EP2356273B1 - Method for identifying operating conditions of a domestic appliance - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for determining operating conditions of a domestic appliance in which by means of a temperature sensor in a program operation of the domestic appliance a temperature of a resource of the domestic appliance and / or a component of the domestic appliance are detected, wherein in an initialization phase before the program operation by means of the temperature sensor, an ambient temperature is detected and at least one reference temperature value is set, which represents a critical value for the program operation of the domestic appliance with regard to safe and / or efficient operation, and depending on the comparison of the measured ambient temperature with at least one reference temperature value of the beginning of the program operation is prevented.

Such a method is apparent from the document US 6,255,952 B1 ,

In the course of the rapidly progressing globalization and the associated demands on household appliances in the most diverse markets with their specific requirements, it is necessary to adapt the development of components and components to the respective conditions in accordance with requirements and user needs. However, physical phenomena, such as ambient temperatures of home appliances, sometimes significantly affect operating conditions. Thus, for example, at relatively cold temperatures below the freezing point in water-bearing household appliances, a freezing of components occur. On the other hand, in operating conditions that have very hot temperatures, the functional limit of a domestic appliance can be achieved. This can be, for example, tumble dryers at ambient temperatures beyond 35 ° C.

Usually, a user operates his household appliance under such conditions despite appropriate instructions in the instructions for use, since he has mostly no way locally, to check these requirements. Frost damage to water systems, such as the drain pump of a Washing machine, or excessive drying times due to reduced cooling effect in tumble driers occur.

The publication US 6,255,952 B1 describes a washing machine in which, prior to the initiation of the actual washing process, the ambient temperature is measured by means of a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor can also be used to measure the temperature of the water supplied to a washing machine tub. There is a limit set for the ambient temperature in the washing machine. It is checked whether the ambient temperature falls below the specified limit value or not. If this is not the case, further method steps are carried out and the actual washing process initiated, if necessary. If the ambient temperature falls below the specified limit value, the operation of the washing machine will be aborted.

The publication US 4,213,250 A describes a clothes dryer. With the aid of a rotary knob, an operator can specify the duration of a drying process. Marking means are provided which mark a specific position for the rotary knob depending on an ambient temperature. Thus, the operator can set such a period of the drying process, which is optimal at the given ambient temperature. This approach builds on the fact that the time required to dry the laundry is proportional to the ambient temperature.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for determining operating conditions of a domestic appliance, in which unfavorable factors influencing the operating condition of the domestic appliance are easily recognized.

This object is achieved by a method having the features according to the independent claim. Preferred developments of the method are the subject of corresponding dependent claims and subsequent statements.

In a method according to the invention for determining operating conditions of the household appliance, the temperature is used in a program mode of the household appliance by means of a temperature sensor Home appliance detects a temperature of a resource of the domestic appliance and / or a temperature of a component of the household appliance. In an initialization phase before program operation, an ambient temperature of the domestic appliance is detected by means of the temperature sensor. With the method according to the invention, a specific parameter, namely the ambient temperature, which has significant influences on the operating conditions and the operating behavior of the domestic appliance is thus detected with an already existing temperature sensor.

At least one reference temperature is determined, which represents a critical value for the program operation of the domestic appliance with regard to safe and / or efficient operation. Thus, it can be ensured at all times that undesired influences on the operating behavior of the domestic appliance during program operation are recognized early and it is precisely conditions that endanger the operation that can be recognized in good time before the actual program operation and appropriate instructions or measures are taken. Thus, for example, if the ambient temperatures are too low, and possibly a risk of frost of components or equipment of the domestic appliance could occur during program operation, a corresponding indication given or take appropriate action or be taken. If an efficient operation, for example, due to an excessive energy requirement or a disproportionately large extension of a program operation due to the environmental conditions can not be guaranteed, this can also be displayed or a measure can be taken.

Depending on the comparison of the measured ambient temperature with at least one reference temperature value, the beginning of the program operation is prevented. Namely, it is found in the comparison that the ambient temperature undesirably deviates from the reference temperature value upwards or downwards, and that by this deviation, an undesirable operating condition impairment of the domestic appliance will occur, or at least, is preferably in the initialization phase and before Program operation the actual program operation can be prevented.

The beginning of the program operation is then prevented until the ambient temperature has reached a value that compares with the at least one Reference temperature value is within an acceptance range. In this case, an acceptance range is understood to be the value interval which is classified as non-critical with regard to influencing the operating condition of the household appliance. When the ambient temperature is finally in the acceptance range, the program operation is started automatically.

Preferably, a maximum time duration is predetermined for this inhibition of the beginning of the program operation. This prevents the start of program operation from being prevented for an undesirably long period of time without the prospect of a change in the ambient temperature in the direction which causes a start of the program Program operation would allow. An unnecessarily high energy consumption of the household appliance can be prevented.

The initialization phase is that period after the start of the domestic appliance in which loads of computer programs for controlling the domestic appliance and the like are loaded and started up and corresponding further steps and procedures are carried out in order to be able to carry out a proper program operation in the following. The initialization phase thus describes a period of time during which no proper program operation has yet occurred.

However, it is precisely this relatively short time phase that is used in order to detect the ambient temperature and then to determine whether any favorable or unfavorable influences on the operating behavior of the domestic appliance could occur in the subsequent program operation.

The term domestic appliance means both liquid and gaseous media, which are required in order to be able to perform a program operation properly or which are required for carrying out the program operation. This can be the process air and the cooling air, for example, in a tumble dryer. In a washing machine or a washing machine, this may be, for example, the liquor. The exemplified resources are not to be understood as exhaustive, but are merely intended to indicate the character, which should be encompassed by the name of a resource.

Preferably, the measured ambient temperature is compared with a reference temperature value, and depending on the comparison, this is communicated to a user. A user can thus be informed at any time then about unfavorable influences of the ambient temperature on the operating condition of the household appliance and act accordingly.

Preferably, a warning is thus generated to the user depending on the comparison of the measured ambient temperature with at least one reference temperature value. Preferably, the warning is as information on a Display unit is displayed. It can also be provided that in addition to or instead of an acoustic information is reproduced.

In particular, the user of the domestic appliance should thus receive information via the appliance control or the operating module if the ambient temperature of the installation location is outside an admissible range. As a result, component damage and thus also failures of components can thus be avoided. Functional impairments and malfunctions as well as warranty claims due to extreme climates can also be avoided or at least significantly reduced.

Preferably, a threshold is specified by a first reference temperature value, which is below the ambient temperature, a freezing of water-bearing components of the domestic appliance is possible.

Preferably, a threshold is indicated by a second reference temperature value, which, if exceeded by the ambient temperature, prolongs the duration of a program operation. Preferably, a temperature value at 5 ° C is given by the first reference temperature value.

The second reference temperature value is preferably above 30 ° C., preferably above 35 ° C. Precisely at such temperatures, an increased energy consumption of the domestic appliances, in particular of dryers, occurs since efficient program operation and thus efficient drying is not given. In such hot ambient conditions, excessive drying times occur due to the reduced cooling effect.

Preferably, the domestic appliance is designed for the care of laundry items. In particular, a washing machine or a tumble dryer or a washer-dryer may be provided in this regard.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained below. A household appliance, which is designed to care for items of laundry, comprises at least one temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is in its original functionality designed to detect or measure a temperature of a resource of the domestic appliance and / or a component of the domestic appliance during a program operation. Thus, for example, in the case of an automatic washing machine, it is possible to measure the liquor temperature with this temperature sensor and to monitor and control the domestic appliance as a function thereof. In tumble dryers can be detected with such a temperature sensor, the temperature of the process and cooling air and then carried out depending on the monitoring and control of the device. When commissioning the devices, the temperature sensors still measure the room temperature. The temperature sensors are also equipped with a further functionality, namely that they capture an ambient temperature of the domestic appliance in an initialization phase, which is temporally prior to program operation. This temperature sensor or these temperature sensors are thus queried when switching on the household appliance by the user during the initialization phase and give in this initialization phase information about the ambient temperature.

In a control unit or evaluation unit of the domestic appliance, the signal of the temperature sensor is then evaluated and compared with at least one reference temperature value. In the exemplary embodiment it is provided that a lower first reference temperature value is predetermined, which is for example at 5 ° C. Furthermore, an upper second reference temperature value is predetermined, which is for example at 35 ° C. If the ambient temperature lies within the acceptance range between 5 ° C and 35 ° C, it can be assumed that the program operation can proceed properly or within an acceptable tolerance interval. This in view of the possibility of an undesirably high energy consumption by prolonging the program operation due to the ambient temperature or in view of the fact that freezing of components due to low ambient temperatures with the highest probability does not occur or can be completely excluded.

However, if it is determined that the ambient temperature is less than the first lower reference temperature value and thus less than 5 ° C, the user is informed of a warning, which is displayed in particular on a display unit of the domestic appliance. In this context, text and / or symbols and / or numbers can be displayed. For example, you may see that the Ambient temperature is too low and the risk of frost damage during program operation may occur. It may also merely be provided that a single word, such as "risk of frost" is displayed. If the domestic appliance is designed as a dryer, an indication may be, for example, that the ambient temperature is also too high, for example if it is greater than the second upper reference temperature value, and thus greater than 35 ° C. In addition, it can also be stated that due to the high ambient temperatures significantly longer drying times are to be expected and thus an increased energy consumption occurs.

It is preferably provided that in such a case in which the ambient temperature is outside the acceptance range, the start of the program operation is automatically inhibited. In addition, this can also be communicated to a user. In addition, it can be provided that the blocking takes place until an ambient temperature lies in a corresponding acceptance range. If this is achieved, an automatic start of the program operation can then take place. If such a scenario is carried out, the repeated temperature detection takes place even after the initialization phase. Because of course, the end of the ambient temperature may take longer than the initialization phase, so that even after the initialization phase, a measurement of this temperature takes place and then it is decided whether a program operation is started.

By this method, and thus the evaluation of the ambient temperature at least temporarily in a specific time phase, namely the initialization phase, frost damage and undesirable other operating conditions can be avoided in household appliances for the care of laundry items. Thus, the probability of failure of such devices can be reduced and thus the customer service calls are reduced. In particular, information can thus be obtained for tumble dryers and shirt presses without additional components in the household appliance and ultimately with an already present temperature sensor, which makes possible effective and safe operation of the household appliance.

Claims (7)

1. Method of detecting operating conditions of a domestic appliance, in which a temperature of an operating means of the domestic appliance and/or a component of the domestic appliances is or are detected by means of a temperature sensor in a program operation of the domestic appliance, wherein an ambient temperature is detected by means of the temperature sensor in an initialisation phase before the program operation and at least one reference temperature value is established which represents a critical value for the program operation of the domestic appliance with respect to safe and/or efficient operation, and wherein the starting of the program operation is prevented in dependence on comparison of the measured ambient temperature with at least one reference temperature value, characterised in that the starting of the program operation is prevented until the ambient temperature has reached a value which by comparison with the at least one reference temperature value lies in an acceptance range and that the program operation is then automatically started.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the measured ambient temperature is compared with a reference temperature value and depending on the comparison a user is informed.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that depending on the comparison of the measured ambient temperature with at least one reference temperature value a warning for the user is generated.
4. Method according to claim 3, characterised in that the warning is reproduced as information on a display unit and/or as acoustic information.
5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a threshold is determined by a first reference temperature value and when the threshold is fallen below by the ambient temperature a freezing of water-conducting components of the domestic appliance is possible.
6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a threshold is determined by a second reference temperature value and on exceeding of the threshold by the ambient temperature the duration of a program operation would be prolonged.
7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the domestic appliance is constructed for the treatment of items of laundry.