EP1096051A2 - Procédé pour surveiller la quantité mesurée de détergent dans une machine à laver automatique ou similaire - Google Patents

Procédé pour surveiller la quantité mesurée de détergent dans une machine à laver automatique ou similaire Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1096051A2
EP1096051A2 EP00120376A EP00120376A EP1096051A2 EP 1096051 A2 EP1096051 A2 EP 1096051A2 EP 00120376 A EP00120376 A EP 00120376A EP 00120376 A EP00120376 A EP 00120376A EP 1096051 A2 EP1096051 A2 EP 1096051A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
water
tub
washing
level
detergent
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP00120376A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1096051B1 (fr
EP1096051A3 (fr
Inventor
Valentino Peressi
Piero Babuin
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Electrolux Home Products Italy SpA
Original Assignee
Electrolux Zanussi SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Electrolux Zanussi SpA filed Critical Electrolux Zanussi SpA
Publication of EP1096051A2 publication Critical patent/EP1096051A2/fr
Publication of EP1096051A3 publication Critical patent/EP1096051A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1096051B1 publication Critical patent/EP1096051B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F33/00—Control of operations performed in washing machines or washer-dryers 
    • D06F33/50—Control of washer-dryers characterised by the purpose or target of the control
    • D06F33/74—Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of pumps 
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
    • D06F39/08—Liquid supply or discharge arrangements
    • D06F39/087—Water level measuring or regulating devices
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F33/00—Control of operations performed in washing machines or washer-dryers 
    • D06F33/30—Control of washing machines characterised by the purpose or target of the control 
    • D06F33/32—Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
    • D06F33/37—Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry of metering of detergents or additives
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/18—Washing liquid level
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
    • D06F2103/20—Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
    • D06F2103/22—Content of detergent or additives

Definitions

  • the present invention refers to a method that is capable of being used in an automatic washing machine to the purpose of controlling the operation thereof in such a manner as to be able to detect and indicate a possible state of excessively metered amount of detergent dispensed with respect to an optimum amount.
  • it is a purpose of the present invention is to provide a method of the above cited kind, which makes it possible for a possible excessively metered amount of detergent to be detected in an indirect manner, that is without any need arising for complex specific auxiliary devices or apparatuses to be employed in this connection.
  • the method according to the present invention can be implemented in a clothes washing machine having a substantially traditional structure, which comprises a washing tub 4 housing a rotating drum 5 adapted to contain the clothes to be washed.
  • the washing tub 4 is connected to a water discharge circuit 6, to which there are associated a pump 3 and a lint filter 7.
  • the clothes washing machine shall be understood as being provided with a plurality of operational and functional parts controlled by a programme sequence control switch or unit, preferably of the electronic type, for carrying out selectable operating cycles, at least one of which comprising at least a washing phase and at least a subsequent rinse.
  • the washing phase is carried out with water, to which detergent is properly added and which is let into the washing tub 4 up to a first operating level L3 and is then preferably heated. Said washing phase is then concluded with at least a water discharge phase lasting from an instant t1 through to an instant t4, during which the water in the tub decreases from said level L3 down to a minimum level L0.
  • the rinse phase which is preferably the last one of a sequence of rinses carried out following the washing phase, is carried out by letting fresh water into the tub 4 up to a second operational level L4, which is preferably higher than said level L3. Said rinse phase is then concluded by at least a water discharge phase lasting from an instant t5 through to an instant t8, during which the water in the tub decreases from the level L4 down to said minimum level L0.
  • the present invention is based on the consideration that, with the discharge or drain pump 3 of the machine performing regularly, the time required for the washing and rinse water to be discharged from the tub 4 is in both cases in a correlation with a number of factors, such as in particular the weight of the clothes, ie. the washload, the distribution of the clothes inside the drum 5, the type of fabrics being handled, the actual extent to which the lint filter 7 is clogged. Furthermore, as opposite to what occurs when discharging rinse water, the process of discharging wash liquor is substantially affected by the presence of froth or foam generated by the detergent.
  • a possible excessive amount of detergent being metered into the washing water can be detected quite accurately and reliably in the following manner.
  • level sensor means 8 which may for instance be of the pressure-actuated switch type and are adapted to drive a starting input 10 and a switch-off input 11 of a timer 12, respectively.
  • the timer 12 is started when the water in the tub 4 decreases to the level L2 and is switched off, ie. stopped, when the water then decreases down to the level L1.
  • the timer 12 measures the time interval Tw that elapses from said first instant t2 to said second instant t3.
  • said level L2 is substantially equal to or lower than the level corresponding to the bottom (ie. the lowest point) of the rotating drum 5, in which "substantially equal to” is to be understood as meaning in practice also "slightly higher than” (eg. 3 to 5 mm), anyway to such an extent as to prevent the water discharge operation from being affected, during the above mentioned measurement time interval Tw, by the clothes being in contact with the water being let off.
  • the timer 12 has an output 13, through which it drives, with a signal that is representative of the measured time interval Tw, a double-memory stage 14 in which said measured value Tw is kept stored temporarily.
  • the time interval Tw should in principle be indicative of the amount of detergent added to the washing water. In practice, however, a simple measurement of this time interval Tw does not allow for a possible excessively metered amount of detergent to be detected in any satisfactorily accurate manner.
  • a first instant t6 in which the water in the tub 4 decreases to a first reference level (preferably equal to the value of the level L2), as well as a second instant t7, in which the water in the tub 4 further decreases to a second reference level, which is preferably equal to the value of the afore cited level L1.
  • this may be carried out by means of the level sensors 8, 9 and the timer 12, whose output 13 is adapted to drive the stage 14 with a signal that is representative of the so measured time interval Tr elapsing from said first instant t6 through to said second instant t7.
  • the comparator 18 is adapted to generate, at an output 19, an alarm signal that is indicative of a condition of substantial excessive amount of detergent added to the washing water.
  • the above mentioned ratio R is affected by the foam that is only present in the washing water, and it therefore is indicative of the amount of detergent added to the same water. Conversely, said ratio R is not altered by any possible reduction in the water flow rate in the discharge circuit 3, 6, 7 (as this might for instance be induced by the lint filter 7 becoming clogged), since such a condition would actually alter both measurement periods Tw and Tr in a similar way.
  • the above mentioned alarm signal is adapted to trigger actuator means 20, which in the most elementary embodiment thereof may comprise optical and/or acoustical indicator means, through which the user can be warned of the so detected condition of excessive detergent addition, thereby enabling the same user to step in in view of taking the most appropriate corrective actions.
  • Foam formation in the washing liquor and therefore the sensitivity of the metered detergent amount control system, might be altered in the event that, as this usually occurs, the drum 5 is caused to rotate during the water discharge phases.
  • the sensitivity of the above cited control system can be further improved by controlling the washing machine in such a manner as to have, during the washing water discharge phase (and possibly even during the rinse water discharge phase), the rotating drum 5 being kept substantially stationary throughout the measurement period.
  • the reference levels L2 and L1 are controlled by means of pressure-actuated switching means, ie. means that are adapted to be affected by a measured pressure,
  • pressure-actuated switching means ie. means that are adapted to be affected by a measured pressure
  • said pressure-actuated switching means might detect the level L1 being exceeded owing to a corresponding transient negative pressure being induced by the discharge pump 3. The result might therefore be an erroneous indication of a condition of an excessively metered amount of detergent.
  • Such a drawback can anyway be advantageously done away with (for instance through a simple setting of the timer 12) by arranging things so as to enable the instant t3 to be only determined, and considered as being valid to the purpose of computing the time interval Tw, when the driving signal issued by the sensor 9 indicates that the water in the tub 4 remains below said reference level L1 for at least a pre-determined period of time, which may for instance amount to a few seconds.
  • the method according to the present invention enables a possible condition of excessively metered amount of detergent to be identified in a reliable, albeit indirect manner, with an elevated degree of sensitivity, while substantially discriminating the measurements being carried out from all possible spurious signals that might affect the effectiveness thereof.
  • the level L1 may be equal to, but preferably it will be slightly higher, for instance by a few millimetres, than the minimum level L0. In any case, the difference between the levels L2 and L1 will preferably be wide enough to allow for an adequately accurate measurement of the time intervals Tw and Tr.
  • said alarm signal is generated when R is found to exceed the threshold value Rx either upwards or downwards.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)
EP00120376A 1999-10-28 2000-09-18 Procédé pour surveiller la quantité mesurée de détergent dans une machine à laver automatique ou similaire Expired - Lifetime EP1096051B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITPN990082 1999-10-28
IT1999PN000082A IT1311717B1 (it) 1999-10-28 1999-10-28 Metodo per controllare il dosaggio di detersivo in una lavatriceautomatica, o simile

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1096051A2 true EP1096051A2 (fr) 2001-05-02
EP1096051A3 EP1096051A3 (fr) 2002-08-07
EP1096051B1 EP1096051B1 (fr) 2005-04-13

Family

ID=11395576

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP00120376A Expired - Lifetime EP1096051B1 (fr) 1999-10-28 2000-09-18 Procédé pour surveiller la quantité mesurée de détergent dans une machine à laver automatique ou similaire

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1096051B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE60019386T2 (fr)
ES (1) ES2239982T3 (fr)
IT (1) IT1311717B1 (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1524358A1 (fr) * 2003-10-16 2005-04-20 Whirlpool Corporation Machine à laver capable de mesurer les propriétés d'un liquide, et procédé pour détecter de telles propriétés
EP1688528A1 (fr) * 2005-02-02 2006-08-09 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Machine à laver et procédé de détection de mousse
CN109402968A (zh) * 2017-08-17 2019-03-01 宁国佩特恩电器科技有限公司 一种精确计量洗涤助剂投放量的方法
CN112695491A (zh) * 2019-10-23 2021-04-23 无锡飞翎电子有限公司 衣物处理设备及其控制方法、装置及可读介质
CN113026293A (zh) * 2021-03-09 2021-06-25 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 洗衣机的控制方法、装置、电子设备及存储介质

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2052251A (en) * 1979-05-03 1981-01-28 Licentia Gmbh Method of controlling the operation of an automatic washing machine
EP0193825A2 (fr) * 1985-02-28 1986-09-10 Zeltron Istituto Zanussi Per L'elettronica S.P.A. Machine automatique pour le lavage d'articles dans un bain contenant des substances surfactives
EP0247995A1 (fr) * 1986-05-27 1987-12-02 AUSTRIA Antriebstechnik G. Bauknecht Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et dispositif pour surveiller le fonctionnement d'une machine à laver
JPS6440098A (en) * 1987-08-05 1989-02-10 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Drain abnormality alarm apparatus of machinery

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2052251A (en) * 1979-05-03 1981-01-28 Licentia Gmbh Method of controlling the operation of an automatic washing machine
EP0193825A2 (fr) * 1985-02-28 1986-09-10 Zeltron Istituto Zanussi Per L'elettronica S.P.A. Machine automatique pour le lavage d'articles dans un bain contenant des substances surfactives
EP0247995A1 (fr) * 1986-05-27 1987-12-02 AUSTRIA Antriebstechnik G. Bauknecht Aktiengesellschaft Procédé et dispositif pour surveiller le fonctionnement d'une machine à laver
JPS6440098A (en) * 1987-08-05 1989-02-10 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd Drain abnormality alarm apparatus of machinery

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2000, no. 18, 5 June 2001 (2001-06-05) -& JP 01 040098 A (MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD), 10 February 1989 (1989-02-10) *

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1524358A1 (fr) * 2003-10-16 2005-04-20 Whirlpool Corporation Machine à laver capable de mesurer les propriétés d'un liquide, et procédé pour détecter de telles propriétés
WO2005038120A1 (fr) * 2003-10-16 2005-04-28 Whirlpool Corporation Appareil de lavage pouvant mesurer des proprietes de surface de liquides, et procede de detection de telles proprietes de surface
US7950256B2 (en) 2003-10-16 2011-05-31 Whirlpool Corporation Washing machine capable of measuring surface properties of liquids, and process for detecting such surface properties
EP1688528A1 (fr) * 2005-02-02 2006-08-09 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Machine à laver et procédé de détection de mousse
CN109402968A (zh) * 2017-08-17 2019-03-01 宁国佩特恩电器科技有限公司 一种精确计量洗涤助剂投放量的方法
CN112695491A (zh) * 2019-10-23 2021-04-23 无锡飞翎电子有限公司 衣物处理设备及其控制方法、装置及可读介质
CN113026293A (zh) * 2021-03-09 2021-06-25 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 洗衣机的控制方法、装置、电子设备及存储介质
CN113026293B (zh) * 2021-03-09 2022-04-15 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 洗衣机的控制方法、装置、电子设备及存储介质

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES2239982T3 (es) 2005-10-16
EP1096051B1 (fr) 2005-04-13
DE60019386T2 (de) 2006-05-04
DE60019386D1 (de) 2005-05-19
ITPN990082A1 (it) 2001-04-28
ITPN990082A0 (it) 1999-10-28
EP1096051A3 (fr) 2002-08-07
IT1311717B1 (it) 2002-03-19

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