EP1645676A2 - Method for operating a washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The rotating drum (16) is mounted inside a cylindrical container (2), which contains soapy water. The container is hung on springs (3) which deflect under load. Dampers (4) under the container prevent resonant oscillations taking place. A distance sensor (6) measures the deflection of the spring and is connected via a wire (7) to an evaluation circuit (5). The washing machine follows a prearranged program and is closed down if excessive spring deflection is detected.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a washing machine with a housing, a housing arranged to vibrate movable washing unit, which includes a rotatable drum for receiving laundry and / or washing liquid, and an evaluation unit and a sensor for detecting a movement of the washing unit, wherein a detected by the evaluation unit impermissible movement during a first phase of the washing program, the continuation of the washing program is prevented, wherein during the first phase of the washing program, the drum is in a rest position or is cyclically oscillated.

Such a method is known from Patent Abstracts of Japan JP 2004065408 A. This is detected by means of a sensor impermissible movement of the drum or the container during the rest period between the start and the execution of the wash program. A similar process is disclosed in Patent Abstracts of Japan JP 10179978A. With the aid of a motion sensor or acceleration sensor on the top of the tub, a detected movement is detected as a child located in the drum. However, it is necessary for the child in the drum to move.

Another method is known from German patent application DE 42 25 769 A1. In this case, the weight in the drum is detected by means of a weight sensor before the program start, wherein when exceeding an upper limit, the washing program is not started or an alarm message is issued. However, this procedure is only suitable for washing machines up to a maximum of 4.5 or 5 kg dry laundry. For larger washing machines, for example, 8 kg of dry laundry, however, can no longer be distinguished with this method, whether permissible weight of laundry or a child is in the drum, since the weight of a child is in the range of dry weight or wet weight of the laundry.

The invention is therefore an object of the invention to improve the safety and protection of a child located in the drum.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by a method for operating a washing machine having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and modifications of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

The achievable with the invention advantage is that with a very reliable detection of a child in the drum of a washing machine ensures a high level of security and a possible risk is avoided. Another advantage of the invention is that the provision of the method is very simple and inexpensive, since existing sensors and / or detection devices for the laundry weight or imbalances can be used. The method is advantageously characterized by the fact that a child resting or sleeping in the drum is awakened and animated to move. This is done in a simple manner in that after starting the washing program or after pressing a start button in a first phase, water, in particular cold water, is admitted into the tub and thus into the drum. A child asleep or resting in the drum is thus awakened or frightened by the sunken water, so that it will move due to the unpleasant wet feeling. Since in this first phase the drum is not yet moved by the drive, a determined movement leads to the termination of the preset washing program. In an expedient embodiment, movements of the drum, in particular cyclical weighing movements, can be provided during the first phase of the washing program in order reliably to induce a child in the drum to move, whereby a risk of injury is precluded.

After detecting a child due to a movement of the drum in a resting phase as measures optical or audible alarms or autonomous unlocking or opening the porthole, conceivable.

The amount and temperature of the introduced water is limited so that a child in the drum can not drown or otherwise be endangered. For this purpose, it is expedient that the amount of water corresponds to only a subset of the intended for a wash washing liquid.

It goes without saying that in this first phase of the washing program no lye mixed with detergent is introduced into the tub. In an advantageous embodiment, no detergent is added to the introduced water during the first phase. For this purpose, the water is admitted, bypassing the Waschmitteleinspülkastens or bypassing the detergent compartment or detergent compartments in Waschmitteleinspülkasten.

The duration for this first phase of the washing program is such that at the beginning of the first phase for example 30 sec. the water is admitted and then for a preset time, for example 60 sec. is waiting until the second phase, which is the actual Washing program includes, begins. During the entire first phase, for example 90 sec. a possible movement of the washing unit or the drum is detected, wherein upon detection of a movement caused by a child, the second phase is not started.

It is also conceivable that in this case the first phase is terminated or stopped immediately after detection, whereby the first phase shortened to shorten the time in which a child is in the drum or tub. Thus, unnecessary anxiety of a child should be avoided if possible.

Since the movement of the washing unit or the drum due to the inflowing water differs significantly from a movement caused by a child, misinterpretations are avoided.

In an expedient embodiment, a displacement sensor is used to detect the movement, which is usually arranged between the washing unit and the housing. Detection can also be provided by other means, such as speed, motion, acceleration, compression, force, or torsion (strain gauge) sensors.

Conveniently, the determination or recognition of whether a child is in an inadmissible and dangerous manner in the drum, carried out by an evaluation unit.

The method is not limited to the detection of a child in a drum or tub, but is also suitable for detecting pets, such as dogs, cats, rabbits u.s.w, which are located in the drum or tub in an inadmissible manner.

Fig. 1

schematisch die Anordnung des Waschaggregats in einem Gehäuse;

Fig. 2

beispielhaft ein Zustandsdiagramm für das Waschprogramm im Normalfall und

Fig. 3

beispielhaft ein Zustandsdiagramm für das Waschprogramm im Fehlerfall.

An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. Show it:

Fig. 1

schematically the arrangement of the washing unit in a housing;

Fig. 2

an example of a state diagram for the washing program in the normal case and

Fig. 3

an example of a state diagram for the wash program in case of error.

As shown schematically in Fig. 1, the washing unit or the tub 2 is suspended by means of springs 3 on the housing 1 and not described in detail on the load-bearing parts of the housing 1 swinging. The washing unit essentially comprises a tub 2 with a rotatably mounted in the tub 2 drum 16, which is driven by a drive unit, such as motor with belt drive. The shock absorbers 4 serve to avoid vibrations in the event of imbalance of the rotating drum 16. A displacement sensor 6, in addition to the detection of an imbalance or the loading state and movements of the washing unit or the drum 16 are detected. Via the connecting line 7, the evaluation unit 5 receives all the values detected by the displacement sensor 6. A Waschmitteleinspülkasten 15 serves to receive and for the predetermined delivery of the amount required for a wash program detergent. A loading port 17 is closed after filling the laundry and before starting a selected washing program.

In FIG. 2, the washing program is shown schematically by way of example over time. During the resting phase 8, the washing machine is switched off or the user has not yet started a washing program. At time t = 5, the start button is pressed 9 and thus the first phase 10 of the wash program is activated. During this first phase 10, means, for example a displacement sensor 6 and an evaluation unit 5, for detecting a movement of the washing unit or the washing drum 16 are activated. In addition, at the beginning of the first phase 9, water, in particular cold water, is introduced into the tub 2 or into the drum 16. This duration of the water inlet and the amount of water is so dimensioned that a child located in the drum 16 reliably wet and thereby awakened or troubled and thus animated to a movement, on the other hand there is no danger of drowning, sub-cooling for the child. If no impermissible movement of the washing unit or of the liquor container 2 is determined in the first phase 10, the second phase 12, which comprises the actual washing program selected by the user, follows at the end of the first phase 10 at time t = 8. The second phase 12 with the washing program, which includes strong drum movements by washing, rinsing and spinning cycles, runs to its intended end 13 completely.

In Fig. 3 the program abort 14 is exemplified over time. In this case, a movement of the washing unit 2 was determined during the first phase 10, which leads to premature program termination 14 at the time t = 8. However, it is also possible that at the time t = 7 immediately after the determination of an impermissible movement, the first phase 10 is prematurely terminated 14a and thus terminated. After the recognition of an impermissible movement and after the program termination 14, 14a, the output of an audible or visual alarm message 18 can take place, and / or the loading opening 17 can be automatically unlocked or opened.

Claims (8)

Method for operating a washing machine with a housing (1), a housing (1) vibrationally arranged washing unit (2), which contains a rotatable drum (16) for receiving laundry and / or washing liquid, and an evaluation unit (5) and a sensor (6) for detecting a movement of the washing unit (2), wherein after a detected by the evaluation unit (5) impermissible movement during a first phase (10) of the washing program, the continuation (12) of the washing program is prevented, wherein during the first Phase (10) of the washing program, the drum (16) is in a rest position or is cyclically oscillated,
characterized,
in that during the first phase (10) of the washing program a predetermined amount of water is introduced into the container (2). A method of operating a washing machine according to claim 1,
characterized,
in that, during the first phase (10) of the washing program, the amount of water taken in corresponds to a subset of the washing liquid. A method of operating a washing machine according to claim 2,
characterized,
that the washing program the amount of water bypassing the Waschmitteleinspülkastens is admitted (15) or detergent compartment or detergent compartments in the detergent dispenser (15) during the first phase (10). Method for operating a washing machine according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized,
that a displacement sensor (6) detects the movement of the container (2). Method for operating a washing machine according to one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized,
that a speed, movement, acceleration, pressure, force, or Verwindungssensor detects the movement of the container (2). Method for operating a washing machine according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
that is terminated immediately after the recognition of an inadmissible movement of the first phase (10) is ahead of (14a) Method for operating a washing machine according to one of claims 1 to 6,
characterized,
that after detecting an impermissible movement, the loading opening (17) is automatically unlocked or opened. Method for operating a washing machine according to one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized,
that after detection of an impermissible movement, an audible and / or visual alarm message (18) is output.

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