EP0191729A2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The washing machine functions according to a new principle and contains the washable items, particularly washable textiles, in stacked layers in a mesh cage which is fixed in position at a drum rotatably mounted in a casing. Wash water as well as drying air flows through the preferably stationary or slowly rotating drum containing the washable items, is pumped off at an outlet of the casing, and returns again by way of a recirculation pipe to an inlet of the casing. Intermittent rotation of the drum, for example, by 180 DEG , is also possible. In this manner, the wash water or drying air passes through the washable items first from one side and then from the opposite side. All switching procedures are electronically controlled according to a preselected program schedule. The washable items no longer can be damaged by catching on the drum, the wash cycle is more effective and thus shorter than before, and electric energy and chemicals are saved.

Description

The invention relates to an automatic washing machine, in particular for washable textiles, which is set up for carrying out at least one cleaning and one rinsing process and, if appropriate, one spinning and one drying process, with a drum rotatably arranged in a housing for receiving the laundry, which with the circumferentially distributed openings are provided for the inflow and outflow of the washing water, to which a detergent is added during the cleaning process.

The washing machines currently customary mostly have a lying washing drum which rotates periodically first in one direction and then in the other, the laundry being drawn through the water in the drum. As a result, it is heavily tumbled and even rolled up into lumps. It rubs off the holes in the washing drum, especially if it is embroidered, and if these are also sharp-edged, cracks or even holes in the laundry can easily occur. So-called gentle gears with slower rotary movements were therefore introduced, but the risk of clumping and chafing remains. Occasionally, in order to compensate for the slower movement, the detergents are added in larger quantities or those with a higher concentration, but the laundry is thereby attacked to an increased extent and the environment is polluted even more with the waste water.

The invention has for its object to provide an automatic washing machine in which the laundry is no longer damaged on the drum wall and which is also suitable for other laundry.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

The automatic washing machine according to the invention allows a new, improved washing process to be carried out by holding the laundry in the drum during the entire cleaning and rinsing process, which washing water flows through continuously during the cleaning and rinsing process. A clumping of the laundry is prevented, which is now cleaned more uniformly and therefore more quickly, as a result of which less detergent is required and the time for the entire washing process and the energy requirement or expenditure are reduced. Furthermore, abrasion of the laundry is avoided, which enables cleaning delicate and even fragile laundry. If the drum during the cleaning and / or rinsing process from time to time turned by 180 to ^0, the wash water meets once from one and the next time from the other side onto the laundry, which also improves the cleaning and rinsing process and abbreviates. Where permitted, a spinning and / or drying process can end the washing process, for which all switching and dosing processes can be controlled electronically and set using a selectable time program.

• Fig. 1 den schematischen Aufbau eines Waschautomaten;
• Fig. 2 einen Gitterkorb für die Aufnahme des Waschgutes;
• Fig. 3 eine Trommel mit Antrieb.

In the accompanying drawing, an embodiment of the invention is shown with details. Show it:

• 1 shows the schematic structure of an automatic washing machine;
• Figure 2 is a mesh basket for receiving the laundry.
• Fig. 3 is a drum with a drive.

1 it is anticipated that individual auxiliary devices and most of the lines for the sake of clarity are shown outside the jacket surrounding the machine, while in fact everything is combined to form a compact unit. Furthermore, valves are arranged in practically all lines, which are not shown for the same reason as before.

In the roller-shaped drum 1, the grid basket 2 is inserted and conveniently fastened therein. The lattice basket is divided by lattice walls 3 in such a way that layers 4, which are filled with laundry in the drawing and parallel to the (not shown) axis of rotation of the drum, between which a laundry-free space 5 is left out, as can be seen more clearly from FIG. 2. The axis of rotation can be arranged horizontally or vertically and thus the drum with the mesh basket lying or standing.

The drum 1 with the mesh basket 2 is surrounded by the water-tight and airtight housing 6, which has the inlet 7 and the outlet 8. The space 9 between the drum 1 and the housing 6 is divided by the walls 10. The entire washing machine is covered with the jacket 11.

The recirculation line 12 extends from the outlet 8 to the inlet 7 of the housing 6, into which the pump 13 and the additional heating device 14, e.g. an electrically or gas-heated heat exchanger are switched on. As a further heating option, the heating device 15 is built into the housing of the pump 13, preferably around its flow channel, in the form of a heating coil or heating elements, which can likewise be heated with gas or electrically. The outlet line 16 branches off from the recirculation line 12 and is equipped with the outlet valve 17 and a coarse filter 18 connected upstream of this valve.

In the corners between the housing 6 and the jacket 11 there is enough space to accommodate all auxiliary devices. The heat exchanger 19, which also has the function of a boiler and is therefore additionally electrically or gas-heated, is flowed through on the one hand by wastewater which flows out of the housing 6 through line 20, and on the other hand by fresh water which flows in through line 21.

The line 22 branches off from the fresh water line 21 and leads to the containers 23, 24, 25 for powdered detergent. A container 26 for liquid detergent can optionally or additionally be provided.

The heat exchanger 27 is flowed through on the one hand by the exhaust air, which emerges from the housing 6 as a partial flow or as a whole air flow into the surrounding atmosphere, as the arrows 28 illustrate, on the other hand by fresh air as a replacement for the exhaust air, which flows in through the line 29 and via the Line 30 opens into the recirculation line 12.

2 shows the empty lattice basket 2. The mutually parallel layers 4 formed by the grid walls 3 for the items to be washed with the spaces 5 free of items to be washed in between are clearly visible. Depending on the items to be washed, the wire mesh baskets have more or fewer wire mesh walls and, optionally, no laundry-free spaces. The laundry is filled (in the drawing) from above, which can take place both in the assembled state inside the drum 1 and outside the washing machine.

Fig. 3 shows the drum 1, which is provided with openings 31 distributed over the circumference for the inlet and outlet of the washing water.

As already described with reference to FIG. 1, the mesh basket 2 can be inserted into the drum and fastened in it in rotation. The floating shaft stub 32, on which the paddle wheel 33 is seated, is connected to the drum 1. Instead of the paddle wheel, deflection blades attached directly to the drum can also be provided. The initiation of the rotary motion is explained below. Of course, depending on the design of the washing machine, the drum 1 can be supported on both sides.

• Nach dem Füllen des Gitterkorbes 2 mit dem Waschgut wird zum Vorwaschen Frischwasser durch die Leitung 21 über den Wärmetauscher 19 in das Gehäuse 6 eingefüllt, bis die vorgesehene Niveauhöhe erreicht ist und ein (nicht gezeichneter) Niveauregler die Zuführ von Frischwasser abstellt. Der Wärmetauscher bleibt mit Wasser gefüllt, was entweder durch ein Absperrventil oder durch einen zu oberst angeordneten Uberlauf erreicht wird.

The entire washing process takes place as follows, with all switching processes being controllable in a known manner by a selectable electronic time program together or grouped together:

• After the grid basket 2 has been filled with the laundry, fresh water is filled into the housing 6 through the line 21 via the heat exchanger 19 for prewashing until the intended level height is reached and a (not shown) level controller stops the supply of fresh water. The heat exchanger remains filled with water, which is achieved either by a shut-off valve or by an overflow arranged at the top.

Simultaneously with the filling of the housing, powdered detergent is flushed out of the container 23 or, if the washing machine is set up for such a supply, liquid detergent is injected from the container 26, which can be done by electrical, mechanical or hydraulic means.

After the filling process has ended, the pump 13 is started, which conveys the washing water from the housing outlet 8 through the recirculation line 12 to the housing inlet 7. In this flow path, the washing water would be easily heated, but is not common and is usually not necessary. The returned wash water entering at 7 is distributed in the space 9 between the drum 1 and the housing 6 and flows through the laundry to the outlet 8. So that it does not flow through the space 9 to the outlet 8 bypassing the laundry, these are Walls 10 provided. So already during prewashing, as in all subsequent processes, the items to be washed stand still relative to the drum and only the wash water is passed through.

At the same time as the pump 13 is switched on, the rotating mechanism for the drum 1 is also switched on. The rotary movement can take place continuously, preferably slowly, in order to protect the laundry, to save energy and to give the wash water time to flow reliably through the laundry. Another advantageous possibility is to rotate the drum only intermittently, with longer breaks in between. Most conveniently, the drum is first placed in such a way that the laundry layers are perpendicular to the general direction of flow of the washing water through the drum. After a pre-programmable period of time, the drum is rotated by 180 ° so that the wash water hits the laundry from the opposite side. This process can be repeated any number of times. This results in an excellent cleaning effect even during prewashing.

After prewashing has ended, the dirty water is drained off via the recirculation line 12 into the drain line 16 when the pump is at a standstill. To protect the drain valve 17, the coarse filter 18 is provided in order to catch larger pieces which may be carried along and which could block or even damage the valve.

The prewashed goods, in particular laundry, can then be spun out in order to remove as much of the dirty water as possible.

For this purpose, the drum must run at a much higher speed than during pre-washing. The drive could of course be carried out with its own small motor, but there are other options, namely the available hydraulic means, which makes a motor unnecessary. To utilize this possibility, the paddle wheel 33 connected to the drum 1 is provided, which e.g. is pressurized with water. All that is required is a residual amount of dirty water left in the housing, which is sucked in by the pump 13 and sprayed onto the paddle wheel. Full pressure is used for the fast rotary movement, while the supply line to the paddle wheel is throttled for the slow rotary movement. Extraneous water can also be used for this if it is available in sufficient quantity and under sufficiently high pressure.

During the pre-washing and possibly subsequent spinning process, the fresh water in the heat exchanger 19, which serves as a boiler, is heated by external heating. For the subsequent cleaning process, hot water is now let in from the heat exchanger 19 into the housing 6 until the level controller switches off the supply. At the same time, powder detergent is flushed out of the container 24 or liquid detergent is injected out of the container 26.

Thereafter, the pump 13 and the mechanism is switched on for the rotational movement of the drum 1 which is rotated similarly to the pre-washing in a continuous or in intervals around each case 180 ^0th

The pump 13 sucks the washing water out of the housing 6 and conveys it back into the housing via the recirculation line 12, where it flows through the laundry and is sucked out again at the outlet 8. On the way through the recirculation line, it is heated to the desired temperature in the additional heating device 14 or — depending on which heating is provided — in the heating device 15 at the pump and is also kept at this temperature during the cleaning process.

Based on the fact that the degree of soiling of the laundry and thus the actual detergent consumption, and therefore also the required concentration of detergent in the washing water, is constantly decreasing in the course of the cleaning process, setpoint curves can be set for different types of laundry or laundry and different degrees of soiling the necessary concentration of the detergent is set up and entered into the washing machine. These curves, plotted over time, show a decreasing, towards zero course.

The actual value of the concentration of the detergent in the washing water is measured at preprogrammed intervals, which in a known manner, e.g. with two electrodes acting as sensors, can be compared with the specified target value at this point in time and adapted to the target value by adding fresh detergent, for which the liquid detergent is particularly suitable. Due to the course of the curve towards zero, practically all of the detergent entered is used up in the process described. The cleaning process will end when the given one. Time of the selected curve has elapsed or after a specified minimum duration of the cleaning process the measured actual value exceeds the specified target value.

The detergent addition can also be controlled in other ways. The actual concentration value is measured from time to time and brought to a constant setpoint by adding detergent. As soon as the difference between the setpoint and actual value falls below a specified minimum, the cleaning process is ended.

The detergent consumption in the second-mentioned dimensioning method is greater than in the previous case, but is still much smaller than usual when working with a constant amount, which was often overdosed, in order to obtain reliably clean laundry.

Now the laundry is protected more and the environment is less polluted. A combination of the two types of tax described is also conceivable.

Excessive contamination of the washing water during the cleaning process can be countered by temporarily or continuously draining a limited amount of the washing water and replacing it with fresh water from the heat exchanger 19. This wastewater can be discharged through the drain line 16, but it is more economical to pass it through the heat exchanger 19, where it gives off its heat to the fresh water, and then to discharge it through the line 20.

After the cleaning process has ended, all of the dirty water is drained off, which is preferably carried out through the heat exchanger 19 in order to at least partially utilize its heat in this way. In order to allow enough time for the heat exchange, the used warm water is advantageously drained slowly, which can be done with additional valves or with a small centrifugal pump. The laundry can also be spun before the washing process starts.

This is similar to the cleaning process. Fresh water is admitted from the heat exchanger 19 into the housing 6, which was heated by the previously drained wastewater, possibly by additional external heating.

The level controller controls the amount of fresh water that has run in, then shuts off the supply and gives the impulse for starting the pump 13, which presses the rinsing water through the laundry, sucks it off at the housing outlet 8 and conveys it back to the housing inlet 7 via the recirculation line 12. In this way it can be heated further by the heating devices 14 or 15, but depending on the items to be washed, little heated or even cold rinse water can suffice.

Also at the beginning of the washing process, the drum 13 is placed in such a way that the laundry layers are positioned perpendicular to the general direction of flow through the drum. From time to time the drum is rotated through 180 ^0, so that now meets the rinse water from the opposite side to the washing material layers. Also, a random rotation of the drum only by 90 ⁰ with direct Durchströmmöglichkeit for the rinse water through the waschgutfreien areas 5 can sometimes be advantageous. An additional supply of washing water through a supply line that opens into the housing 6 near the highest point can further increase the rinsing effect.

The rinsing process is ended after a pre-programmed period of time. However, the remaining concentration of detergent can also be measured, the wash water drained off if necessary and a further rinsing process initiated. In the last rinsing process, it is often useful to rinse a plasticizer out of the container 25 into the water. Intermediate spinning is also possible and increases the washing effect. In this way, a really clean and chemical-free laundry is achieved, which is particularly desirable and valued for laundry. In the case of items that are particularly difficult to treat, the cleaning and rinsing process can alternately be repeated two or even several times.

At the end of the last rinsing process, the water is drained and the laundry may also be spun. Now, if necessary or desired, a drying process can be connected, which is preferably done with heated air. This is pressed through the laundry, a partial flow can also be fed in from below, for example to loosen up laundry, whereby it absorbs moisture, which of course is only possible to a certain degree of saturation. It must therefore be renewed from time to time or continuously.

In order not to have to continuously supply and heat the entire amount of air flowing through the laundry as fresh air, it is advisable to save heating energy by circulating the air in the housing 6 through a separate return line, similar to the washing water during the cleaning and rinsing process in which a fan is switched on. It is more advantageous to use the already existing recirculation line 12, which would also solve and simplify the question of heating by the heating devices 14 or 15 which can also be used. The pump 13 also presented a certain difficulty, but could be switched off, for example, by a bypass line with a fan.

But there is still a better solution. The pump can be constructed in such a way that it can also be operated at a much higher speed than when pumping water. It therefore acts like a fan and is suitable for conveying air.

With increasing saturation of the air with moisture, the drying effect gets worse. To avoid such a drop in effectiveness, the moist air is discharged, for example, after a predetermined period of time and after a possible brief flushing phase replaced by fresh air, which is heated on its way through the recirculation line 12.

An advantageous variant of this consists in that part or all of the moist warm air flows out through the heat exchanger 27, as indicated by the arrows 28. This exhaust air is replaced by fresh air, which flows through the line 29 to the heat exchanger and, after heating therein, reaches the recirculation line 12 through the line 30.

Another way to achieve dry air is to guide the humid air - similar to an air conditioning system - along its circuit via the artificially supercooled surfaces of another (not shown) heat exchanger, where the water vapor present in the air is partly condensed out. The condensate is drained and there is no need to renew the air. The energy required for this process, which is particularly advantageous for large washing machines, is generated in part as heat that can be used to subsequently heat the air.

The drum 1 is rotated continuously or intermittently even during the drying process.

Since there is no more water in the machine and the pump may be needed for air delivery, one way out is to apply a sharp jet of air to the paddle wheel 33, which is taken from the air stream, such a jet is sufficient to circulate the drum with the laundry to be rotated slowly, which is sufficient anyway. A single motor is therefore sufficient to operate the washing machine.

The washing process described can be varied and combined practically as desired in its individual phases. By pressing various push buttons on the washing machine, an electronic time program can be selected to adapt the washing process to the type and sensitivity, the degree of soiling of the items to be washed Air, the dosage of detergents, the switching on and dimensioning of the heaters and the like, together controls.

The construction of the washing machine according to the invention allows the grid basket to be filled outside the machine and placed in a separate kettle filled with water for soaking.

Of course, this can also be done in the washing machine itself by filling the housing 6 with water according to the first step of the prewash program. Soaking shortens the washing time in the machine, in particular prewashing, which can even be omitted entirely, which protects the laundry even more. It is advantageous to do the soaking during the day and the actual washing process with the cheap night electricity.

If the washing machine is used a lot, as is the case, for example, in laundries, then it is advisable to use two wire baskets. While the laundry in one basket is being washed, the laundry in the second basket is soaked, and so on. The wash cycles can then follow one another much more quickly, and there is then often hardly enough time available for heating the fresh water in the heat exchanger 19. Especially for this case, but also in general, it is advantageous to use the full electrical connected load when there is a small need for electrical energy during the washing process and to store it as available heat in the heat exchanger 19 serving as the boiler.

Claims (20)

1. Washing machine, in particular for washable textiles, which is set up for carrying out at least one cleaning and one rinsing process and, if appropriate, one spinning and one drying process, with a drum rotatably arranged in a housing for receiving the laundry, which also extends over the circumference Distributed openings is provided for the inflow and outflow of the washing water, which is mixed with a detergent during the cleaning process, characterized in that - the laundry during the entire residence time in the drum (1) is stationary relative thereto, which continuously or intermittently rotates about a maximum of 180 ^0; - During the cleaning and rinsing process, the washing water flows continuously and at least approximately perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drum (1); - A recirculation line (12) with a pump (13) arranged in the flow path from the outlet (8) from the housing (6) to the inlet (7) is provided in the same, in particular for the return of the washing water during the cleaning and rinsing process. 2. Automatic washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the laundry is fixed in position within the drum (1). 3. Automatic washing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the items to be washed are stored in a grid basket (2) in layers (4) parallel to one another and to the axis of rotation of the drum (1). 4. Washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that between two adjacent laundry layers (4) a laundry-free space (5) is recessed. 5. laundry machine according to claim 1, characterized by an outlet line (16) from the recirculation line (12), which is equipped with an outlet valve (17) and a coarse filter (18) connected upstream thereof. 6. Automatic washing machine according to claim 1, characterized by a heat exchanger (19) for at least partially heating fresh water, through which waste water from the cleaning or rinsing process can flow. 7. Washing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the heat exchanger (19) is additionally electrically heated. 8. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterized by means (13, 14, 27) for providing hot air for the drying process. 9. Washing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that moist warm air flows out of the drying process through a heat exchanger (27) which is used for at least partial heating of fresh air. 10. Washing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that air circulating through the drum (1) and the recirculation line (12) in a closed circuit after flowing through the drum flows through a heat exchanger with cooled surfaces, on which the water vapor contained in the air partially condenses, and then the air heats up before it flows into the drum again. 11. Automatic washing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the pump (13) in the recirculation line (12) can also be operated at a much higher speed than is necessary for the water delivery in order to serve as a fan for the air delivery. 12. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that in the housing of the pump (13), preferably around its flow channel, a heating device (15) is installed. 13. Washing machine according to claim 1, characterized by an axially arranged to the drum (1), and connected to it paddle wheel (33) which can be acted upon by a water or air jet. 14. Automatic washing machine according to claim 1, characterized by a supply line opening into the housing (6) next to the highest point in order to additionally supply washing water from above during the washing process. 15. Washing machine according to claim 1 and 8, characterized in that the rotary movements of the drum (1), the change to cleaning and rinsing process, optionally also to spin and drying process and the dosage of detergent can be controlled together by a selectable electronic time program. 16. The method for operating the washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that during the cleaning process, the actual value of the concentration of the detergent in the washing water is measured at selectable time intervals, compared with a predetermined setpoint and, if necessary, is adjusted to the setpoint by adding detergent. 17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the target value of the concentration is determined in the form of a curve over time. 18. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the cleaning process is ended and the rinsing process is initiated as soon as after a definable minimum duration of the cleaning process, the measured actual value of the concentration exceeds the predetermined target value. 19. The method for operating the washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that during the washing process at least two cleaning and rinsing processes alternate after a pre-programmable period of time. 20. The method for operating the washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the washing water is guided at least approximately perpendicularly to the laundry stored in layers (4) at least during the cleaning process by appropriate position of the drum (1), and after a pre-programmable period of time the drum is rotated through 180 ^0, the wash water so that now from the opposite side to the laundry hits.

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