EP1699966A1

EP1699966A1 - Domestic appliance with programmable control module

Info

Publication number: EP1699966A1
Application number: EP04804812A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Karl-Heinz Rehm; Michael Rosenbauer; Martin Stickel
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2003-12-23
Filing date: 2004-12-14
Publication date: 2006-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2024-12-14
Also published as: EP1699966B1; WO2005064067A1; PL1699966T3

Abstract

The aim of the invention is the production of a dishwasher, the programme control of which permits the installation of the programme control module in the dishwasher, a subsequent programming of the programme control and a change to the rinse programme sequence pre-programmed in the programme control. Said aim is achieved, whereby an electronic programme control, for the control of rinsing programme sequences, is provided with a programmable control module (1), comprising an interface (8), for the external programming of at least one rinsing programme sequence, carried out by the programme control, which may be directly contacted from outside the dishwasher. By integrating an interface (8) which may be directly contacted from outside the dishwasher, for the external programming of rinsing programme sequences in the control module (1) of the programme control, the programme control can be installed in the dishwasher without pre-programming and programmed in a final step, or after the production of the dishwasher. Said dishwasher thus has the advantages that the programming of the programme control can also be carried out after the production process is complete and the rinsing programme sequences pre-programmed in the programme control can be altered, exchanged or extended after the production process, whereby preparation complexity in final assembly is reduced and the product flexibility is increased.

Description

Description Household appliance with programmable control module

The present invention is a household appliance, in particular washing machine or dishwasher, with an electronic program control for controlling Spülprogrammabläufen with a programmable control module having an interface for programming at least one of the program control executable Spülprogrammablaufs.

Usually, in domestic appliances, in particular in a dishwasher, in the course of the rinsing operation, one or more rinsing operations are carried out with heated rinsing liquid in order to clean the dishes located in the dishwasher. After the last rinsing process usually takes place a rinse phase, followed by a drying process followed to dry the items to be washed. These and iele other modes are put together in specific adapted to the type and amount of the dishes to be cleaned Spülprogrammabläufen. The control of the Spülprogrammabläufe is usually carried out by an electronic program control, in the electronic components usually several Spülprogrammabläufe are stored.

[003] Such program controls are often sourced from the dishwasher manufacturer via suppliers in the form of program control modules in which the desired wash programs are already preprogrammed. After installation of the program control module in the Geschrrspülmascline a subsequent programming of the program control or a change in the program control preprogrammed Spülprogrammabläufe is not or only with increased effort possible, for example, a disassembly of essential parts of the dishwasher is required or the program control must, in particular considerable installation effort to be expanded, because the program control is located inside the household appliance.

The object of the present invention is to provide a dishwasher, the program control even after the construction of the program control module in the dishwasher programming the program control and a subsequent change in the program control preprogrammed Spülprogrammabläufe in a simple and inexpensive way allows.

[005] This object is achieved by the dishwasher according to the invention having the features according to claim 1. Advantageous developments of the present Invention are characterized in the subclaims 2 to 12.

In the household appliance according to the invention, in particular washing machine or dishwasher, an electronic program control for controlling Spülprogrammabläufen is provided which comprises a programmable control module having an interface for external programming of at least one executable by the program control Spülprogrammablaufs, wherein a programming without disassembly of parts of the household appliance is executable. Under the dismantling of parts of the household appliance are in the context of this patent application essential parts, eg. B. side or rear walls understood. For example, with an interface accessible from the outside of the exterior, disassembly of a smaller coverage of the interface, e.g. B. a connector protection flap, may be required.

Preferably, the interface is directly contactable from outside the dishwasher, d. H. The interface is accessible from the outside without disassembly of essential parts of the household appliance.

According to the present invention, it is possible due to the integration of a contactable directly outside of the dishwasher interface for external programming Spülprogrammabläufen on the control module of the program control to install the program control without preprogramming in the household appliance and only in one of the last steps or after completion to program the production of the household appliance. The direct contactability of the interface of the programmable control module means in this context that the interface can be contacted even when installed from outside the household appliance, without structural changes or a significant installation effort on the domestic appliance are required. As a result, the program control module can first be opened by the ZuEeferer as an unprogrammed control and the complete installation of the rinsing program sequences can take place during or after the assembly of the household appliance, without having to make any structural changes to the domestic appliance. Due to the direct contactability of the interface of the programmable control module, it is also possible, according to the present invention, for the program control module to be preprogrammed by the supplier according to the customer's wishes. This reduces the number of variants of household appliances, in particular dishwashers, in the production since different levels of dishwashing detergent can be added to the programmable control module. program sequences can be programmed and for the final assembly of the dishwasher only so-called hardware variants must be planned.

The household appliance according to the invention thus has the advantage that the programming of the program control can be made even after completion of the manufacturing process or in the program control preprogrammed Spülprogrammabläufe even after the manufacturing process still changed, replaced or supplemented. As a result, the vertical integration in the final assembly and the assembly effort is reduced overall and the product flexibility is increased. The programmable control module with the directly contactable from outside of the household appliance interface also allows fast and flexible Ogrammierung or AktuaEsierung of particular rinse programs.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the interface of the programmable control module comprises a number of electrical contacts for external programming of the control module, which are preferably designed as plug-in connections. However, it is also possible to design the interface of the programmable control module as an infrared interface or as a wireless radio link. Each of these types of interfaces allows easy programming of the control module before, during, or after production of the home appliance; but also a reprogramming or supplementation of the existing already in the control module program flows, in particular Spulprogrammabl, after commissioning of the household appliance via the interface of the program control possible.

In this case, it is particularly advantageous if the programmable control module comprises the electronic components required for program control, and preferably at least one microprocessor and / or storage means. In the memory means, for example, executable by the program control rinse program sequences can be stored, which were previously transmitted via the interface for programming the program control. By way of example, the microprocessor is capable of executing the wash program sequences stored in the programmable control module and of giving corresponding control signals to the components of the household appliance that are indicated during the flushing process. Additionally or alternatively, the microprocessor may include an operating system for programming the control module.

Advantageously, the programmable control module also includes a network input filter for filtering high frequencies. The net input filter is used for Suppression and the electromagnetic compatibility of the household appliance. A particularly efficient effect can be achieved if the network input filter filters out the frequencies in the range from 150 kHz to 30 MHz or from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. As a result, almost all electronic components required for the electrical connection of the program control can be accommodated in the programmable control module, which also facilitates the checking of the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of the dishwasher.

[013] Sometimes the electrical energy supply in household appliances is provided by a mains connection cable via an electrical connection designed for higher current intensities. For this purpose, the household appliances are usually equipped by the manufacturer with a device-mounted fixed power cord. In order to connect the device to the electrical mains, then only the plug of the power cable must be plugged into the socket. However, the fixed device-side connection of the power cord has the disadvantage that for untercriedEche power plugs, for example, in various countries already factory a corresponding power cord must be mounted. In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the programmable control module therefore includes a power connector for powering the programmable control module and the home appliance. Such IEC connectors allow the connection of a mains connection cable, the device side has a plug designed to complement the IEC connector and the mains side has a suitable plug for power mains connection plug. As a result, the dishwasher according to the invention, the appropriate power cord can be enclosed after production or ausgeϊefert without a fixed power cord and the appropriate power cord, for example, be supplemented by the country's sales.

The programming of the control module or a functional check after the construction of the control module in the dishwasher according to the invention is particularly facilitated when the IEC connector and the interface for external programming of the programmable control module can be contacted via a combination plug. The combination plug comprises both the complementarily designed counterpart to the IEC connector and the complementarily designed counterpart to the interface of the programmable control module. By having both the complementarily formed counterpart to the cold rätestecker and the complementarily formed counterpart to the interface in the combination plug are combined to form a Briheit, the contacting of the programmable control module can be particularly easy and practical in a hand movement.

Expediently, an electrical connection is provided for the electrical connection of the programmable control module with the dishwasher, which is preferably designed as a group plug with a number of electrical contacts. In this way, the electrical connection between the programmable control module and the dishwasher can be made with only one plug, which facilitates the assembly or replacement of the control module.

[016] The control module according to the invention comprises at least one board on which the electronic components required for the program control are arranged. The board has an electrical connection to make the connection between the program control and the dishwasher. For this purpose, a portion is preferably formed on the edge of the board as an electrical connection with a number of electrical contacts. With this section at the edge of the board, the programmable control module can be used in a fast and easy way when mounting in a complementary formed slot in the household appliance.

The integration of the interface for programming the program control and the IEC connector on the programmable control module is advantageously reaEsiert that their placement allows contacting from outside the home appliance. For this purpose, the programmable control module is preferably installed in the floor pan of the dishwasher and arranged so that the interface for programming the control module can be contacted by the rear wall of the floor pan. As a result, the household appliance can be supplied, for example during the final functional check after the production process, via the cold burr plug in the programmable control module with electrical power and programmed via the contacting of the interface.

In the following, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to preferred embodiments. Show it:

[019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a programmable controller. program control module for a dishwasher according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[020] FIG. 2 shows a perspective detailed view of the programmable control module shown in FIG. 1 in the installed state.

The programmable control module shown in FIG. 1 is used for programming and controlling rinsing program sequences of a scavenging machine according to the invention (not shown). In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, the programmable control module 1 is housed in a housing which consists of two hinged halves 2 and 3. Figure 1 shows the housing halves 2, 3 in the unfolded position, so that the components of the programmable control module are visible. To SchEeßen the housing, the two halves of the housing 2, 3 are folded with a pivoting movement in the direction of arrow A.

The programmable control module 1 comprises a circuit board 13 on which the electronic components 4 required for program control are arranged. The board 13 has an electrical connection 6 to establish the connection between the programmable control module 1 and the dishwasher. For this purpose, a section on the edge of the board 13 is formed as an electrical connection 6 with a number of electrical contacts 7. With this section on the «edge of the board 13, the programmable control module can be inserted into a complementary designed slot in the dishwasher.

The programmable control module 1 has an interface 8 with a number of electrical contacts, which are used for external programming of the control module. The electrical contacts of the interface 8 are formed in the embodiment shown in the figures as plug-in connections, which can be contacted directly from outside the dishwasher via corresponding connectors for external programming of the control module 1. By contacting the interface 8 directly from outside the dishwasher, external programming of the control module 1 can be carried out in a simple manner before, during or after production of the dishwasher. The interface 8 of the programmable control module 1 can also be contacted directly from outside the dishwasher in the installed state, without having to make structural changes of a considerable type on the dishwasher. [024] The programmable control module electronic components 4 required for program control also include a microprocessor 5 and electronic memory means 14 in which programs executable by the program controller can be stored which have been previously communicated via the program control programming interface 8. The microprocessor 5 is capable of executing the rinse program sequences stored in the electronic storage means 14 and to output corresponding control signals to the components of the dishwasher that are being rinsed. In addition, the microprocessor includes an operating system that allows programming of the control module. On the board 13 of the programmable control module 1 and a network input filter for high frequencies for suppression of the dishwasher is arranged.

[025] The embodiment of the programmable control module 1 illustrated in the figures is equipped with a cold-device plug 10 for the power supply of the programmable control module and the dishwasher. Since only certain power supply lines for higher currents are allowed for the operation of dishwashers, the IEC connector 10 is provided with protruding pins 11, which allows the connection only a certain, corresponding to the requirements power cord, the device side to the IEC connector 10 and the protruding pins 11 complementary trained plug and the mains side has a plug for power mains connector.

The integration of the program control programming interface and the IEC connector 10 on the programmable control module 1 is, in a preferred embodiment, so modified that contacting outside the dishwasher is possible. For this purpose, the programmable control module 1 is installed in the floor pan of the dishwasher and thereby arranged so that the interface for programming the control module can be contacted by the rear wall 12 of the floor pan.

[027] FIG. 2 shows a perspective detail view of the programmable control module 1 shown in FIG. 1, which is installed in a dishwasher. When installed, the housing halves 2 and 3 are closed and the IEC connector 10 protrudes through an opening in a housing wall 12 of the dishwasher, so that it can be contacted from outside the housing wall 12. The housing wall 12 is the rear wall of the floor pan of the scraper washer. In the housing wall 12 are next to the opening for the Kaltgerä- Testecker 10 also openings 9 are provided, through which a contacting of the rear Eegenden interface 8 from the outside of the housing wall 12 via corresponding connector for external programming of the control module 1 is possible. In this way, via the interface 8, an external programming of the control module 1 can also be made after the dishwasher has been completed, but also a reprogramming or supplementing of the wash program sequences already present in the control module 1 after the dishwasher has been started is possible via the interface 8 of the program control.

[028] Due to the external contactability of the programmable control module 1, the dishwashing machine can be supplied with power during the abschEeßenden function check after the manufacturing process, via the Kaltgrätestecker and via the contacting of the interface 8, the programmable control module 1 is checked or programmed.

[029] List of reference numbers

[030] 1 programmable control module

[031] 2 first housing half of the programmable control module 1

[032] 3 second housing half of the programmable control module 1

[033] 4 electronic components of the programmable control module 1

[034] 5 microprocessor

[035] 6 group plug of the programmable control module 1

[036] 7 electrical contacts of the group connector 6

[037] 8 Interface of the programmable control module

[038] 9 openings in the housing of the programmable control module. 1

[039] 10 IEC connector

[040] 11 webs in the IEC connector

[041] 12 Rear wall of the dishwasher

[042] 13 Circuit board of the programmable control module 1. Electronic storage means

[043] A Direction of the pivotal movement for cutting the housing halves 2 and 3

Claims

claims

Domestic appliance, in particular washing machine or dishwasher, with an electronic program control for controlling Spülprogrammabläufen with a programmable control module (1) having an interface (8) for programming at least one of the program control executable Spülprogrammablaufs, characterized in that a programming without Disassembly of parts of the household appliance is executable.

Domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the interface (8) is directly contactable from outside the dishwasher.

Household appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the interface (8) of the programmable control module (1) has a number of contacts for external programming of the control module, which are preferably designed as plug-in connections.

Household appliance according to claim 1, wherein the interface (8) of the programmable control module (1) is designed as an infrared interface or as a wireless radio link.

Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the programmable control module (1) for the program control required electronic components (4) and preferably at least one microprocessor (5) and / or storage means.

Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the programmable control module (1) includes an operating system for the programming of the control module (1).

Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the programmable control module (1) comprises a network input filter for filtering high frequencies, which preferably filters out sequences in the range of 150 kHz to 30 MHz or 30 MHz to 300 MHz.

Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the prog rammierbare control module (1) comprises a cold device connector (10) for powering the programmable control module (1) and the dishwasher.

Household appliance according to claim 8, wherein the IEC connector (10) and the interface (8) for external programming of the programmable controller tion module (1) can be contacted via a combination plug, in which preferably both the complementarily formed counterpart to the IEC connector (10) and the complementarily formed counterpart to the interface (8) are combined to form a unit.

[010] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one electrical connection (6) for the electrical connection of the programmable control module (1) with the dishwasher is provided, preferably as a group plug (6) with a number of electrical contacts (7) is trained.

[011] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the programmable control module has at least one circuit board (13) on the required for program control electronic components (4) are arranged and with an electrical connection (6) designed in a complementary designed Slot can be inserted in the dishwasher, wherein preferably a portion at the edge of the board (13) as an electrical connection (6) with a number of electrical contacts (7) is formed.

[012] Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the programmable control module (1) is arranged in the bottom pan of the dishwasher and the interface (8) for programming the control module from outside the dishwasher is contactable.