EP1541740A1 - Waschmittel-Einspülvorrichtung für Waschmaschinen und Geschirrspülmaschinen - Google Patents

Waschmittel-Einspülvorrichtung für Waschmaschinen und Geschirrspülmaschinen Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1541740A1
EP1541740A1 EP03028049A EP03028049A EP1541740A1 EP 1541740 A1 EP1541740 A1 EP 1541740A1 EP 03028049 A EP03028049 A EP 03028049A EP 03028049 A EP03028049 A EP 03028049A EP 1541740 A1 EP1541740 A1 EP 1541740A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
detergent dispenser
movable element
machine
rotor
nozzle
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
EP03028049A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1541740B1 (de
Inventor
Michele c/o Whirlpool Europe s.r.l. Felice
Pierluigi c/o Whirlpool Europe s.r.l. Petrali
Federico c/o Whirlpool Europe s.r.l. Betto
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.)
Whirlpool Corp
Original Assignee
Whirlpool Europe SRL
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 Whirlpool Europe SRL filed Critical Whirlpool Europe SRL
Priority to DE60320268T priority Critical patent/DE60320268T2/de
Priority to ES03028049T priority patent/ES2304484T3/es
Priority to EP03028049A priority patent/EP1541740B1/de
Publication of EP1541740A1 publication Critical patent/EP1541740A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1541740B1 publication Critical patent/EP1541740B1/de
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
    • D06F39/00—Details of washing machines not specific to a single type of machines covered by groups D06F9/00 - D06F27/00 
    • D06F39/02—Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
    • D06F39/028—Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a detergent dispenser for an automatic laundry washing machine or dishwashing machine, comprising a water inlet that is controllable by a programming device of the machine and a movable element controllable by said programming device for supplying water to predetermined positions within the dispenser according to the washing programme of the machine.
  • detergent we mean all the products (detergents, washing or rinsing aids, softeners etc.) which are usually added during the washing and/or rinsing process of the machine.
  • thermoactuators having a casing containing a thermally expandable mass and plungers acting on mechanical components in order to shift the water flow to different positions corresponding to different compartments of a detergent dispenser.
  • thermoactuators are not 100%, and moreover the use of mechanical links between such actuators and the moving nozzle reduces the overall reliability of the system.
  • EP-A-1029965 it is necessary to use a feedback control system, and the overall dimension of the detergent dispenser is quite relevant. In both cases the overall cost of the detergent dispenser is high, mainly due to its complexity.
  • EP-A-2893596 Another solution is disclosed by EP-A-2893596 in which a shape memory alloy wire is used. Even if such solution is very cheap and simple, it is still to be implemented and tested in mass production.
  • the purpose of the present invention is to provide a flow control system of the kind specified at the beginning of the description, which is very reliable, simple and of low cost.
  • the movable element of the flow control system is driven by an electromagnetic rotor/stator assembly, and preferably it is part of such assembly.
  • the aim is to move the nozzle that drives water in a generic number of different channels or compartments to dispense pre-wash detergent, main wash detergent, fabric softener and so on.
  • the principle underlying the present invention is an extension of a stepper motor.
  • the rotor/stator assembly can be a stepper motor itself, it is preferably to use an assembly in which the number of poles is reduced compared to the number of poles of a stepper motor, and such number is substantially identical to the number of positions needed for the detergent distributor. Moreover the position of poles can be tailored in view of the positions that the nozzle has to reach during the washing program. This allows reducing substantially the cost of the flow control system, while it guarantees the reliability of a stepper motor system, which is nevertheless included in the scope of the present invention.
  • FIG 1 a tub 10 of a washing machine is shown, in which a drum 12 is rotatably mounted. Water is supplied through a pipe 14 on which an on/off electrical valve 16 is mounted. An electromechanical or electronic control unit 18 of the machine controls such valve. Downstream the valve 16, the pipe 14 feeds water to a water distributor device 20 controlled by the control unit 18 and which is adapted to discharge a water flow to different dispensers 22 for detergents or washing/rinsing aids. The different "direction" of the water flow towards dispensers 22 is schematically shown in figure 1 by means of arrows 21. The water flow entrains the detergent and a mixture of water plus detergent is fed into the tub 10. The liquid from the tub 10 is then discharged (after washing or rinsing) by means of a pump 24.
  • the water distributor device 20 is a stepper nozzle.
  • Such stepper nozzle 20 includes two main components: a wound stator 32 that is fixed on a support S of the washing machine and a nozzle 30 which is mechanically fixed to a shaft of an electromechanical rotor 30a.
  • the nozzle 30 can be fed through the pipe 14, which can be flexible, or through an air break (not shown).
  • the nozzle 30 drives water inside the different dispenser 22.
  • the wound stator 32 is mounted by snap engagement, by means of a fixing ring 32a, within the external support S that is part of the detergent dispenser itself.
  • the rotor 30a of the nozzle 30 is rotatably mounted within the stator 32.
  • the rotor 30a holds permanent magnet or soft iron or both.
  • coils 34 are wrapped on wound stator 32 and when direct current energises them, an electromagnetic field is generated. This electromagnetic field generates a torque on nozzle 30 by one of the following principles:
  • the device could be realised with two, three or more poles per phase and with different number of phases. It is possible to drive the nozzle 30 in one of the following modes:
  • the home position of the nozzle 30 is obtained by a mechanical stop, not shown.
  • the nozzle is connected to the rotor 30a of the device and it can be mounted inside the stator cavity when the system is assembled on the detergent dispenser or the system rotor/stator can be assembled before installing it on such dispenser.
  • the system is unique because the shaft and the stator 32 of the stepper nozzle 26 are completely separate and the nozzle 30 is connected to the rotor of the device. Stator 32 could also integrate the system in witch it will be joined to the support S.
  • the system is unique also because a reduced number of poles is sufficient for achieving all the positions needed for driving water inside the compartments 22 of detergent dispenser by energising coils 34 by direct current.
  • Figure 7 shows an example of driving strategy of the detergent dispenser according to the invention.
  • Figure 8 shows the equivalent electrical schema.
  • Figure 9 explains how it is possible to control the angular position ⁇ of the nozzle 30 by controlling the intensity of magnetic flux of two adjacent phases 36. It is possible to obtain different intensity of the resultant magnetic flux H that in some position is more than 100%, as shown in the following table:
  • ⁇ 2 45° H1 H2 ⁇ H 0% 100% 45 100% 10% 100% 49 107% 20% 100% 52 115% 30% 100% 55 123% 40% 100% 57 131% 50% 100% 60 140% 60% 100% 62 149% 70% 100% 63 157% 80% 100% 65 166% 90% 100% 66 176% 100% 100% 68 185% 100% 90% 69 176% 100% 80% 70 166% 100% 70% 72 157% 100% 60% 73 149% 100% 50% 75 140% 100% 40% 76 131% 100% 30% 80 123% 100% 20% 83 115% 100% 10% 86 107% 100% 0% 90 100%
  • the hold torque changes similarly to the magnetic flux intensity, so it is possible to have similar behaviour of the torque as function of the angular position.
  • a different strategy is to control the resultant magnetic flux to be constantly equal to 100% energising differently the two phases.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Detail Structures Of Washing Machines And Dryers (AREA)
  • Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
EP03028049A 2003-12-08 2003-12-08 Waschmittel-Einspülvorrichtung für Waschmaschinen und Geschirrspülmaschinen Expired - Lifetime EP1541740B1 (de)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE60320268T DE60320268T2 (de) 2003-12-08 2003-12-08 Waschmittel-Einspülvorrichtung für Waschmaschinen und Geschirrspülmaschinen
ES03028049T ES2304484T3 (es) 2003-12-08 2003-12-08 Dispensador de detergente para lavadoras y friegaplatos.
EP03028049A EP1541740B1 (de) 2003-12-08 2003-12-08 Waschmittel-Einspülvorrichtung für Waschmaschinen und Geschirrspülmaschinen

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP03028049A EP1541740B1 (de) 2003-12-08 2003-12-08 Waschmittel-Einspülvorrichtung für Waschmaschinen und Geschirrspülmaschinen

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1541740A1 true EP1541740A1 (de) 2005-06-15
EP1541740B1 EP1541740B1 (de) 2008-04-09

Family

ID=34486127

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03028049A Expired - Lifetime EP1541740B1 (de) 2003-12-08 2003-12-08 Waschmittel-Einspülvorrichtung für Waschmaschinen und Geschirrspülmaschinen

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1541740B1 (de)
DE (1) DE60320268T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2304484T3 (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102953261A (zh) * 2011-08-26 2013-03-06 三星电子株式会社 供水装置及具有该供水装置的洗衣机

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH03173599A (ja) * 1989-12-01 1991-07-26 Hitachi Ltd 全自動洗濯機の洗剤投入装置
US6098646A (en) * 1997-02-19 2000-08-08 Ecolab Inc. Dispensing system with multi-port valve for distributing use dilution to a plurality of utilization points and position sensor for use thereon
EP1029965A1 (de) * 1999-02-18 2000-08-23 Invensys Appliance Controls S.A. Wasserverteiler für Waschmachine
EP1293596A1 (de) * 2001-09-14 2003-03-19 Whirlpool Corporation Wasserverteilungsvorrichtung für eine programmgesteuerte Wasch- oder Geschirrspülmaschine

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH03173599A (ja) * 1989-12-01 1991-07-26 Hitachi Ltd 全自動洗濯機の洗剤投入装置
US6098646A (en) * 1997-02-19 2000-08-08 Ecolab Inc. Dispensing system with multi-port valve for distributing use dilution to a plurality of utilization points and position sensor for use thereon
EP1029965A1 (de) * 1999-02-18 2000-08-23 Invensys Appliance Controls S.A. Wasserverteiler für Waschmachine
EP1293596A1 (de) * 2001-09-14 2003-03-19 Whirlpool Corporation Wasserverteilungsvorrichtung für eine programmgesteuerte Wasch- oder Geschirrspülmaschine

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
DATABASE WPI Section Ch Week 199136, Derwent World Patents Index; Class F07, Page 000pp, AN 1991-263680, XP002279455 *

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102953261A (zh) * 2011-08-26 2013-03-06 三星电子株式会社 供水装置及具有该供水装置的洗衣机
KR20130022983A (ko) * 2011-08-26 2013-03-07 삼성전자주식회사 세탁기용 급수장치와 이를 구비한 세탁기
EP2562303A3 (de) * 2011-08-26 2013-11-27 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Wasserversorgungsvorrichtung und Waschmaschine damit
US9435066B2 (en) 2011-08-26 2016-09-06 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Water supply apparatus and washing machine having the same
CN102953261B (zh) * 2011-08-26 2017-03-01 三星电子株式会社 供水装置及具有该供水装置的洗衣机

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES2304484T3 (es) 2008-10-16
DE60320268D1 (de) 2008-05-21
DE60320268T2 (de) 2009-06-25
EP1541740B1 (de) 2008-04-09

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