EP2579763A1

EP2579763A1 - A washing machine comprising a water softening device

Info

Publication number: EP2579763A1
Application number: EP11725905.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kagan Kurtkaya; Ilkan Erdem
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2010-06-08
Filing date: 2011-06-08
Publication date: 2013-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 2031-06-08
Also published as: WO2011154426A1; EP2579763B1; PL2579763T3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washing machine (1) comprising a body (2), a tub (3) disposed inside the body (2), wherein the washing operation is performed, a pump (4) providing the water in the tub (3) to be discharged, an ion exchanger (5) that decreases the hardness of water passing over, a salt container (6) providing the regeneration process to be performed by the resin inside the ion exchanger (5) being kept in salt water, a sensor (7) that measures the amount of salt in the salt container (6), a soft water line (8) that extends between the ion exchanger (5) and the tub (3), providing the water passed from the ion exchanger (5) to be delivered to the tub (3), a first valve (9) that delivers water received from the mains directly to the ion exchanger (5), a second valve (10) providing water received from the mains to be delivered to the salt container (6), a regeneration line (11) situated between the salt container (6) and the ion exchanger (5) and a regeneration valve (12) disposed on the regeneration line (11).

Description

A WASHING MACHINE COMPRISING A WATER SOFTENING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a washing machine comprising a water softening device.
In washing machines, water softening devices are used for decreasing the hardness of the wash water and for providing an effective washing. The water softening device comprises an ion exchanger and a salt container that provides the regeneration process to be performed by keeping the resin at the ion exchanger in salty water in the regeneration process. In order to decrease the hardness of water, the water used in washing is passed over the ion exchanger and is delivered to the tub to be included in the washing process. The ion exchanger becomes unable to soften the water in the course of time therefore the regeneration process is performed by keeping it in the salt solution taken from the salt container at certain intervals. The amount of unsaturated salt in the salt container falls below the critical level after a certain number of regeneration processes. The amount of unsaturated salt in the salt container is detected by a sensor disposed on the salt container. The user is warned when the amount of unsaturated salt in the salt container falls below the critical level. The user adds salt into the container with opening the door of the salt container after receiving the warning about decrease or depletion of the salt amount. During the process of adding salt to the salt container, since the pressure in the container is different from the outside pressure, the diluted salt solution flows out of the salt container until the pressure balance is maintained. When the pressure balance is maintained, upon adding salt in the salt container that is already filled with diluted salt solution to the brim, the salt water solution spills out being replaced with the salt poured into the container. The salt water spilling from the container and contacting the surface of the body damages the body surface due to corrosive effect of salt water acting on metals.
In the state of the art German Patent Document No. DE4036046, an embodiment is described wherein overfilling of the salt chamber used for softening water in washing machines and dishwashers is prevented.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a washing machine wherein spilling out of salt water during adding salt to the salt container is prevented.
The washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises an ion exchanger that decreases the hardness of water passing thereover and a salt container providing the resin in the ion exchanger to be regenerated by being kept in salt water. The first valve connected to the mains is directly connected to the ion exchanger. The water received by means of the first valve is delivered to the tub by the soft water line after being softened by being passed through the ion exchanger. The second valve connected to the mains and the regeneration valve disposed on the regeneration line extending between the salt container and the ion exchanger are opened together during regeneration. When a certain number of regeneration processes are performed, the amount of salt in the salt container decreases and the user is warned for adding salt to the salt container. The amount of unsaturated salt in the salt container is detected by the sensor situated on the salt container and the user is warned when the amount of salt in the salt container falls below the critical salt amount determined by the producer. The washing machine of the present invention comprises a control unit that provides the regeneration valve to be opened and the second valve to be kept closed when the user is warned about adding salt to the salt container. As the regeneration valve is opened, the salt water solution in the salt container is provided to be delivered to the ion exchanger. As the second valve is kept closed, the salt container is provided not to be filled with mains water again, in other words the salt container is provided to be emptied. Thus, the risk of spilling of salt water outside while the user adds salt to the salt container is eliminated. Accordingly, the salt water solution that has damaging properties to the body surface is prevented from contacting the surface of the body. Furthermore, the undesired situations such as dirtiness etc. by the salt water spilling out are prevented.
In an embodiment of the present invention, when the amount of salt measured by the sensor is less than the critical level, the control unit opens the regeneration valve while keeping the second valve closed at the end of the currently running program. The salt container is provided to be emptied at the end of the running program when the user is warned for adding salt to the salt container. Consequently, the salt container is kept ready for adding salt without the problem of overspilling.
In the washing machine of the present invention, the salt container is provided to be discharged prior to adding salt into the salt container thereby the probable overspilling problem that can occur during adding of salt is prevented. Thus, the body is provided to be protected by preventing contact of salt water with the surface of the body.
The washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:
Figure 1 – is the schematic view of a washing machine.
Figure 2 – is the schematic view of the washing machine related to an embodiment of the present invention.
The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Washing machine
Body
Tub
Pump
Ion exchanger
Salt container
Sensor
Soft water line
First valve
Second valve
Regeneration line
Regeneration valve
Control unit
Discharge conduit
Discharge valve

The washing machine (1) comprises a body (2), a tub (3) disposed inside the body (2), wherein the washing operation is performed, a pump (4) providing the discharge of the water in the tub (3), an ion exchanger (5) that decreases the hardness of water passing thereover, a salt container (6) providing the regeneration process to be performed by the resin inside the ion exchanger (5) being kept in salt water, a sensor (7) that measures the amount of salt in the salt container (6), a soft water line (8) that extends between the ion exchanger (5) and the tub (3), providing the water passed over the ion exchanger (5) to be delivered to the tub (3), a first valve (9) that delivers water received from the mains directly to the ion exchanger (5), a second valve (10) providing water received from the mains to be delivered to the salt container (6), a regeneration line (11) situated between the salt container (6) and the ion exchanger (5) and a regeneration valve (12) disposed on the regeneration line (11).
In the washing machine (1), at the start of the washing process, some portion of the water received from the mains is received through the detergent dispenser and the cleaning agents in the detergent dispenser are delivered to the tub (3) by being swept with the water. Another portion of the water used in the washing process is received from the mains by the first valve (9) and delivered to the ion exchanger (5). The hardness degree is decreased by holding the magnesium and calcium ions in the water passing over the ion exchanger (5). The softened water is delivered to the tub (3) by means of the soft water line (8). The ions in the water remain on the resin inside the ion exchanger (5). By means of the regeneration process performed when the resin reaches its total ion holding capacity, the resin is provided to be regenerated so as to implement the water softening function again. During the regeneration process, the second valve (10) and the regeneration valve (12) are opened together. Water received from the mains by the second valve (10) is delivered to the salt container (6) and from here is delivered to the ion exchanger (5) by means of the opened regeneration valve (12) on the regeneration line (11). The regeneration process is completed as the sodium ions in the salt water solution delivered from the salt container (6) to the ion exchanger (5) are replaced by the calcium and magnesium ions remaining on the resin.
A certain amount of salt is present in the salt container (6) and the water received into the salt container (6) during the regeneration process replaces the salt water solution. Consequently, the continuation of the salt water solution is provided by the salt inside the salt container (6) dissolving in the mains water. The amount of unsaturated salt in the salt container (6) is measured by the sensor (7) situated on the salt container (6). When a certain number of regeneration processes are performed, the amount of salt in the salt container (6) falls below the critical salt amount.
The washing machine (1) of the present invention comprises a control unit (13) that provides the regeneration valve (12) to be opened while keeping the second valve (10) closed when the amount of salt measured by the sensor (7) is less than the critical salt amount predetermined by the producer.
The control unit (13) not only controls operation of the valves (9, 10, 12, 15) but also provides the user to be warned for adding salt into the salt container (6) when the amount of salt in the salt container (6) is less than the critical salt amount by means of data received from the sensor (7).
When the user is warned for adding salt into the salt container (6), the control unit (13) keeps the second valve (10) closed while providing the regeneration valve (12) to be opened before the process of adding salt. Thus, almost all of the salt water solution in the salt container (6) is provided to be delivered to the ion exchanger (5). The salt water solution delivered to the ion exchanger (5) is transferred to the tub (3) by means of the soft water line (8) and is discharged from the tub (3) by the pump (4). Meanwhile, since the second valve (10) is kept closed, receiving water into the salt container (6) from the mains is prevented. Thus, the salt container (6) is provided to be almost entirely emptied. Since the salt container (6) is empty, during the process of adding salt into the salt container (6) by the user, overspilling out etc. from the salt container (6) does not happen. Consequently, protection of the body (2) is provided by preventing the salt water solution having corrosive effect on metals from contacting the body (2) surface. At the same time, customer satisfaction is provided by preventing spoiling in the vicinity due to overspilling.
In an embodiment of the present invention, when the amount of salt measured is less than the critical salt amount, the control unit (13) provides the regeneration valve (12) to be opened while keeping the second valve (10) closed at the end of the currently running program. Thus, the salt container (6) is provided to be emptied at the end of the program whereat the user is warned to add salt into the salt container (6) and the salt container (6) is made available for adding salt.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (13) provides the regeneration valve (12) to be opened while keeping the second valve (10) closed at the start of the next work step after detecting that the measured amount of salt is less than the critical salt amount. Thus, delivery of water from the mains into the salt container (6) by means of the second valve (10) is prevented.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (13) provides the regeneration valve (12) to be opened while keeping the second valve (10) closed as long as the measured amount of salt is less than the critical salt amount. The control unit (13) warns the user about adding salt into the salt container (6) as long as the amount of salt measured by the sensor (7) is less than the critical salt amount. The control unit (13) provides water not to be delivered into the salt container (6) from the mains by keeping the second valve (10) closed during this time.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the control unit (13) provides the regeneration valve (12) to be kept closed during salt adding process into the salt container (6). Thus, the salt that is recently added into the salt container (6) is prevented from passing into the ion exchanger (5) by means of the regeneration valve (12)
In an embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises a discharge conduit (14) extending between the salt container (6) and the pump (4), a discharge valve (15) disposed on the discharge conduit (14) and a control unit (13) that provides the discharge valve (15) to be opened when the amount of salt measured by the sensor (7) is less than the critical unsaturated salt amount predetermined by the producer. When the user is warned for adding salt into the salt container (6), the control unit (13) provides the salt water solution in the salt container (6) to be delivered to the pump (4) by providing the discharge valve (15) to be opened before the process of adding salt and at the end of the running program. The salt water solution is discharged by means of the pump (4). Thus, the salt container (6) is provided to be emptied almost entirely. Since the salt container (6) is empty, during the process of adding salt into the salt container (6) by the user, overspilling out etc. from the salt container (6) does not happen. Thus protection of the body (2) is provided by preventing the salt water solution having corrosive effect on metals from contacting the body (2) surface. At the same time, customer satisfaction is provided by preventing spoiling in the vicinity due to overspilling.
In the washing machine (1) of the present invention, occurrence of overspilling during the salt adding process is prevented by providing the salt container (6) to be emptied before adding of salt into the salt container (6). Consequently, the body (2) is protected by preventing contact of salt water on the body (2) surface thereby increasing the expected life of the washing machine (1).
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A washing machine (1) comprising a body (2), a tub (3) disposed inside the body (2), wherein the washing operation is performed, a pump (4) providing the water in the tub (3) to be discharged, an ion exchanger (5) that decreases the hardness of water passing thereover, a salt container (6) providing the regeneration process to be performed by the resin inside the ion exchanger (5) being kept in salt water, a sensor (7) that measures the amount of salt in the salt container (6), a soft water line (8) that extends between the ion exchanger (5) and the tub (3), providing the water passed from the ion exchanger (5) to be delivered to the tub (3), a first valve (9) that delivers water received from the mains directly to the ion exchanger (5), a second valve (10) providing water received from the mains to be delivered to the salt container (6), a regeneration line (11) situated between the salt container (6) and the ion exchanger (5) and a regeneration valve (12) disposed on the regeneration line (11), characterized by a control unit (13) that provides the regeneration valve (12) to be opened while keeping the second valve (10) closed when the amount of salt measured by the sensor (7) is less than the critical salt amount predetermined by the producer.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the control unit (13) that provides the regeneration valve (12) to be opened while keeping the second valve (10) closed at the end of the currently running program when the amount of salt measured is less than the critical salt amount.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the control unit (13) that provides the regeneration valve (12) to be opened while keeping the second valve (10) closed at the start of the next work step after detecting the amount of salt measured is less than the critical salt amount.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the control unit (13) that provides the regeneration valve (12) to be opened while keeping the second valve (10) closed as long as the amount of salt measured is less than the critical salt amount.
A washing machine (1) as in any one of the above Claims, characterized by the ion exchanger (5) that is disposed inside the body (2) at a position near the base of the body (2).
A washing machine (1) comprising a body (2), a tub (3) disposed inside the body (2), wherein the washing operation is performed, a pump (4) providing the water in the tub (3) to be discharged, an ion exchanger (5) that decreases the hardness of water passing thereover, a salt container (6) providing the regeneration process to be performed by the resin inside the ion exchanger (5) being kept in salt water, a sensor (7) that measures the amount of salt in the salt container (6), a soft water line (8) that extends between the ion exchanger (5) and the tub (3), providing the water passed from the ion exchanger (5) to be delivered to the tub (3), a first valve (9) that delivers water received from the mains directly to the ion exchanger (5), a second valve (10) providing water received from the mains to be delivered to the salt container (6), a regeneration line (11) situated between the salt container (6) and the ion exchanger (5) and a regeneration valve (12) disposed on the regeneration line (11), characterized by a discharge conduit (14) extending between the salt container (6) and the pump (4), a discharge valve (15) disposed on the discharge conduit (14) and a control unit (13) that provides the discharge valve (15) to be opened when the amount of salt measured by the sensor (7) is less than the critical salt amount predetermined by the producer.