EP2659050B1

EP2659050B1 - Washing machine comprising a load sensor

Info

Publication number: EP2659050B1
Application number: EP11794099.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ahmet Yorukoglu; Ali Levent Hasanreisoglu; Hayri Kerem ERENAY; Onur Yaman; Ersin Donmez
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2010-12-27
Filing date: 2011-12-05
Publication date: 2015-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 2031-12-05
Also published as: CN103270210A; EP2659050A1; CN103270210B; WO2012089442A1

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine comprising a load sensor.
In washing machines, in order to perform an efficient washing operation, the amount of laundry placed in the drum, that is, the amount of load is required to be known. In case that the amount of load is not known, more-than-required water and electricity are consumed. While the drum is rotated during the washing operation, the position of the laundry inside the drum changes and therefore unbalanced loads occur. In the state of the art, the amount of load in the drum is detected by means of load sensors. In cases when the amount of unbalanced load is excessive, the amount of oscillatory movements made by the drum also increases and therefore, unstable and unreliable load information, changing depending on the oscillations made by the drum, is received from the load sensors.
In the state of the art United States Patent Application No.. US20080155761 , supports that carry a washing machine on the floor and that are disposed under the washing machine body diagonally, and load sensors that are disposed at the supports and provide the position of the unbalanced load to be detected are explained.
In the state of the art Swiss Patent Application No. CH651602 , the tub is seated inside a framework that is suspended in the casing. Load sensors are disposed between the protrusions, extending from the sides of the tub, and the framework.
In the state of the art European Patent No. EP1498705 , the weight of the tub is determined by means of a force sensor and a lifting mechanism disposed at the bottom of the tub of a washing machine.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a washing machine comprising load sensors which precisely measure the forces occurring due to unbalanced loads and the weight of the tub in the washing machine.
The washing machine realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention and explicated in the claims comprises a drum wherein the laundry is placed, a tub wherein the drum moves, two support blocks which are located at the right and left sides below the tub and to which the tub is connected by means of shock absorbers, and a lower frame which carries the support blocks. The shock absorbers are borne by the support blocks. The vertical forces occurring due to the weight of the tub and the unbalanced loads are detected by means of the load sensors that are disposed in the sockets located on the support blocks or the lower frame.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the load sensor is disposed into a bracket and the bracket that stores the load sensor is easily mounted to the socket located on the lower frame or the support block by being pushed.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the load sensor is disposed in the support block and the force is transferred from the lower frame to the load sensor by means of a pressure pin extending to the load sensor in the support block.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the load sensor is disposed in the lower frame and the force is transferred from the support block to the load sensor by means of a pressure pin extending to the load sensor in the lower frame.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a pressure lug spreading the force is located at the end of the pressure pin exerting pressure on the load sensor.
In another embodiment of the present invention, more than one load sensor is used in the washing machine and the total amount of load is determined precisely by receiving a common feedback signal from the load sensors.
In another embodiment of the present invention, more than one load sensor is used in the washing machine and the amount of unbalanced load is determined by receiving separate feedback signals from the load sensors.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine comprises balancing arms that connect the support blocks, located at the right and left sides, from their front and rear ends and provide the load acting on the support blocks to be balanced.
In the washing machine of the present invention, the load sensors are provided to make precise and reliable load measurements, unnecessary energy consumption is reduced and the washing performance is improved.
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 perspective view of a washing machine.
Figure 2 - Is the sideways schematic view of a washing machine.
Figure 3 - is the sideways schematic view of a washing machine in another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 - is the perspective view of a washing machine tub seated on a lower frame and the support blocks.
Figure 5 - is the perspective view of the lower frame and the support blocks.
Figure 6 - is the perspective view of a support block and load sensor brackets mounted to the sockets on the support block.
Figure 7 - is the perspective view of the load sensor disposed in a bracket.
Figure 8 - is the perspective view of a bracket, a load sensor and a pressure pin and a pressure lug.
Figure 9 - is the perspective view of the lower frame, the support blocks and the balancing arms.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Washing machine
2. Body
3. Drum
4. Tub
5. Support block
6. Shock absorber
7. Shock absorber pin
8. Lower frame
9. Load sensor
10. Socket
11. Bracket
12. 112 Pressure pin
13. Pressure lug
14. Balancing arm

The washing machine (1) comprises a body (2), a drum (3) disposed in the body (2), rotating around the horizontal axis and wherein items to be washed are placed, a tub (4) wherein the drum (3) moves and which oscillates together with the drum (3) during the operation, two support blocks (5) which extend in the body (2) from the front backwards oppositely in the horizontal direction at the bottom side of the drum (3) at its right and left sides, whereon the weight of the tub (4) and the forces occurring due to the unbalanced loads act, more than one shock absorber (6), one end of which is connected to the tub (4) and the other end to the support block (5) and which absorbs the vibration movements of the tub (4), more than one shock absorber pin (7) which connects the lower ends of the shock absorbers (6) to the support block (5), and a lower frame (8) which is located at the bottom side of the body (2) and supported by the feet seated on the floor, and whereon the support blocks (5) are seated and which, together with the support blocks (5), supports the weight of the tub (4), of the drum (3) and of the drum (3) motor.
The washing machine (1) of the present invention comprises at least one load sensor (9) which is disposed in the support block (5) or the lower frame (8) and detects the forces transferred from the shock absorber pin (7) to the support block (5).
In the washing machine (1), the forces occurring due to the weight of the tub (4) and the unbalanced loads are transferred to the shock absorbers (6) and from the shock absorbers (6) to the support blocks (5) by means of the shock absorber pins (7) and from the support blocks (5) to the lower frame (8). Apart from the shock absorber (6), the support block (5) functions as an additional absorber. The load sensor (9) measures the forces which spread in the support block (5) and are redressed in the vertical direction and the oscillations of which are reduced, in other words, the average value of the acting forces. The sudden undulating forces occurring due to the vibration movements of the tub (4) during the washing operation are absorbed by being spread in the support block (5) and constant forces, the oscillations of which are minimized and the measurement of which is easier, act on the load sensor (9). Thus, the accuracy and precision of the measurement (detection) of the load sensor (9) are increased.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises at least one socket (10) which is located in the support block (5) or the lower frame (8) and provides the load sensor (9) to be mounted therein by being inserted (Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 6).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises at least one bracket (11) wherein the load sensor (9) is disposed and which stores the load sensor (9) and provides the load sensor (9) to be detachably mounted to the socket (10) (Figure 7).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises a load sensor (9) disposed at the support block (5) and at least one pressure pin (12) which contacts the load sensor (9) by extending towards it from the lower frame (8) and transfers the weight forces from the lower frame (8) to the load sensor (9) from bottom to top (Figure 2).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises a load sensor (9) disposed at the lower frame (8) and at least one pressure pin (112) which contacts the load sensor (9) by extending towards it from the support block (5) and transfers the weight forces from the support block (5) to the load sensor (9) from top to bottom (Figure 3).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises at least one pressure lug (13) which is located at the end of the pressure pin (12, 112) and provides the force to act on the load sensor (9) by being spread (Figure 8).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises more than one load sensor (9) that is disposed at the lower frame (8) corners or at the support blocks (5) and the total amount of load in the tub (4) is determined by receiving a common feedback signal from the load sensors (9).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises more than one load sensor (9) that is disposed at the lower frame (8) corners or at the support blocks (5) separately and the amount of unbalanced load in the tub (4) is determined by receiving separate feedback signals from the load sensors (9).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the washing machine (1) comprises two balancing arms (14) which connect the two support blocks (5) from their front and rear ends, extend from right to left inside the body (2) and provide the weight of the tub (4) to be transferred to the load sensors (9) by being balanced between the support blocks (5) (Figure 9).
In the washing machine (1) of the present invention, the forces occurring due to the tub (4) weight and unbalanced loads are provided to be transferred to the load sensors (9) in a non-oscillatory manner by being balanced by the support blocks (5) and thus, the load sensors (9) are provided to make a correct and precise load measurement. Since correct load information is received from the load sensors (9), electric and water energy suitable for the amount of load is consumed and the washing performance is improved.
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 disclosed by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A washing machine (1) comprising a body (2), a drum (3) which is disposed in the body (2) and rotates around an horizontal axis, and wherein items to be washed are placed, a tub (4) wherein the drum (3) moves and which oscillates together with the drum (3) during the operation, two support blocks (5) which extend oppositely in the horizontal direction at the bottom side of the drum (3) at its right and left sides, more than one shock absorber (6), one end of which is connected to the tub (4) and the other end to the support block (5) and which absorbs the vibration movements of the tub (4), the lower end of each shock absorber being connected to the support block by a shock absorber pin, and a lower frame (8) which is located at the bottom side of the body (2) and whereon the support blocks (5) are seated, characterized by at least one load sensor (9) which is disposed in the support block (5) or the lower frame (8) and detects the forces transferred from the shock absorber pin (7) to the support block (5).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by at least one socket (10) which is located in the support block (5) or the lower frame (8) and provides the load sensor (9) to be mounted therein by being inserted.
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by at least one bracket (11) wherein the load sensor (9) is disposed and which stores the load sensor (9) and provides the load sensor (9) to be detachably mounted to the socket (10).
A washing machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the load sensor (9) is disposed at the support block (5) and at least one pressure pin (12) contacts the load sensor (9) by extending towards it from the lower frame (8) and transfers the weight forces from the lower frame (8) to the load sensor (9).
A washing machine (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the load sensor (9) is disposed at the lower frame (8) and at least one pressure pin (112) which contacts the load sensor (9) by extending towards it from the support block (5) and transfers the weight forces from the support block (5) to the load sensor (9).
A washing machine (1) as in Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that at least one pressure lug (13) is located at the end of the pressure pin (12, 112) and provides the force to act on the load sensor (9) by being spread.
A washing machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by more than one load sensor (9) which provides the amount of load in the tub (4) to be determined by a common feedback signal being received.
A washing machine (1) as in any one of the Claims 1 to 6, characterized by more than one load sensor (9) which provides the amount of unbalanced load in the tub (4) to be determined by separate feedback signals being received.
A washing machine (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by two balancing arms (14) which connect the two support blocks (5) from their front and rear ends and provide the weight of the tub (4) to be transferred to the load sensors (9) by being balanced between the support blocks (5).