EP0158547B1 - Washing machine working with variable laundry loads - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine with variable weight laundry operation.

In a washing machine, there are usually the following four main operations: soaking or prewashing, washing, rinsing, spinning. An operating cycle usually comprises three phases: a washing phase, a rinsing phase, a spinning phase. In the washing phase, the bath or washing liquid is brought to a temperature between 30 ° C and 90 ° C depending on the program chosen. In known washing machines for washing the washing liquid heating time is predetermined fixed for a given type of laundry regardless of the weight of this laundry, within the limit allowed, subject to washing. This results in poor washing or poor performance of these machines or an unnecessary extension of their operating cycle time.

In fact, in known washing machines of the type with chronometric heating, the user chooses and displays a washing time, that is to say the duration of heating of the washing liquid and stirring of the linen, during putting them into operation. In such machines, it is difficult for the manufacturer to give the user a good “temperature-time of washing liquid heating” correspondence since for a given heating time, the rise in temperature of the washing liquid from an initial temperature thereof, depends on the quantity of this liquid which in turn depends in some machines, on the weight of laundry subjected to washing. As a result, for a chosen washing time, and displayed by the user, the liquid temperature reached in these machines can be very different from the temperature desired for this washing.

A poor washing result is then recorded if this temperature is too low and a risk of deterioration of the laundry occurs if this temperature is too high.

Such a poor washing result is also recorded in washing machines equipped with a programmer described in the publication DE-A-1 410 151 which allows the user to shorten or lengthen the duration of an operation. or an operating cycle, in other words to regulate their washing time when they are switched on, or an improved programmer described in publication US-A-2 467 848 which allows the user to regulate a time of washing adapted to the nature of the laundry, for the simple reason that, in these machines, the weight of the laundry subjected to washing is ignored in the choice of washing time by the user.

In the case of known washing machines of the type with a temperature limited by thermostat, the user chooses and displays a washing time and a maximum temperature not to be exceeded when they are put into operation. To allow the washing liquid in these machines to reach the displayed temperature, the manufacturer is obliged in the predetermination of the washing time, i.e. the duration of heating of the washing liquid and stirring of the laundry, to take the in the case of a maximum permissible weight of laundry in the machine, where the quantity of washing liquid to be heated is greatest.

However, when a reduced weight of laundry is subjected to washing, the quantity of liquid introduced into the washing machine is low and the heating time of this quantity of liquid is short. As a result, in these known machines, a washing of a low weight of laundry is carried out according to a washing phase duration provided for a washing of a greater weight of laundry. In such a case, the stirring time imposed on this low weight of laundry proves to be too long in comparison with that which is normally necessary for a greater weight of laundry. A loss of time is recorded and unnecessary wear of the laundry and the machine occurs.

There are also known washing machines for laundry of the type of machines controlled by their thermostat in which the user chooses and displays only the washing temperature when they are switched on. In these known machines, the heating of the washing liquid controlled by this thermostat is maintained until the chosen and displayed temperature of the washing liquid is reached. The main drawbacks of these machines come from the fact that their means of implementation include expensive programmers, and complicated and expensive electrical circuits, comprising a micromotor and an electromagnet, or two micromotors, the first micromotor being used to drive the programmers. and stopping at a predetermined time when the heating of the washing liquid is triggered, and the second micromotor or the electromagnet being intended to restart the first micromotor at the moment when the chosen temperature of the washing liquid is reached and the heating of this liquid is interrupted by this control thermostat.

There are also known washing machines of the type comprising a control button "full load button" and "half load" that the user can engage according to a large or low weight of laundry introduced into the machine. However, this button actually gives an adjustment of the quantity of liquid to the large or low weight of laundry, only during the rinsing of the latter, by activating one or the other of the two contacts at different pressure levels of a pressure switch of a known type of water level control. In these machines the duration of the washing phase, that is to say the duration of heating of the washing liquid and stirring of the laundry is usually prefixed in an operating cycle for washing of a greater weight of laundry admitted into the machine. We therefore find in these machines the main drawbacks already mentioned in a previous paragraph.

Furthermore, US-A-2,645,032 discloses a programmer for a dryer which allows the user to adjust the drying time adjustable to the weight of the linen subjected to drying in order to obtain a desired degree of drying of this linen between a state of dry linen and a state of moist linen. Such a programmer proves to be incompatible with a washing machine for the adjustment and execution of the heating time of the washing liquid in a washing phase, because this programmer, designed for drying the laundry, would ensure in this washing machine continuous heating of the washing liquid from the start to the end of this washing phase, and the temperature of this washing liquid could exceed the permitted limit and cause damage to the laundry.

The aim of the present invention is to avoid the drawbacks of the washing machines known above, making it possible to produce an efficient and economical washing machine for laundry with variable-weight operation of laundry. In this machine, the heating time of the washing liquid, therefore the duration of the operating cycle for a washing of a given type of laundry, is adjusted by the user, to the weight of laundry introduced into the machine without compromising the quality of cleaning performed by this machine.

According to the invention, a washing machine with variable weight operation of linen, provided with a programmer with an adjustment button which places it in position at the start of a chosen operating cycle, characterized in that it comprises a means which, in cooperation with the programmer, regulates in an operating cycle both the heating time of the washing liquid and the duration of the washing of the laundry, depending on the admitted weight of laundry and for a given type of laundry, introduced in the machine, the heating of the washing liquid being accompanied by the stirring of the laundry, and in that this means comprises a mobile indicator for the weight of the laundry, a mobile indicator for the start of operating cycles and a movement transmission link produced between these two indicators ensuring that a setting of the laundry weight indicator to display a weight of laundry introduced into the machine, causes a change in the position of the beginnings of operating cycles of the laundry icicator of the start of operating cycles bringing them closer and closer to the end of these cycles for increasingly low laundry weights, these cycle starts being marks on which the button must be placed in position of the programmer.

• - la figure 1 représente une vue schématique en perspective d'une machine à laver le linge réalisée selon l'invention;
• - la figure 2 représente à une autre échelle une vue de dessus partielle et schématique du tableau de commande de la machine de la figure 1, montrant un moyen de réglage du temps de chauffage du liquide de lavage en fonction du poids de linge introduit dans la machine;
• -la figure 3 représente à une autre échelle, une vue partielle, en coupe verticale d'un indicateur mobile de poids de linge du moyen de réglage du temps de chauffage du liquide de lavage, de la figure 2;
• - la figure 4 représente une vue partielle en coupe verticale d'un programmateur et d'un indicateur de débits de cycles de fonctionnement du moyen de réglage du temps de chauffage du liquide de lavage de la figure 2;
• - la figure 5 représente une variante de réalisation du moyen de réglage du temps de chauffage du liquide de lavage de la figure 2 et;
• - la figure 6 représente un diagramme montrant des courbes de températures des quantités de liquide pour un lavage à 90°C respectivement de cinq kilogrammes d'un linge et un kilogramme du même linge en fonction du temps de chauffage dans une phase de lavage faisant partie des cycles de fonctionnement correspondants.

To better understand the invention, a number of embodiments are described below, illustrated by the appended drawings, including:

• - Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a washing machine produced according to the invention;
• - Figure 2 shows on another scale a partial and schematic top view of the control panel of the machine of Figure 1, showing a means of adjusting the heating time of the washing liquid according to the weight of laundry introduced into the machine;
• FIG. 3 represents, on another scale, a partial view, in vertical section, of a mobile indicator for the weight of laundry of the means for adjusting the heating time of the washing liquid, of FIG. 2;
• - Figure 4 shows a partial view in vertical section of a programmer and an indicator of flow rates of operating cycles of the means for adjusting the heating time of the washing liquid of Figure 2;
• - Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the means for adjusting the heating time of the washing liquid of Figure 2 and;
• - Figure 6 represents a diagram showing curves of temperatures of the quantities of liquid for a washing with 90 ° C respectively of five kilograms of a linen and a kilogram of the same linen according to the heating time in a washing phase forming part corresponding operating cycles.

A washing machine 1 produced according to the invention and illustrated schematically and partially in FIG. 1, comprises a body 2, a tank 3, a washing drum 4, and a control panel 5 comprising an electromechanical programmer of a known economic type, not shown, driven by a single micromotor. The washing machine 1 further comprises, for controlling the level of liquid admitted into the tank 3, a pressure switch and a solenoid valve for admitting liquid or water, of known type, not shown. The solenoid valve is opened by this pressure switch when the liquid or water admitted into the tank 3 is below a predetermined level and this solenoid valve is kept closed by this same pressure switch when the liquid or water admitted reaches or exceeds this level. During this feeding, it often happens that the liquid or the water admitted can reach the predetermined level but the part of the laundry in the drum 4 located above this level may not be completely moistened. In a new rotation of the drum 4, the part of the laundry which is more or less dry is immersed in the liquid or the water of the tank 3. It then absorbs liquid or water and lowers the level of the liquid or water below the predetermined level, and the pressure switch immediately opens the water intake solenoid valve to restore the level.

This process continues until the laundry is saturated with liquid or water. The quantity of liquid or water admitted into the tank 3 is thus automatically adjusted to the quantity or to the weight and to the nature of the linen introduced into the machine. The greater this quantity of water admitted into the tank 3, the longer the heating time to bring it to the temperature required to obtain a good washing of the laundry, and therefore the total duration of heating of the washing liquid and washing the laundry, in other words the washing phase, is long. Usually a cotton cloth is washed at a temperature between 70 ° C and 90 ° C, while a synthetic laundry is subjected to washing at a temperature ranging from 30 ° C to 40 ° C and in known washing machines the total adopted duration of heating of the washing liquid and stirring of the laundry is , whatever the weight of the laundry introduced into the machine, equal to that predetermined for the maximum permitted weight of laundry. The disadvantages of these known machines are already recalled in a previous paragraph. ¹

The operating cycles in a washing machine are regulated by means of a programmer.

To facilitate the user in the setting of this programmer, the beginnings of the operating cycles are usually indicated by markers in the form of numbers or letters arranged on a fixed dial mounted around the adjustment button of this programmer.

In known machines, for washing, for example, white cotton linen at 90 ° C whose operating cycle reference number is 2, the user turns the programmer adjustment knob to orient it facing the number 2 on this dial. and starts the washing machine. The operating cycle thus triggered is executed by the machine according to a program preset in the programmer regardless of the weight of this laundry which is less than the maximum admissible weight limit. During its operation the programmer rotates its adjustment button, and towards the end of the operations brings this button back to the zero of this dial, which is the end point of all the machine operating cycles.

The programmer dial being fixed, the non-adjustable durations of machine operating cycles are therefore invariable and in these operating cycles the respective washing liquid heating times are also invariable regardless of the weight of laundry introduced. The disadvantages of these are already recalled in previous paragraphs.

In the washing machine 1 produced according to the invention, these drawbacks are avoided.

In fact, the washing machine 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises in its control panel 5 a means 6 which regulates the heating time of the washing liquid, as a function of the admitted weight of linen introduced into the machine. This means 6 associated with an economic programmer of known type allows in a washing machine to give the user a great facility for adjusting the heating time of the washing liquid and at the same time the duration of the operating cycle in depending on the allowed weight of laundry to be washed.

According to an important characteristic, the means 6 comprises a mobile indicator for the weight of laundry 7, a mobile indicator for the start of operating cycles 8 and a movement transmission link produced between these indicators.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the mobile laundry weight indicator 7 and the indicator for the start of operating cycles 8 are connected together by a movement transmission belt 9. The laundry weight indicator 7 comprises (FIG. 3) a disc 10 carried, movable in rotation in both directions, by a shaft 11 provided with a button 12 allowing an adjustment in position of this disc 10 relative to a mark 13 marked on the edge of an opening 14 glazed or not formed in the control panel 5. This opening 14 reveals or makes visible at least part of the surface of the disc 10. On the surface of the disc 10 are written the numbers corresponding to the respective weights in kilograms of laundry that can be fed into the machine. In the example illustrated, the machine 1 washing a maximum weight of five kilograms of laundry, the numbers written on the disc 10 are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 arranged in an ascending order clockwise . In the hub of the disc 10 is formed, perpendicular to its axis of rotation 15, a circular groove 16 intended to receive the transmission belt 9. The indicator for the start of operating cycles 8 comprises a crown 17 carried, movable in rotation in both directions, by a tubular support 18 mounted concentrically around the shaft 19 of an electromechanical programmer of known type not shown. The position adjustment button 20 of this programmer, bearing a mark 21, is fixed on this shaft 19. The movable crown 17 which is visible through an opening provided with a window 23, of the control panel 5, bears on its surface at least the figures representing the beginnings of the machine's operating cycles for washing of different types of laundry at different temperatures of washing liquid. In the example illustrated, the movable crown 17 bears the numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 respectively indicating the beginnings of the operating cycles for white cotton washed at 90 ° C, natural fibers washed at 70 ° C , colored cotton washed at 60 ° C, synthetic fibers washed at 50 ° C, synthetic fibers washed at 40 ° C and artificial fibers washed at 30 ° C after a possible prewash or soaking. The numbers 8 to 12 representing the start of the rinsing, spinning and draining phases, the number 1 representing the start of prewash or soak and the number 0 indicating the end point of the operating cycles are preferably marked on the part fixed on the control panel 5 or on the window 23 closing the opening 22, surrounding the button 20 of the programmer.

In the example illustrated, the numbers 2 to 7 written in increasing order in a clockwise direction on the movable crown 17 and visible through the window 23 are located between the numbers 1 and 8 marked on this window 23. The movable crown 17 and the window 23 thus constitute a dial for adjusting the programmer. The crown 17 is provided in its lateral surface, perpendicular to its axis of rotation 24, with a circular groove 25 intended to receive the movement transmission belt 9 which connects it to the disc 10 of the laundry weight indicator 7 of so that when the disc 10 is turned in the direction clockwise, the crown 17 also rotates in the same direction.

In a use of the washing machine 1, when five kilograms of white cotton laundry to be washed at 90 ° C. are for example introduced into the drum 4, the laundry weight indicator 7 is adjusted using its button 12 so that the number 5 on its disc 10 is placed opposite the reference 13. The rotation of the laundry weight indicator 7 causes that of the indicator for the start of operating cycles 8. When the number 5 on the disc 10 is located opposite the reference 13, the number 2 on the crown 17 visible through the window 23 occupies a position A (FIG. 2) which is located near the number 1 on the programmer adjustment dial. Before starting the machine 1, the programmer button 20 is put into position by rotation around its axis until its mark 21 is opposite this number 2 on the crown 17.

The button 20 thus starts from the position A of the number 2 and goes almost entirely around the programmer dial to end the operating cycle at 0 of this dial. When it is a kilogram of white cotton laundry to be washed at 90 ° C which is introduced into the drum, the disc 10 of the laundry weight indicator 7 is then turned clockwise. to bring the number 1 in front of the reference 13. This rotation of the disc 10 of the laundry weight indicator 7 also causes the crown 17 to rotate in the same direction. The number 2 of this crown 17 then moves away from the number 1 of the programmer adjustment dial and occupies a position B. Before starting the washing machine 1, the button 20 of the programmer is put in position so that its mark 21 is opposite the number 2 in its position B. The button 20 starts in this case from the position B of the number 2 and makes approximately three quarters of the programmer dial to complete the operating cycle at 0 of this dial. The duration of this cycle for washing one kilogram of laundry is therefore shorter than that of the above operating cycle for washing five kilograms of laundry. This difference in duration of these two cycles is reflected in the washing machine 1 by the difference in time spent heating the washing liquid, the amount of which is in fact large for five kilograms of laundry and small for one kilogram of laundry. The diagram shown in Figure 6 illustrates this difference. Curve 26 is a temperature curve of the quantity of washing liquid for five kilograms of laundry as a function of the heating time in a washing phase of the selected operating cycle, and curve 27 is a temperature curve of the quantity of washing liquid for one kilogram of laundry as a function of the heating time in a washing phase of the adopted operating cycle. The two curves 26, 27 are plotted on the same coordinate axes, the abscissa axis representing time and the ordinate axis, the temperatures in degrees centigrade. On the x-axis, 0-t _o represents the prewash or soak phase, t _o , t ₁ , T ,, T ₃ or T ₄ -t ₆ indicate the washing phases respectively for five, four, three, two and one kilogram of laundry in which t _o , t ,, t ₂ , t ₃ or t ₄ -t ₅ are the respective durations of heating the washing liquid, accompanied by stirring and t ₅ -t ₆ the stirring time after heating , t _s -t, represents the rinsing phase, and t ₇ -t ₈ indicates the spin phase. In the example illustrated and described, a display of the weight of five kilograms of laundry to be washed at 90 ° C. by the laundry weight indicator 7 results (FIG. 2) in positioning in position A at the start of the operating cycle represented by the number 2 on which is brought the reference 21 of the button 20 of the programmer. Position A of the number 2 on the programmer adjustment dial corresponds to that of t _o on the abscissa axis of curve 26 and the corresponding operating cycle to wash these five kilograms of laundry is t _o -tg in which the time for heating the washing liquid is t _o -t ₅ .

A display of the weight of one kilogram of laundry to be washed at 90 ° C by the laundry weight indicator 7 causes the digit 2 to be positioned at B, on which the mark 21 of the programmer button 20 is returned. This position at B of the number 2 corresponds to that of t ₄ on the abscissa axis of curve 27.

The corresponding operating cycle for washing this kilogram of laundry is t _4- t _e in which the heating time of the washing liquid is t ₄ -t ₅ . The difference in the washing liquid heating times in these two respective washes of five and one kilograms of laundry is represented on the x-axis of curves 26 and 27, by t _o -t ₄ which is in practice appreciable, greater about twenty minutes. This time difference t _o -t ₄ is also the difference in duration of the operating cycles t _o -t _e and t ₄ -t ₈ .

The means 6 comprising a mobile indicator for the weight of laundry 7 and a mobile indicator for the start of the operating cycle 8, which contributes to the adjustment of the programmer of the machine 1, is therefore a means made available to the user for adjust the heating time of the washing liquid according to the weight of the laundry introduced into this machine. A setting of the laundry weight indicator 7 to display a weight of laundry fed into the machine, changes the position of the start of the operating cycle of the start of the operating cycle indicator 8 to bring them closer together. in addition to the end of cycles for increasingly low laundry weights, these cycle starts being marks on which the button 20 of the programmer must be placed in position. This adjustment by the user of the heating time of the washing liquid by the means 6, on the other hand does not result in either a modification of the brewing time, that of rinsing and spinning of the laundry, and does not compromise the quality of washing of this laundry by the machine 1. Adjusting the heating time of the washing liquid for the weight of the laundry also saves energy, eliminates the unnecessary time which lengthens the washing phase and consequently the duration of the operating cycle, and which causes premature wear of the machine 1.

In an alternative embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the means 6 regulating the heating time of the washing liquid as a function of the admitted weight of laundry introduced into the machine comprises a movable indicator for the start of operating cycles 28 having a structure similar to that of the indicator 8 of the first example illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 and provided with a crown 30 carrying at least figures corresponding to these beginnings, for example figures 2 to 7, and a mobile indicator of the weight of laundry 29 constituted by a crown 31 mounted free in rotation around the indicator for the start of cycles 8 and mechanically connected to the crown 30 of the latter by a known means of movement transmission, not shown. The crown 31 of the laundry weight indicator bears on its surface the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 respectively representing the weights of one to five kilograms of laundry, and arranged in an ascending order in the direction of the needles d 'a watch. A mark 32 is marked on the window 33 for adjusting the position of the indicator 29.

To wash for example five kilograms of cotton linen at 90 ° C, the number 5 of the indicator 29 is brought back to the mark 32 by rotation of the crown 31 which drives the crown 30 of the indicator 28 in the same direction of rotation and puts the number 2 thereof in position C. The programmer button 34 is then adjusted so that its mark 35 is opposite the number 2 in position C of the crown 30 of the indicator 28.

In the case of a washing of one kilogram of cotton linen at 90 ° C, the number 1 of the indicator 29 is placed opposite the mark 32 and the mark 35 of the programmer button 34 is brought back to the position D of the number 2.

The means 6 in its variant illustrated in FIG. 5, thus gives the same results as those obtained from the means 6 of the first example shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

Claims (4)

1. A washing machine operating at variable laundry weight and provided with a programming device having a control knob (20) able to put the programming device in the starting position of a given operating cycle, characterized in that it comprises a means (6) which, in cooperation with the programming device, adjusts in an operating cycle the heating-up time of the washing liquid as well as the laundry mashing duration in accordance with the allowed laundry weight and with a given kind of laundry introduced into the machine, the heating-up of the washing liquid being accompanied by the mashing of the laudry, and that this means (6) includes a movable laundry weight indicator (7), a movable indicator for indicating the start instants of the operating cycles (8) and a movement transmission link (9) between these two indicators, ensuring that an adjustment of the laundry weight indicator (7) for fixing a weight of laundry fed into the machine causes the position of the operating cycle start instants of the corresponding indicator (8) to be modified by approaching these start instants towards the ends of these cycles for lower laundry weights, these start instants of cycles being marks on which the knob (20) of the programming device should be positioned.

2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the laundry weight indicator (7) of the means (6) includes a disk (10) having on its surface numerals corresponding respectively to the weight in kilograms of allowed laundry introduced into the machine, this disk being supported by a shaft (11) allowing free rotation in both directions, and being surmounted by a position adjusting knob (12), the hub of the disk (10) being provided with a circular groove (16) perpendicularly to its axis of rotation (15), this groove being conceived to receive a movement transmitting belt (9) by which it is connected to the indicator relating to the start instants of the operating cycle (8), and that the indicator relating to the start instants of the operating cycle (8) of the means (6) comprises a crown (17) bearing on its surface numerals corresponding at least to the start instants of the operating cycles, this crown being supported by a tubular support (18) while being free in rotation in both directions, and being mounted concentrically to the shaft (19) of a programming device and to its position adjusting knob (20), and being provided with a circular groove (25) perpendicularly to its axis of rotation (24), conceived to receive a movement transmitting belt (9) by which it is coupled to the laundry weight indicator (7).

3. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that in the means (6) which adjusts in an operating cycle and for a given kind of laundry the heating-up period of the washing liquid accompanied by the mashing of the laundry in accordance with the allowed weight of laundry introduced into the machine, the numerals of the weight indicator (7) and of the indicator relating to the start instants of the operating cycles (8) are rendered visible from the outside through a window (14, 23) obturating an opening (14, 22).

4. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that in the means (6) the indicator relating to the start instants of the operating cycle (8) is constituted by a crown (30) bearing numerals corresponding at least to the start instants of the operating cycles and mounted concentrically to the knob (34) for adjusting the position of the programming device, whereas the laundry weight indicator (29) is constituted by a crown (31) bearing numerals corresponding to the allowed weight of laundry introduced into the machine, mounted concentrically about the indicator relating to the start instants of the operating cycles (28) and connected to the crown (30) of the latter by a movement transmission means.

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