EP1344861A2 - Système règlable et à double isolation pour commander le niveau d'eau dans un appareil ménager - Google Patents

Système règlable et à double isolation pour commander le niveau d'eau dans un appareil ménager Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1344861A2
EP1344861A2 EP03005504A EP03005504A EP1344861A2 EP 1344861 A2 EP1344861 A2 EP 1344861A2 EP 03005504 A EP03005504 A EP 03005504A EP 03005504 A EP03005504 A EP 03005504A EP 1344861 A2 EP1344861 A2 EP 1344861A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
lever
membrane
chamber
water
operable
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03005504A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1344861A3 (fr
Inventor
Enzo Brignone
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.)
Bitron SpA
Original Assignee
Bitron 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 Bitron SpA filed Critical Bitron SpA
Publication of EP1344861A2 publication Critical patent/EP1344861A2/fr
Publication of EP1344861A3 publication Critical patent/EP1344861A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
    • A47L15/42—Details
    • A47L15/4244—Water-level measuring or regulating arrangements
    • 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
    • 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
    • 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 
    • D06F33/47—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
    • D06F37/00—Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00
    • D06F37/42—Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system for controlling the water level in a domestic appliance with a washing compartment, such as a dishwasher or a washing machine.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a system of the type indicated above which, for a reasonable cost, is able to ensure a high degree of accuracy and to prevent any water coming into contact with live electrical components during any malfunction.
  • a water softener known per se for use in a domestic appliance such as a dishwasher or washing machine, is indicated 10 and is connected to the bottom portion or sump 14 of a washing compartment 16 by a duct 12.
  • the domestic appliance includes means for intercepting the water supply, in particular a solenoid valve which is indicated schematically with the reference numeral 20 in the drawings.
  • a microswitch 28 is arranged above the membrane 24 and is operable - as will be explained in detail later - to detect any movement of the membrane 24 and to convert this into an electric signal for activating the solenoid valve 20.
  • Partition means constituted by a partition member 30 are interposed between the membrane 24 and the microswitch 28.
  • the member 30 (see Figure 2) has an inverted cup shape with a base surface 32 acting as partition to separate the membrane 24 from the microswitch 28 and has a central hole 34 for the protuberance 26 to pass through and a lateral surface 36 with discharge apertures 38.
  • the microswitch 28 is of a known type, including (see Figure 3) a body 40, with electrical contacts 42 arranged therein and with a slidable member 44 projecting therefrom which is operable to open or close the contacts 42.
  • the slidable member 44 is controlled by an operating lever 46 able to interact with the protuberance 26 of the membrane 24.
  • the lever 26 could be formed in one piece with the slidable member 44.
  • the lever 26 has a pivot point 48 at one end on a support 50 which is outside the body 40 and is subject to an external control force exerted by the protuberance 26 and to a resistance force exerted by the sliding member 44.
  • the microswitch 28 also includes means for adjusting its operation, these being operable in particular to adjust the length of the lever arm of the resistance force relative to the pivoting point 48 of the lever 46.
  • These adjustment means include a stem 52 with a head 54 secured to the body 40, encapsulated in a cavity 56 formed therein, a threaded intermediate portion 58 operable to engage a female thread 60 formed in a support structure 62, and a base 64 which an operator can act on from the outside in order to rotate the complete stem 52.
  • Guides 66 make it possible to guide the sliding movement of the body 40 caused by the rotation and translation of the stem 52.
  • the end of the lever 46 opposite from that which is pivoted at 48 is connected to a spring 68 operable to delay the return movement of the lever 46.
  • the spring 68 also has means for adjusting its resting length and thereby its level of pre-stress. Such adjustment means are substantially the same as those - described earlier - provided for adjusting the length of the lever arm of the resistance force relative to the pivoting point 48 of the lever 46.
  • the means include a stem 70 with a head 72 secured to a fixing at one end of the spring 68, a threaded intermediate portion 76 for engaging a female thread 78 formed in a support 74 and an end 80 which an operator can act on from outside in order to rotate the entire stem 70.
  • the water drawn from the mains is softened and conveyed to the washing compartment 16 through the duct 12. Since the washing compartment is in hydraulic communication with the air bell chamber 22 through the sump 14, as the water level rises in the compartment 16, pressure increases on the air which is trapped in the upper portion of the chamber 22, thereby causing the flexible membrane 24 to expand upwards.
  • the protuberance 26 moves upwards with the membrane and comes into contact with the lever 46, which it urges steadily upwards until it switches the contacts 42 in the microswitch 28 when the moment of the control force, determined by the product of the external force exerted by the protuberance 26 and the associated lever arms associated with the pivoting point 48, overcomes the moment of resistance, determined by the product of the resistance force exerted by the sliding member 44 and the lever arm associated with the pivoting point 48.
  • This switching of the contacts 42 in the microswitch 28 constitutes a signal which, in a known manner, controls the closure of the solenoid valve 20 and prevents any further water from flowing into the washing compartment 16.
  • this switch occurs when there is a predetermined level of water in the compartment 16 which corresponds to a particular pressure in the chamber 22 which translates in turn into a particular degree of force (and into a corresponding moment) exerted on the lever 46 by the protuberance 26.
  • any water escaping from the chamber 22 is prevented from coming into contact with live components of microswitch 28 by the bottom surface 32 of the partition member 30 and instead flows down through the holes 38 in the partition member 30 into an area with no live components.
  • the water-level control system of the invention is structurally extremely simple and proves as a whole to be not only accurate but intrinsically safe, since the microswitch 28 and the air bell chamber 22 can be arranged near each other and below the usual level to which water fills the washing compartment 16 during normal operation of the domestic appliance.
  • FIGS 4 and 5 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the control system of the invention, in which parts which are the same as or equivalent to those shown in the preceding drawings are given the same reference numbers.
  • the partition means are constituted by a space 30 between the membrane 24 and the microswitch 28 positioned above it, instead of by the partition member.
  • the space 30 is equally able to prevent water contained in the chamber 22 from coming into contact with live components of the microswitch 28 in the event of a rupture of the membrane 24.
  • the operating lever 46 could be pivoted on the body 40 itself.
  • rotation and translation of the stem 52 and the resulting translation of the body 40 would alter the lever arm of the control force rather than that of the resistance force.
  • the end result would be the same, that is a variation in the geometrical operating parameters of the lever 46, thereby adapting them by the method best suited to the requirements of each application.
  • the water-level control system illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 also includes a disc-shaped element 82 operable to float in an auxiliary chamber 84 arranged beneath the air bell chamber 22.
  • a bracket 86 with a lug 88 which can come into contact with the operating lever 46 of the microswitch 28 is positioned on the top of the float element 82.
  • auxiliary chamber 84 The purpose of the auxiliary chamber 84 is to contain any escaping water. As the water level in the chamber 84 rises, the float element 82 rises and the bracket 86 rises with it until the lug 88 comes into contact with the lever 46 and urges it steadily upwards until it switches the contacts 42 in the microswitch 28 in the same way as it did when pushed upwards by the protuberance 26 on the membrane 24. The float element 82 thereby acts as an additional safety element, causing the water supply to be cut off in the event of any abnormal leakage.
  • the means for adjusting the operation of the microswitch could make it possible to intervene on other parameters than the geometrical operating parameters of the lever 46, while it could also be possible to vary these last by means for moving the support 50, on which the lever 46 is pivoted, relative to the body 40 which would remain stationary, or by means for moving either the body 40 of the microswitch 28 or the support 50, or the two together, relative to each other.
  • the chamber 22 could be formed either in the sump 14 of the compartment 16 or in the water softener 10, or could be an element associated mechanically with this latter.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Separation Using Semi-Permeable Membranes (AREA)
  • Self-Closing Valves And Venting Or Aerating Valves (AREA)
EP03005504A 2002-03-12 2003-03-11 Système règlable et à double isolation pour commander le niveau d'eau dans un appareil ménager Withdrawn EP1344861A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITTO20020207 2002-03-12
IT2002TO000207A ITTO20020207A1 (it) 2002-03-12 2002-03-12 Sistema di controllo del livello dell'acqua regolabile e a doppio isolamento per apparecchio elettrodomestico.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1344861A2 true EP1344861A2 (fr) 2003-09-17
EP1344861A3 EP1344861A3 (fr) 2006-08-23

Family

ID=27638909

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03005504A Withdrawn EP1344861A3 (fr) 2002-03-12 2003-03-11 Système règlable et à double isolation pour commander le niveau d'eau dans un appareil ménager

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1344861A3 (fr)
IT (1) ITTO20020207A1 (fr)

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2051782A7 (fr) * 1969-07-16 1971-04-09 Candy Spa
US3885580A (en) * 1974-04-04 1975-05-27 Gen Electric Dishwasher control system
GB1468870A (fr) * 1973-08-17 1977-03-30
DE3003440A1 (de) * 1980-01-31 1981-08-06 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Ueberwachungseinrichtung fuer den wasserzulauf von haushaltmaschinen wie geschirrspuel- und waeschebehandlungsmaschinen
DE8711736U1 (de) * 1987-08-29 1988-09-29 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Niveausteuereinrichtung mit einem Druckschalter
DE8813471U1 (de) * 1988-10-27 1989-11-30 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-GmbH, 60325 Frankfurt Druckschalter für flüssigkeitsführende Haushaltgeräte, insbesondere für Geschirrspülmaschinen
EP0433641A2 (fr) * 1989-12-20 1991-06-26 Bosch-Siemens HausgerÀ¤te GmbH Dispositif de commande de l'écoulement de fluide vers un réservoir
US5309939A (en) * 1990-09-18 1994-05-10 Bosch-Siemens Hausgerate Gmbh Safety device for water-conducting household appliances
EP0958777A1 (fr) * 1998-05-22 1999-11-24 Fagor, S.Coop. Ltda. Régulateur de niveau d'eau pour une machine à laver la vaisselle

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2051782A7 (fr) * 1969-07-16 1971-04-09 Candy Spa
GB1468870A (fr) * 1973-08-17 1977-03-30
US3885580A (en) * 1974-04-04 1975-05-27 Gen Electric Dishwasher control system
DE3003440A1 (de) * 1980-01-31 1981-08-06 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Ueberwachungseinrichtung fuer den wasserzulauf von haushaltmaschinen wie geschirrspuel- und waeschebehandlungsmaschinen
DE8711736U1 (de) * 1987-08-29 1988-09-29 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-Gmbh, 6000 Frankfurt Niveausteuereinrichtung mit einem Druckschalter
DE8813471U1 (de) * 1988-10-27 1989-11-30 Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-GmbH, 60325 Frankfurt Druckschalter für flüssigkeitsführende Haushaltgeräte, insbesondere für Geschirrspülmaschinen
EP0433641A2 (fr) * 1989-12-20 1991-06-26 Bosch-Siemens HausgerÀ¤te GmbH Dispositif de commande de l'écoulement de fluide vers un réservoir
US5309939A (en) * 1990-09-18 1994-05-10 Bosch-Siemens Hausgerate Gmbh Safety device for water-conducting household appliances
EP0958777A1 (fr) * 1998-05-22 1999-11-24 Fagor, S.Coop. Ltda. Régulateur de niveau d'eau pour une machine à laver la vaisselle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITTO20020207A0 (it) 2002-03-12
ITTO20020207A1 (it) 2003-09-12
EP1344861A3 (fr) 2006-08-23

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