EP2488090B1 - Household appliance and method for operating a household appliance - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a domestic dishwasher, at least comprising an operating display with at least one optical and / or acoustic display means, which is designed at least for displaying and / or signaling a conclusion of a treatment process.

In the evaluation of household appliances by consumer organizations, the energy consumption of the household appliance, in particular its annual energy balance, plays an important role. Domestic appliances have an operation display with at least optical display means, for example LEDs, with which during operation of the household appliance operating parameters, etc., and after completion of a treatment process according to a program can be displayed that the treatment process has been completed. However, the household appliance remains at the end of the program on the power grid until the customer actively intervenes and turns off the household appliance by pressing the main switch.

The US 2004/0016265 A1 discloses the features of the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the invention is to provide a household appliance, in particular household dishwasher, in which the energy consumption is further reduced.

According to the invention it is provided that the household appliance has a delay element with the duration is adjustable. In this case, the display of at least the completed treatment process after the expiration of the period is deactivated. In this case, for example, the display means at least display the completed treatment process and / or signal or other information, such as the elapsed program time of a cleaning program, the type of cleaning program or disturbances during the program flow. An indication of an elapsed treatment process can eg by displaying a corresponding symbol or an elapsed program runtime. The invention is based on the finding that, in an annual energy balance, the energy consumption of the household appliance caused by the electrical operation of the optical display means noticeably flows into it. Studies have shown that the time between the completion of the actual treatment process and a subsequent treatment process can be in the range of hours or days. In the event that after the end of the treatment process, the main switch is not turned off, therefore remain in the prior art, in particular the optical display means indicating the end of the program, activated until the subsequent treatment process. As a result, the energy consumption of the household appliance can be markedly increased in the annual energy balance. By means of the invention, the optical display means can be automatically switched off independently of, for example, a user-side actuation of a main switch. Such deactivation of the display means may be done when their operation is deemed by a controller to be not required. Against this background, the energy consumption of the device can be largely reduced according to the invention after the treatment process, so that the total energy consumption of the household appliance is reduced accordingly.

Preferably, the controller is also associated with a delay element, with which a period of time is adjustable, after which the controller deactivates the display means with a time delay to the switch-off signal. The delay element can be technically realized, for example, as a microprocessor integrated in a control device. With the help of the delay element, the operating time of the optical display means can be set variably after generation of the switch-off signal.

It is preferred if the delay element is in signal connection with an input means with which the user can set the time duration until deactivation of the optical display means. The user can thus influence the operating behavior of the household appliance itself. The input means for setting the time delay may be provided directly in the control panel of the household appliance.

The adjustment of the time duration by the input means can be continuous or stepped. The duration can be exemplified in a range between 0 and 60 min. be set.

In order to expand the user-side option in the setting of the input means of the delay element, with the input means, a setting value can be set, in which no deactivation of the optical display means takes place. In this case, therefore, the adjustable period of time is set to "infinite". The input means may also preferably be set to a further set value where the duration is set to "0". In this case, the optical display means are deactivated immediately after generation of the switch-off signal without any further time delay.

The switch-off signal for deactivating the optical display means can be generated directly in connection to a completed treatment process of the household appliance. Preferably, the switch-off signal is automatically generated by a control device, with which device components, such as the display means or circulation / lye pumps, can be controlled during a treatment process.

From the controller according to the invention may preferably be disabled, a visual indicator of the household appliance, which has an increased energy consumption even in standby mode. Alternatively, the entire household appliance can be automatically deactivated by the controller.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the power switch and a circuit breaker are arranged in parallel. The power supply network can be applied, for example, to a switch formed on a microswitch and to the switching element connected in parallel therewith. When put out of service home appliance, both the power switch and the switching element are open. By pressing the microswitch, the deactivated, that is open switching element of the self-holding contact circuit can be bypassed, whereby the control device is acted upon by a voltage pulse. The voltage pulse is passed via the control device to the self-holding contact circuit, whereby the self-holding contact circuit closes the switching element. In this way, current flows from the mains via the now closed switching element to the self-holding contact circuit, so that the switching element remains stably closed while the power switch is open again. As soon as the control device conducts the switch-off signal to the self-hold contact circuit, this opens the switching element, whereby the power supply to the household appliance is interrupted.

It is preferably provided that an equally high electrical voltage is applied to the power switch and the off switch. This allows a particularly simple structure.

It is preferably provided that the power switch and the off switch an ON and / or OFF pulse are transmitted connected to the control device. It is further preferably provided that the power supply with the power switch and the circuit breaker is arranged forming a series circuit. In addition, it is preferably provided that the control device is connected to the power supply with electrical energy supplied. It is further preferably provided that the operating display is connected to the power supply with electrical energy supplied. Finally, it is preferably provided that the self-holding contact circuit is assigned to a controllable by the controller control.

The self-holding contact circuit may preferably have a bistable relay with which a relay contact acting as a switching element can be switched. Such a bistable relay is characterized above all by the property that it can assume two different stable switching states when de-energized. A relay contact of the bistable relay may be connected as the switching element in the main supply line of the household appliance. If the bistable relay is energized with the turn-off signal, it switches the relay contact from a stable de-energized open state to a stable de-energized closed state, or vice versa, whereby the household appliance is completely de-coupled from or connected to the mains. Instead of a relay, a flip-flop, in particular an RS flip-flop, can also be used.

Finally, it is preferably provided that the self-holding contact circuit is connected to the circuit breaker such that the circuit breaker can be brought into an open state, so that a separation of the supply voltage is possible in a simple way.

Furthermore, the object of the invention is achieved by a method according to claim 8. Advantageous further developments are specified in the subclaims.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying figures will be described.

Fig. 1

in einer schematischen Perspektivdarstellung eine Haushalts-Geschirrspülmaschine; und

Fig. 2

eine Schaltungsanordnung der Haushalts-Geschirrspülmaschine.

Show it:

Fig. 1

in a schematic perspective view of a household dishwasher; and

Fig. 2

a circuit arrangement of the household dishwasher.

In the Fig. 1 is shown as an exemplary embodiment of a household appliance, a household dishwasher with a front door GT, which is pivotable about a bottom-side horizontal pivot axis in a known manner and with a feed opening of the washing compartment BR for loading and / or unloading can be opened or closed. The feed opening is bounded above by a control panel B, which carries a micro-switch ES and only indicated optical display means AZ a power indicator BA. In addition, input means E are provided, with which operating parameters for a rinse cycle of the household dishwasher can be entered as well as an input means EM, with which a later on the basis of Fig. 2 described delay element VG is adjustable.

The Indian Fig. 1 provided in the left area of the control panel B micro switch ES is exemplified here as a key switch. With a pressure actuation of the microswitch ES, the household dishwasher can be switched to operational readiness, while in a subsequent pressure actuation the household dishwasher is decoupled from the power supply network.

In the Fig. 2 a circuit arrangement is shown, in which inter alia, the micro switch ES and the operation indicator BA are integrated. In the circuit arrangement shown, the domestic dishwasher is connected via a main supply line H connected to the power supply network. In the main supply line H, a later-described switching element AS and a power supply NT are connected in series.

The power supply unit NT converts the mains voltage of, for example, 230 V into a low voltage of 12 V. The low voltage 12V is converted into a low voltage of 5 V by means of a regulator RG connected in series with the power supply NT, with which a control device SE is supplied. The power supply unit NT also supplies additional device components via additional outputs and also the operating indicator BA of the household dishwasher with low voltage.

The control device SE is integrated in a control module not shown in detail and controls during the execution of a wash program via a first signal line SL1 the optical display means AZ of the operating display BA and other device component, such as the drain pump or the circulation pump, by means of control signals S _E.

Like from the Fig. 2 Furthermore, the control device SE is connected via a second signal line SL2 to a bistable relay RE of a self-holding contact circuit SKS. The bistable relay RE is assigned as a relay contact the aforementioned switching element AS, which is connected instead of a mechanical main switch in the main supply line H and as such assumes a main switch function with which the domestic dishwasher can be decoupled from the power supply network or connected. In the second signal line SL2, a delay element VG is connected. By means of the delay element VG, a switch-off signal S _off , which is generated later _on and which is generated by the control device SE, can be forwarded to the relay RE in a time-delayed manner.

The delay VG is according to the Fig. 2 can be controlled with the input means EM carried by the control panel B. EM with the input means a period of time can be set .DELTA.t, after which the switch-off signal S is relayed _from the relay RE.

In depending on which time duration At is set by the input means EM, is produced in the control unit SE switch-off signal S _from the delay element VG delayed forwarded to the relay RE. By setting this time period Δt, the user can determine how long after the end of the program the optical display means AZ should remain activated.

If a setting of the time period .DELTA.t to 0, the switch-off signal S is routed _out immediately to the relay RE. In this case, therefore, the user completely waives an optical program end display after the wash cycle. If, on the other hand, an adjustment of the time duration Δt to "infinity", the relay RE and thus also the optical display means AZ remains permanently activated after the program end of the rinse cycle. In this case, the user waives an automatic shutdown of the household dishwasher after the wash cycle.

When put out of service domestic dishwasher both the micro switch ES and the switching element AS is open. The commissioning of the household dishwasher switched off by means of a pressure actuation of the microswitch ES, in which the initially open switching element AS is bridged. By the pressure actuation of the microswitch ES, a voltage pulse is provided which is conducted via the power supply unit NT and via the controller RG to the control device SE.

The control unit SE then forwards a switch S via _a third signal line SL3 on to the bistable relay RE, after which the relay coil is energized and the switching member is moved from the AS normally stable open state into a normally stable closed state. In this way, after the pressure actuation again open microswitch ES is bridged by the now closed switching element AS, whereby the mains voltage is applied to the power supply NT.

The household dishwasher is thus switched ready for operation, so that subsequently by means of the input means E, a washing program can be started. After the end of the washing program, the control device SE switches off the device components, such as a lye pump or a circulating pump.

Immediately after the end of the wash program, the control device SE also generates a further voltage pulse, which activates the bistable relay RE as the switch-off signal S _off via the second signal line SL2. Then the relay RE switches the Switching member AS from the closed position to the open position, whereby the household dishwasher is completely disconnected from the power supply network.

The switching element AS of the relay RE thus acts as a main switch, which automatically disconnects the power supply NT of the domestic dishwasher from the power supply network after completion of the rinse cycle. In this way it is achieved that after the end of the program in particular a power supply via the power supply unit NT is interrupted to the optical display means AZ of the power indicator BA.

Like from the Fig. 2 Furthermore, the microswitch ES is in signal connection via an input line EL directly to the control device SE. The voltage pulse provided by a manual pressure actuation of the microswitch ES is therefore also conducted directly to the control device SE, which detects and evaluates the pulse.

Upon detection of such a voltage pulse, the control device SE checks whether the power supply NT is already activated during the pressure actuation of the microswitch ES. When not activated, power supply PS, the controller SE detects a turning-on operation of the user, and controls, as described above, with the switch-S _on the relay RE to. When already activated power supply NT recognizes the controller SE in the micro-switch pressure actuation a switch off operation of the user, so that the control device SE a corresponding switch-off signal S _out to the relay RE. In this case, the household dishwasher is put out of action. An optionally currently running wash program is thus interrupted.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

IT

microswitch

AS

switching element

H

Main supply line

B

control panel

AZ

display means

BA

Power indicator

EL

input line

RG

regulator

SE

control device

RE

bistable relay

SKS

Holding contact circuit

ST

control

HG

household appliance

SL1, SL2, SL3

signal lines

VG

delay

BR

treatment room

.delta.t

Delay period

Claims (12)

1. Household appliance (HG), in particular a household dishwasher, at least having an operating display (BA) with at least one visual and/or acoustic display means (AZ), which is configured at least to display and/or signal completion of a treatment cycle, wherein the display means (AZ) displaying and/or signalling at least completion of the treatment cycle is activated for a predefined time period (Δt) on or after completion of the treatment cycle, characterised in that the household appliance (HG) has a delay element (VG) which can be used to set the time period (Δt).
2. Household appliance (HG) according to claim 1, characterised in that the delay element (VG) is connected for signal transmission purposes to an input means (EM), which can be used by a user to set the time period (Δt).
3. Household appliance (HG) according to claim 2, characterised in that the input means (EM) can be set to a setting value, at which deactivation of the display means (AZ) is prevented.
4. Household appliance (HG) according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the input means (EM) can be set to a further setting value, at which the time period (Δt) is set to 0.
5. Household appliance (HG) according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that a controller of the household appliance (HG) generates a deactivation signal (S_off) in response to completion of a treatment cycle to deactivate the display means (AZ) with a time delay.
6. Household appliance (HG) according to claim 5, characterised in that the controller (ST) can deactivate the operating display (BA) or the household appliance (HG).
7. Method for operating a household appliance (HG), in particular a household dishwasher, during which at least completion of a treatment cycle is displayed and/or signalled using an operating display (BA) with at least one visual and/or acoustic display means (AZ), wherein the display means (AZ) displaying and/or signalling at least completion of the treatment cycle remains activated for a predefined time period (Δt) after completion of the treatment cycle, characterised in that the time period (Δt) can be set by means of a delay element (VG) of the household appliance (HG).
8. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the delay element (VG) is connected for signal transmission purposes to an input means (EM), which can be used by a user to set the time period (Δt).
9. Method according to claim 8, characterised in that the input means (EM) can be set to a setting value, at which the display means (AZ) remain activated.
10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the input means (EM) can be set to a further setting value, at which the time period (Δt) is set to 0.
11. Method according to at least one of claims 7 to 10, characterised in that a controller of the household appliance (HG) generates a deactivation signal (S_off) in response to completion of a treatment cycle to deactivate the display means (AZ) with a time delay.
12. Method according to claim 11, characterised in that the controller (ST) deactivates the operating display (BA) or the household appliance (HG).

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