb even more moisture, it is advantageous if it has been previously heated. Thus, it may be particularly advantageous to arrange the corresponding heating device in the secondary circuit within the common passage or in the contact space and / or between the common passage and the working space, so that the drying air as soon as possible after being heated with the objects to be dried in contact.

In principle, the household appliances in question may include, inter alia, dishwashers, laundry dryers or, for example, also combined automatic laundry dryers, so-called washer dryers or automatic washing machines. However, other household appliances come into consideration, which can use such drying operations. In the case of laundry drying or combined automatic washing and drying machines, the wet objects are usually laundry or clothing items, and in the case of dishwashers regularly corresponding to plates, pots, pans, cutlery or other dishes. Also conceivable is the use in beverage machines.

Drying air in the sense of the invention is a gas, in particular air, which is used for drying the moist objects and consequently absorbs moisture during the drying process. Before the drying process, the drying air is therefore usually relatively dry, then relatively humid.

embodiment

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and explained in more detail below.

In 1 is schematically a liquid container 1 represented, among other things, a side wall 6 or partition 6 in which a liquid of a household appliance, in particular its drying unit, is to be stored.

Outside on the side wall 6 is a circuit board 2 or electronics carrier 2 arranged. This board includes a microcontroller 3 and two sensor surfaces arranged at different heights 4 . 5 or copper tracks 4 . 5 , Hereby, according to the invention, the level or the liquid level of the memory 1 be determined. Thus, according to the invention, the heating for expelling up to this level can be controlled or controlled.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 2005/053503 A1 [0002]
• DE 102010047058 A1 [0003, 0004]
• DE 102011117734 [0005]

Claims (10)

Household machine with a liquid as a resource, wherein at least one control unit for controlling the cleaning unit and / or a resource streams and / or the liquid or liquid streams is provided, wherein the control unit at least one electronic microcontroller on an electronics carrier such as an electrical circuit board or printed circuit board (PCB), wherein a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the equipment and / or a liquid level and / or a filling level of the equipment and / or the liquid is provided in a memory, characterized in that the sensor as the microcontroller the control unit is formed, wherein the microcontroller is connected to an electrically conductive sensor surface. Domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronics carrier of the microcontroller comprises at least the electrically conductive sensor surface. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one partition wall between the microcontroller with sensor surface and the operating medium or the liquid is arranged. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by means of the partition wall, a hermetic separation of the microcontroller with sensor surface from the operating medium or from the liquid is realized. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor surface of the electronics carrier or the printed circuit board is designed as a copper track. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one drying unit comprising the electronic microcontroller is provided for drying household objects such as dishes and / or laundry. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic microcontroller and / or the electrically conductive sensor surface is arranged on a liquid storage of the drying unit. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electronic microcontroller and / or the electrically conductive sensor surface is arranged on a water reservoir for storing water for a beverage preparation of coffee and / or tea or the like. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the electronic microcontroller comprehensive control unit comprising metering device for metering detergent and / or detergent is provided. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a separate, self-sufficient electronic dosing unit for dosing detergent and / or detergent has at least the control unit comprising the electronic microcontroller.

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