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
  • D06F34/00—Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
  • D06F34/14—Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
  • D06F34/18—Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight
• • 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
• • 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
  • D06F2103/02—Characteristics of laundry or load
  • D06F2103/04—Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• • 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
  • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
  • D06F2105/08—Draining of washing liquids
• • 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
  • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
  • D06F2105/58—Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• • 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
  • D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
  • D06F2105/58—Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
  • D06F2105/60—Audible signals

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method for operating a washing machine, in particular a method for a program-controlled washing machine with a housing, a vibrating housing arranged in the housing 5 washing unit, which essentially contains a container for receiving laundry and / or washing liquid, and a Cons ⁇ unit and control unit, wherein the control unit includes at least one evaluation unit and a memory, and a sensor for detecting the weight of the container.
• a waxing machine which has a lo schwingbewegliches washing unit and for measuring the weight of a force sensor or a pressure sensor on one of the suspensions for the washing unit has.
• Another way of detecting the weight is, as described in the published patent application DE 199 60 847 A1, the arrangement of a strain gauge in the region of the rear wall of the tub, which changes its electrical properties by the twisting of the holding elements for the drum i 5 .
• About the measured electrical properties of the loading condition of the washing drum is determined in this way. In this case, the measurement is limited to the contents of the washing drum, so that a measurement of the weight of the washing liquid in the tub is not possible.
• German Patent Application DE 102 36 937 A1 discloses a possibility for the self-activation or switching on of the operating unit for a washing machine.
• the operating unit is activated with an integrated motion detector.
• the display elements or control unit located in the operating unit are only activated or switched on as soon as a person is in the local area detected by the motion detector.
• the use of a motion detector is very complex and sensitive to unwanted switching.
• the invention is thus based on the object, on the one hand, of providing a reliable and accurate detection of the laundry weight or of the container with loading taking into account different user habits and, on the other hand, enabling detection of malfunctions before the program is started.
• the achievable with the present invention consist in addition to a very reliable and accurate detection of the laundry weight under recognition and consideration of Störun ⁇ conditions, including the reliable activation of the control unit and / or control unit.
• a disturbance is exemplified the restoring behavior of friction-acting shock absorbers. Due to the friction behavior, the unit to be measured acquires a slightly different position with each return, as soon as the braking effect of the friction-acting shock absorber outweighs the restoring force of the springs for the oscillating suspension of the washing unit.
• a spin cycle at the end of a wash program can due to the vibrations of the washing unit or container due to an imbalance the Distinguish strongly rest position.
• Another disturbance is an inadmissible water ingress into the container, for example tubs.
• the rest position of the container or washing unit receiving the laundry and / or washing liquid is detected reliably and in each case promptly before each washing cycle.
• a control unit with an evaluation unit and a memory and a sensor for detecting the weight are arranged in the washing machine.
• the values detected by the sensor are read in cyclically, whereby the last read-in value is stored.
• the evaluation unit is able to compare a read-in value with respect to the last read-in value or several values.
• the rest position or zero position of the container is determined.
• the control unit is activated.
• a displacement sensor is used to detect the weight, which as a rule is arranged between the washing unit and the housing.
• the detection of the laundry weight can also be provided by other methods, such as, for example, pressure measurement or torsion measurement.
• the temporal behavior of several stored values is used for the assessment.
• the displacement sensor is read at least once again, whereby the value for the rest position detected in the sleep mode is subtracted from this value, which is recorded under load, and the result from this calculation is weighted is used for the laundry.
• waiting times are conceivable between the individual cycles for detecting the sensor values, or a plausibility check is made on the basis of a plurality of values detected in chronological order. This means, for example, that a constant value is accepted and stored as a rest position only after multiple successive successive acquisitions.
• the method according to the invention is suitable for all washing machines with a swingably suspended washing unit, in particular a tub with a washing drum rotating therein and its drive component. or a tub with an agitator arranged therein and its drive components or a water-carrying rotating drum with drive components.
• the determined or assumed rest position may be due to the restoring behavior of the friction damper in a limited tolerance window.
• the determination of the rest position takes place in the time in which the operating unit and Steuerungs ⁇ unit is inactive, that is, all controls are inactive and the displays, such as example, lights or displays are turned off.
• the control unit is inactive during this time, hereinafter referred to as sleep mode, with the exception of the cyclic detection and storage of the values from the displacement sensor.
• This sleep mode is particularly energy-efficient, since only a part of the control unit or evaluation is active.
• errors can be detected with the aid of the cyclical detection of the weight of the container or washing unit, in particular an inadmissible water inlet in sleep mode, ie while the washing machine is switched off or the control unit and operating unit is inactive.
• This takes into account the dynamic behavior of the values read in by the sensor. If the change of an input value compared to the previously stored value falls below a predetermined level, then this is regarded as a slow increase in weight which results from an inadmissible water intake.
• the evaluation unit detects an error and activates an alarm function.
• an alarm function are expediently alarm, audible alarms or
• Alarm messages via communication devices such as the Internet, mobile phone and / or switching on the lye drain pump conceivable.
• Displacement sensor detects lintel insertion
• Fig. 1a shows schematically the arrangement of the washing unit in a housing
• Fig. 1b shows schematically the position of the washing unit in the loaded state
• 2 shows an example of a state diagram for the controller
• 3a shows a diagram for a laundry throw over time
• Fig. 3b is a diagram for an impermissible water inlet over time.
• the washing unit 2 is suspended by means of springs 3 on the housing 1 or on non-descriptive load-bearing parts of the housing in a manner of swinging motion.
• the washing unit essentially comprises a tub with a washing drum rotatably arranged in the tub and the drive unit, for example a motor with belt drive.
• the shock absorbers 4 serve to avoid vibrations in case of imbalance of the rotating drum.
• a displacement sensor 6 in addition to the detection of an imbalance, and the loading state of the drum is detected.
• the evaluation of all values output or read out by the travel sensor 6 is preferably carried out in a control unit 5 arranged in the washing machine 29, the control unit 5 including at least one evaluation unit and a memory.
• the control unit 5 includes an evaluation unit, which reads in each value of the Weg ⁇ sensor 6 via the signal connection 7 and interprets the change of a value corresponding to a change in weight of the washing unit 2, as a laundry weight. In this case, the evaluation unit distinguishes the dynamic behavior of the weight change, wherein a function is the independent activation of the washing machine 29 or control unit 5.
• the control unit 2 remains in sleep mode 9. As further illustrated in the state diagram according to FIG. 2, the control unit 2 is switched from the sleep mode 9 into the active mode 10 as a function of the values s (t), 14 issued by the distance sensor 6, in particular If a currently detected value s (t) of one or more temporally past detected values s (tn) is greater than a predetermined tolerance limit or corresponds to a higher weight of the washing unit 2, a state change 11 thus occurs.
• the control unit is switched on with display elements and the Steuerungsein ⁇ unit 5 in the readiness to record operator inputs.
• the energy consumption of the entire washing machine is well below a specified limit for a relevant energy consumption in the specified sleep mode, also generally referred to as "stand-by.”
• the state transition 13 from the active mode 10 in the sleep mode 9 can take place.
• FIG. 3 a the dynamic behavior of a laundry insert and the resulting change in state are shown by way of example over time.
• the value of the Wegsen ⁇ sensor 6 is cyclically read at intervals.
• the readout times of the displacement sensor are given by way of example on the time axis t unweighted with 1 to 15.
• the read low value 15 remains unchanged until time 10.
• This read-in value 15 is preferably stored in a memory within the control unit 5 as a reference for the rest position 5 or zero position of the washing unit.
• the read value exceeds a predetermined tolerance level 18, whereby the evaluation unit in the control unit 5 detects a laundry drop at state 16 and the control unit 5 and operating unit, as shown by the transitional arrow 19, from the sleep mode 9 in the active mode 10th on.
• this value 17 is assumed for determining the weight of the laundry, the determination of the weight of the laundry being based on this value 17 minus the previously determined value for the rest position 15 of the washing unit 2.
• FIG. 3 b shows a further possibility of how the evaluation unit, with the aid of the cyclical detection of the value of a displacement sensor 6, can detect an inadmissible entry of water into the washing unit, in order then to activate an alarm function 26.
• An inadmissible water ingress would lead to a slow increase in the weight of the tub and thus of the washing unit 2. This would lead to changes in value over time, with each detected individual value change falling below a predetermined level 28.
• the evaluation unit only detects an error when the detected value change falls below a predetermined level 28 and the last detected value exceeds a predetermined absolute threshold value 20. At the times 1 and 2, no change 20 of the read in and / or stored values 15 is detected.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
• Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=34485705

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (30)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 2004
  • 2004-09-08 DE DE102004043838A patent/DE102004043838B3/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2005
  • 2005-09-05 DE DE502005010939T patent/DE502005010939D1/de active Active
  • 2005-09-05 WO PCT/EP2005/009509 patent/WO2006027183A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2005-09-05 PL PL05777385T patent/PL1786971T3/pl unknown
  • 2005-09-05 AT AT05777385T patent/ATE497555T1/de active
  • 2005-09-05 US US11/574,947 patent/US20080072383A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-09-05 ES ES05777385T patent/ES2356552T3/es active Active
  • 2005-09-05 EP EP05777385A patent/EP1786971B1/fr not_active Not-in-force

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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