DE102015204392B4 - Household appliance for treating laundry - Google Patents

Abstract

Domestic appliance (1) for treating laundry, in particular a washing machine, comprising a support structure (2), a tub (5) suspended on the support structure (2), in which a laundry drum is rotatably arranged, and at least one measuring device (7) for detecting a Position of the tub (5) relative to the supporting structure (2), characterized in that the measuring device (7) has at least one at least partially electrically conductive spring element (4, 10), via which the tub (5) is mechanically connected to the supporting structure (2). is connected, and has at least one electronic unit (9, 12) which is electrically connected to the spring element (4, 10) and is set up to determine an inductance of the spring element (4, 10).

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance for treating laundry, in particular a washing machine, having a support structure, a tub suspended on the support structure, in which a laundry drum is rotatably arranged, and at least one measuring device for detecting a position of the tub relative to the support structure.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for detecting a position of a tub of a household appliance for treating laundry, in particular a washing machine, relative to a support structure of the household appliance, on which the tub is suspended, a laundry drum being rotatably arranged in the tub.

EP 1 502 983 A1 discloses a washing machine with a supporting structure designed as a housing, and a tub suspended from the supporting structure, in which a laundry drum is rotatably arranged. Furthermore, the washing machine includes a measuring device for detecting a weight-related lowering of the tub relative to the supporting structure in order to determine the weight of a laundry present in the laundry drum. The tub is suspended from the support structure in an upper area of the washing machine via tension springs and is supported in a lower area of the washing machine via shock absorbers.

DE 10 2009 028 772 A1 discloses a water-conducting household appliance with a housing, a container suspended therein, at least one damper and a deflection sensor which detects the deflection of the damper.

DE 20 2008 014 153 U1 discloses a washing machine with a support structure in which a washing chamber is suspended and in which a measuring device comprising a magnetic part is attached, the position of the washing chamber in the support structure being able to be detected with the measuring device.

EP 2 319 972 A1 discloses a household appliance for treating laundry comprising an oscillating system elastically mounted in a housing with a damping system, the damping system comprising a pair of telescopic elements whose ends connect the oscillating system to the housing. The household appliance further includes an electronic detection module for detecting an oscillation frequency and the relative displacement dependent thereon.

JP H05 - 84 382 A discloses another washing machine with a machine frame, an outer container suspended therein and a suspension arranged on the machine frame and comprising an inductive spring sensor.

The object of the invention is to create a largely wear-free, space-saving and cost-effective option for detecting a position of a tub of a household appliance for treating laundry relative to a supporting structure of the household appliance.

This task is solved by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in particular in the dependent claims, which can each represent an aspect of the invention taken alone or in various combinations with one another.

The household appliance according to the invention for treating laundry, in particular a washing machine, comprises a support structure, a tub suspended on the support structure, in which a laundry drum is rotatably arranged, and at least one measuring device for detecting a position of the tub relative to the support structure, the measuring device being at least one partially electrically conductive spring element, via which the tub is mechanically connected to the support structure, and at least one electronic unit electrically connected to the spring element, which is set up to determine an inductance of the spring element.

According to the invention, instead of a complex and expansive measuring device, such as that used for example EP 1 502 983 A1 It is proposed to use a mechanically simple and therefore space-saving measuring device, the mechanical measuring component of which can be formed by a single spring element. In contrast to this, the measuring device comprises according to EP 1 502 983 A1 a variety of mechanical components. The reduction of mechanical measuring components according to the invention is compared to the measuring device EP 1 502 983 A1 with a reduction in wear on the measuring device according to the invention and with a reduction in component costs. As a result, the maintenance and repair effort associated with operating the household appliance according to the invention and thus the costs of operation are significantly reduced.

The measuring device according to the invention exploits the fact that the inductance of the spring element, which forms a helical spring, for example, increases with increasing length Spring element decreases and increases as the length of the spring element decreases. The further the spring element is deflected, the smaller its inductance becomes, and vice versa. This makes it possible to draw conclusions from the measured inductance of the spring element about its respective deflection. The respective deflection of the spring element in turn allows a conclusion to be drawn about the respective relative position between the tub and the supporting structure. The respective relative position between the tub and the supporting structure can thus be detected via the respective inductance of the spring element.

The supporting structure can be designed as a housing. Alternatively, the supporting structure can be formed by a structure made of profile elements, which is surrounded by a housing. The tub can be suspended from the supporting structure using tension springs. Furthermore, the tub can be supported from below via shock absorbers.

The spring element of the measuring device can be partially or completely electrically conductive made of a metal. For example, it can be designed with a constant cross-section, bulbous or conical. The spring element can be arranged in an upper area, in a side area or in a lower area of the household appliance. The measuring device can also have two or more corresponding spring elements.

The electronic unit can be connected to the spring element via electrical lines. It can be designed separately or integrated into the main electronics of the household appliance. The electronic unit can have a microprocessor with which an algorithm can be executed, which enables the above-described detection of the respective relative position between the tub and the supporting structure from the respective determined inductance of the spring element. In the event that the measuring device has two or more spring elements, the measuring device can have its own electronics unit for each spring element or a common electronics unit for at least two spring elements. The former is accompanied by a cost saving compared to the latter.

The household appliance can also have two or more corresponding measuring devices. It can be designed, for example, as a washing machine or washer-dryer.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the tub is suspended from the support structure via the spring element. According to this, for example, an existing tension spring used to hang the tub on the support structure can be used to form the measuring device. This saves the arrangement of an additional spring element and is therefore accompanied by cost savings. Alternatively, the spring element can be provided in addition to existing suspension means.

• - aus der Induktivität des Federelementes ein Gewicht einer in die Wäschetrommel eingefüllten Wäsche zu ermitteln,
• - aus der Induktivität des Federelementes ein Gewicht einer in den Laugenbehälter eingeleiteten Flüssigkeitsmenge zu ermitteln,
• - aus der Induktivität des Federelementes eine Restfeuchte der in die Wäschetrommel eingefüllten Wäsche zu ermitteln, und/oder
• - aus der Induktivität des Federelementes eine Unwucht einer aus dem Laugenbehälter, der Wäschetrommel und der in der Wäschetrommel befindlichen Wäsche gebildeten Anordnung zu ermitteln.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the electronics unit is set up

• - to determine the weight of laundry filled into the laundry drum from the inductance of the spring element,
• - to determine a weight of a quantity of liquid introduced into the tub from the inductance of the spring element,
• - to determine the residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum from the inductance of the spring element, and/or
• - to determine an unbalance of an arrangement formed by the tub, the laundry drum and the laundry located in the laundry drum from the inductance of the spring element.

When the laundry drum is loaded with laundry to be treated, the laundry drum is lowered together with the tub due to the weight. The spring element is deflected here. The spring element is preferably arranged in an upper region or a lower region of the household appliance, since the deflection of the spring element is then greater than in the case of an arrangement of the spring element in a side region of the household appliance. A corresponding, more extensive deflection of the spring element is accompanied by a less fault-prone design of the measuring device. From the deflection of the spring element or the resulting inductance of the spring element, the weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum can be clearly deduced. Even in the event that laundry is later added to the laundry drum that is already loaded with laundry, the measuring device can be used to clearly determine the weight of the total laundry in the laundry drum. The same applies to the determination of the weight of the amount of liquid introduced into the tub from the respectively determined inductance of the spring element, since the introduction of the liquid also lowers the weight of the tub. To determine the residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum from the respectively determined inductance of the spring element, the electronic unit can, for example, compare the currently determined weight of the load of the laundry drum a weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum that is determined before the liquid is introduced into the tub. For this purpose, the weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum can be stored, for example, in a storage unit of the electronics unit. In order to determine the unbalance of the tub from the inductance of the spring element, the electronic unit can be set up to compare the respectively determined inductance of the spring element during a rotation of the laundry drum with a predetermined maximum limit value and, if the maximum unbalance limit value is repeatedly exceeded, to indicate the presence of a critical unbalance close.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the electronic unit is set up to correspond to the respectively determined weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum, the respectively determined weight of the amount of liquid introduced into the tub, the respectively determined residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum and/or the to generate a signal assigned to the respectively determined unbalance of the arrangement formed by the tub, the laundry drum and the laundry located in the laundry drum and to control a signaling unit of the household appliance depending on the respective generated signal and / or to operate the household appliance depending on the respective generated signal. For example, the electronic unit can control the signaling unit depending on the signal assigned to the respective determined weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum to reproduce or change an optical and/or acoustic signal when the respective determined weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum reaches a predetermined maximum limit value to prevent further loading of the laundry drum.

Furthermore, the electronic unit can operate the household appliance depending on the signal assigned to the respective determined weight of the amount of liquid introduced into the tub in such a way that introduction of liquid into the tub is stopped when the respective determined weight of the amount of liquid introduced into the tub reaches a predetermined maximum Limit reached. In particular, the predetermined maximum limit value can be varied depending on the respective determined weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum, in order, for example, not to introduce an unnecessary amount of liquid into the tub when the laundry drum is lightly loaded, which is accompanied by a reduction in liquid consumption. The electronic unit can operate the household appliance depending on the respective determined residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum or the associated signal in such a way that, for example, a drying program is adapted to the respective residual moisture of the laundry, so that, for example, a heating output of the household appliance for heating drying air is reduced can be. The electronic unit can operate the household appliance depending on the signal assigned to the respectively determined unbalance of the arrangement formed by the tub, the laundry drum and the laundry located in the laundry drum in such a way that the operation of the household appliance is stopped when the respective determined unbalance of the tub exceeds a predetermined level exceeds the maximum limit. Alternatively, for example, a program can be started in which a redistribution of the laundry in the laundry drum is possible in order to reduce or eliminate the imbalance.

It is furthermore advantageous if the spring element is at least partially designed in the manner of a coil spring. As a result, the spring element can form a solenoid coil whose inductance can be detected.

According to the method according to the invention for detecting a position of a tub of a household appliance for treating laundry, in particular a washing machine, relative to a support structure of the household appliance on which the tub is suspended, a laundry drum being rotatably arranged in the tub, an inductance of at least detected by an at least partially electrically conductive spring element, via which the tub is mechanically connected to the supporting structure.

The advantages mentioned above with regard to the household appliance are associated with the process. The spring element can be an existing tension spring of the household appliance or an additional spring element.

According to an advantageous embodiment, a spring element is used as the spring element, via which the tub is suspended from the support structure. This design is associated with the advantages mentioned above with reference to the corresponding design of the household appliance.

• - aus der Induktivität des Federelementes ein Gewicht einer in die Wäschetrommel eingefüllten Wäsche ermittelt,
• - aus der Induktivität des Federelementes ein Gewicht einer in den Laugenbehälter eingeleiteten Flüssigkeitsmenge ermittelt,
• - aus der Induktivität des Federelementes eine Restfeuchte der in die Wäschetrommel eingefüllten Wäsche ermittelt, und/oder
• - aus der Induktivität des Federelementes eine Unwucht einer aus dem Laugenbehälter, der Wäschetrommel und der in der Wäschetrommel befindlichen Wäsche gebildeten Anordnung ermittelt.

According to a further advantageous embodiment

• - a weight of laundry filled into the laundry drum is determined from the inductance of the spring element,
• - a weight of a quantity of liquid introduced into the tub is determined from the inductance of the spring element,
• - a residual moisture content of the laundry filled into the laundry drum is determined from the inductance of the spring element, and/or
• - an unbalance of an arrangement formed by the tub, the laundry drum and the laundry located in the laundry drum is determined from the inductance of the spring element.

This design is associated with the advantages mentioned above with reference to the corresponding design of the household appliance.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the respective determined weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum, the respective determined weight of the amount of liquid introduced into the tub, the respective determined residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum and / or the respective determined unbalance of the the signal associated with the tub, the laundry drum and the arrangement formed in the laundry drum is generated and that a signaling unit of the household appliance is controlled depending on the signal generated in each case and / or the household appliance is operated depending on the signal generated in each case. This design is associated with the advantages mentioned above with reference to the corresponding design of the household appliance.

The invention is not limited to the specified combination of the features of the independent claims and the dependent claims. There are also further possibilities for combining individual features with one another, especially if they result from the claims, the following description of the exemplary embodiment or directly from the figure. Furthermore, the reference of the claims to the figure through the use of reference numerals is in no way intended to limit the scope of the claims to the illustrated embodiment.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels für ein erfindungsgemäßes Hausgerät.

In the following, the invention will be explained by way of example with reference to the attached figure using a preferred embodiment, whereby the features shown below can represent an aspect of the invention both individually and in different combinations with one another. It shows:

• 1 a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention.

1 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a household appliance 1 according to the invention for treating laundry in the form of a washing machine.

The household appliance 1 includes a supporting structure 2 in the form of a housing. Furthermore, the household appliance 1 comprises a tub 5 which is suspended from the supporting structure 2 via two tension springs 3 and 4 designed as coil springs and in which a laundry drum, not shown, is rotatably arranged. The tub 5 is supported from below by two shock absorbers 6 relative to the supporting structure 2.

In addition, the household appliance 1 includes a measuring device 7 for detecting a position of the tub 5 relative to the supporting structure 2, wherein in 1 two alternative embodiments of the measuring device 7 are shown.

In one alternative embodiment, the measuring device 7 comprises an at least partially electrically conductive and coil spring-like spring element 4, which is formed by the already existing cylindrical coil-shaped tension spring 4. The tub 5 is thus mechanically connected to the supporting structure 2 via the spring element 4. The measuring device 7 also includes an electronics unit 9 which is electrically connected to the spring element 4 via electrical connecting lines 8 and is set up to determine an inductance of the spring element 4.

In the other alternative embodiment, the measuring device 7 comprises a spring element 10 which is at least partially electrically conductive and designed in the manner of a helical spring, via which the tub 5 is mechanically connected to the supporting structure 2. The measuring device 7 also includes an electronic unit 12, which is electrically connected to the spring element 10 via electrical connecting lines 11 and is set up to determine an inductance of the spring element 10. The spring element 10 is arranged in an upper region of the household appliance 1.

Each of the electronic units 9 and 12 is set up to determine a weight of laundry filled into the laundry drum from the inductance of the spring element 4 or 10, to determine a weight of a quantity of liquid introduced into the tub 5, a residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum and /or an imbalance in one of the tub 5, the laundry drum and the one in the laundry drum to determine the arrangement formed by the laundry.

Furthermore, each of the electronic units 9 and 12 is set up to correspond to the respectively determined weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum, the respectively determined weight of the amount of liquid introduced into the tub 5, the respective determined residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum and/or the respective to generate the signal assigned to the determined unbalance of the arrangement formed by the tub 5, the laundry drum and the laundry located in the laundry drum and to control a signaling unit, not shown, of the household appliance 1 depending on the signal generated in each case and / or the household appliance 1 depending on the signal generated in each case to operate.

List of reference symbols:

1

household appliance

2

Supporting structure

3

Tension spring

4

Spring element

5

Lye container

6

Shock absorber

7

Measuring device

8th

connecting line

9

Electronics unit

10

Spring element

11

connecting line

12

Electronics unit

Claims (9)

Domestic appliance (1) for treating laundry, in particular a washing machine, comprising a support structure (2), a tub (5) suspended on the support structure (2), in which a laundry drum is rotatably arranged, and at least one measuring device (7) for detecting a Position of the tub (5) relative to the supporting structure (2), characterized in that the measuring device (7) has at least one at least partially electrically conductive spring element (4, 10), via which the tub (5) is mechanically connected to the supporting structure (2). is connected, and has at least one electronic unit (9, 12) which is electrically connected to the spring element (4, 10) and is set up to determine an inductance of the spring element (4, 10). household appliance (1). Claim 1 , characterized in that the tub (5) is suspended from the support structure (2) via the spring element (4, 10). household appliance (1). Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the electronic unit (9, 12) is set up to - determine a weight of laundry filled into the laundry drum from the inductance of the spring element (4, 10), - a weight from the inductance of the spring element (4, 10). to determine an amount of liquid introduced into the tub (5), - to determine a residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum from the inductance of the spring element (4, 10), and / or - to determine an imbalance from the inductance of the spring element (4, 10). to determine an arrangement formed by the tub (5), the laundry drum and the laundry in the laundry drum. household appliance (1). Claim 3 , characterized in that the electronic unit (9, 12) is set up to correspond to the respectively determined weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum, the respectively determined weight of the amount of liquid introduced into the tub (5), the respective determined residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum Laundry and / or the respective determined unbalance of the arrangement formed by the tub (5), the laundry drum and the laundry located in the laundry drum to generate a signal and to control a signaling unit of the household appliance (1) depending on the signal generated in each case and / or that To operate the household appliance (1) depending on the signal generated in each case. Home appliance according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the spring element (4, 10) is at least partially designed in the manner of a coil spring. Method for detecting a position of a tub (5) of a household appliance (1) for treating laundry, in particular a washing machine, relative to a support structure (2) of the household appliance, on which the tub (5) is suspended, wherein in the tub (5 ) a laundry drum is rotatably arranged, characterized in that an inductance is detected by at least one at least partially electrically conductive spring element (4, 10), via which the tub (5) is mechanically connected to the supporting structure (2). Procedure according to Claim 6 , characterized in that a spring element (4, 10) is used as the spring element (4, 10), via which the tub (5) is suspended from the supporting structure (2). Procedure according to Claim 6 or 7 , characterized in that - a weight of a laundry filled into the laundry drum is determined from the inductance of the spring element (4, 10), - a weight of a quantity of liquid introduced into the tub (5) is determined from the inductance of the spring element (4, 10). - from the inductance of the spring element (4, 10) a residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum is determined, and / or - from the inductance of the spring element (4, 10) an imbalance from the tub (5), the laundry drum and the arrangement formed by the laundry in the laundry drum. Procedure according to Claim 8 , characterized in that the respective determined weight of the laundry filled into the laundry drum, the respective determined weight of the amount of liquid introduced into the tub (5), the respective determined residual moisture of the laundry filled into the laundry drum and / or the respective determined unbalance of the the signal associated with the tub (5), the laundry drum and the arrangement formed in the laundry drum is generated and that a signaling unit of the household appliance (1) is controlled depending on the respectively generated signal and / or the household appliance (1) depending on the respective generated signal is operated.

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