EP1645677B1 - Method for operating a washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves using an evaluation unit (5) and a sensor (6) for rotation and revolutinary speed of drum to detect possible presence of child in washer. During the first phase (10) of the wash program an improper motion of the drum (16) is detected and on detection the drum drive is stopped and an alarm is sounded.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a washing machine with a housing, a swingably arranged in the housing tub, which contains a rotatable drum for receiving laundry and / or washing liquid and with a motor for driving the drum, and an evaluation, wherein after a detected by the evaluation unacceptable movement in a first phase of the washing program in which the motor is inactive for driving the drum, the continuation of the washing program is prevented.

Such a method is known from the patent abstract of Japan JP 2004065408 A known. 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 in Patent Abstracts of Japan JP 10179978 A disclosed. 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 procedure is from the German patent application DE 42 25 769 A1 known. 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.

From the European Patent EP 0 709 512 B1 For example, a method for determining the amount of charge in the drum is disclosed. The rotational speed of the drum is monitored in the reversing operation, wherein an evaluation circuit determines the loading amount due to the vibration behavior of the speed signal.

The invention is therefore based on the object with simple means to improve the 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 means for the laundry weight or speed of the drum can be used. This is done in a simple manner in that after the start of the washing program or after pressing a start button in a first phase, the rotational speed or rotation of the drum directly or indirectly, for example via the rotation of the drive motor is monitored. Even rotational movements about a small angle of rotation, for example, less than 5 degrees, are detected and lead to a reliable detection of a child or animal in an inadmissible manner in the drum. Since in this first phase the motor is inactive, whereby the drum is not yet moved by the motor, a determined movement leads to the termination of the user preset washing program. Another advantage of this method is that due to the sensitive response of the sensor for detecting a rotational movement and the low mass of the drum even very weak movements in the first phase are reliably detected.

In an advantageous embodiment, after starting the washing program or after pressing a start button in a first phase, water, in particular cold water, is introduced 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. Thus, the recognition for a child in the drum is improved.

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, the introduced water is not a detergent during the first phase added. For this purpose, the water is admitted, bypassing the Waschmitteleinspülkastens or bypassing the detergent compartment or detergent compartments in Waschmitteleinspülkasten (15).

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 are conceivable.

The duration for this first phase of the washing program is such that at the beginning of the first phase, for example, the water is let in for 30 seconds and then waited for a preset time, for example 60 seconds, until the second phase, which contains the actual washing program, starts. During the entire first phase, for example 90 seconds, a possible movement of the washing unit or of the drum is detected, whereby 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.

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, etc., 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 in Fig. 1 shown schematically, the washing unit or the tub 2 is suspended by springs 3 on the housing 1 or on unspecified load-bearing parts of the housing swinging suspended. The washing unit essentially comprises a tub 2 with a rotatably mounted in the tub 2 drum 16, which has a Drive unit, such as motor 19 is driven by belt drive. The shock absorbers 4 are used to prevent vibrations in case of imbalance of the rotating drum. With the aid of a tachogenerator 6, movements of the drum 16 during a first phase of the washing program are detected in addition to the speed detection in the normal washing program or the loading state, wherein the drum is not driven by the motor. The evaluation unit 5 receives all values detected by the tachogenerator 6 via the connecting line 7. 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 is exemplified over time the wash program is shown schematically. 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 tachogenerator 6 and an evaluation unit 5, are activated for detecting a rotational movement of the washing drum, whereby the movement of the drum (16) is monitored for rotational movements. If no impermissible movement of the drum 16 is detected in the first phase 10, after the end of the first phase 10 at the time t = 8, the second phase 12 follows, which comprises the actual washing program selected by the user. The second phase 12 with the washing program; which includes strong drum movements through wash, rinse and spin cycles, runs to its intended end 13 completely.

Conveniently, at the beginning of the first phase 9, water, in particular cold water, can be introduced into the tub or into the drum 16. The duration of the water inlet, the amount of water and the temperature is so dimensioned that a child located in the drum 16 reliably wet and thereby awakened or disturbed and thus animated to a movement, on the other hand, there is no risk of drowning, undercooling for the child ,

In Fig. 3 is exemplified over time the program abort 14. In this case, during the first phase 10, a movement of the drum 16 was detected, resulting in a premature program termination 14 at time t = 8, whereby the continuation of the user-set wash program is prevented. 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 detecting an impermissible movement and after the program abort 14, 14a, the output of an audible or visual alarm message 18 can be made, and / or the loading port 17 are automatically unlocked or opened.

Claims (7)

1. Method for operating a washing machine comprising a housing (1), a suds container (2) which is arranged in a vibratory manner in the housing (1), comprises a rotatable drum (16) for receiving laundry and/or washing liquid and has a motor (19) for driving the drum (16), and an evaluation unit (5), the continuation of the washing program being prevented following an inadmissible movement, recognized by the evaluation unit (5), during a first phase (10) of the washing program, during which the motor (19) for driving the drum (16) is inactive,
   characterised in that
   during the first phase (10) of the washing program, a rotational movement of the drum (16) is monitored for recognizing the inadmissible movement.
2. Method for operating a washing machine according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   during the first phase (10) of the washing program, a predetermined amount of water is admitted into the container (2).
3. Method for operating a washing machine according to claim 2,
   characterised in that
   during the first phase (10) of the washing programme, the admitted amount of water corresponds to a partial amount of the washing liquid.
4. Method for operating a washing machine according to either claim 2 or claim 3,
   characterised in that
   during the first phase (10) of the washing program, the amount of water is admitted in such a way as to bypass the detergent dispenser (15), detergent compartment or detergent compartments in the detergent dispenser (15).
5. Method for operating a washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in that
   the first phase (10) is prematurely terminated (14a) directly after the recognition of an inadmissible movement.
6. Method for operating a washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
   characterised in that
   the loading opening (17) is automatically unlocked or opened after the recognition of an inadmissible movement.
7. Method for operating a washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
   characterised in that
   an audible and/or visible alarm signal (18) is emitted after the recognition of an inadmissible movement.

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