EP2766519B1

EP2766519B1 - Washing machine and method for controlling the same

Info

Publication number: EP2766519B1
Application number: EP12791261.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ting DAI; Lianhua Li; Chao Yang; Xiaofeng Zhang
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2011-10-14
Filing date: 2012-10-11
Publication date: 2016-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2032-10-11
Also published as: RU2566471C1; WO2013054279A1; EP2766519A1; CN103874796A; CN103874796B; CN103046294A; PL2766519T3; IN2014KN00814A

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine, comprising: a washing machine main body with a built-in main controller; a cylindrical cavity disposed in the washing machine main body and for receiving laundry; a washing machine door, connected to a washing machine main body casing and for closing a laundry input opening of the cylindrical cavity, formed on the washing machine main body casing; a lock catch, disposed on one of the washing machine main body casing and the washing machine door; a door lock latch, disposed on the other one of the washing machine main body casing and the washing machine door and working together with the lock catch to lock or unlock the washing machine door; an electromagnetic component, mounted on one of the washing machine main body casing and the washing machine door and controlled by the main controller; and an attracted component; wherein upon triggering a start button of the washing machine, the electromagnetic component employs a transient attraction force on the attracted component, so that the lock catch automatically locks the door lock latch. The invention also relates to a method for controlling such washing machine.
A washing machine of this generic type and a method for controlling the same are apparent from EP 2 261 415 A1 .
A washing machine is a device cleansing laundries through a series of washing procedures such as washing, rinsing, water removing, and drying in order to remove contaminants attached to laundries such as clothes and quilt covers in a rotary drum under the action of water and detergent. A washing machine generally includes: a casing, forming an appearance, and formed with a laundry input opening at a side; a washing machine door, mounted on the casing, and used for opening or closing the laundry input opening; a washing barrel, disposed in the body of the washing machine, and used for filling washing water; a rotary drum, mounted in the washing barrel in a rotatable manner, and used for receiving laundries; and an electric motor, used for rotating the rotary drum. Moreover, a locking switch device is further mounted on the casing and the door of the washing machine, and may lock the washing machine door when the washing machine door should not be opened during working of the washing machine.
As for the foregoing washing machine in the prior art, laundries are input through the foregoing laundry input opening, the washing machine door is closed, corresponding programs such as washing, rinsing, water removing, and drying are selected, the washing machine switches on the electric motor or drying device of the washing machine according to the selected corresponding programs, and the locking switch device locks the washing machine door in a washing machine working state, thereby preventing the washing machine door from being opened randomly. Before performing a series of corresponding working programs, the washing machine must first confirm that the washing machine door is already completely closed. However, if a user applies an insufficient force at the time of closing the washing machine door, a latch hook on the washing machine door does not lock a door lock latch, and the washing machine door is not completely closed, resulting in that the washing machine continuously reports a program error, thereby wasting the processing procedure and time of the user for this program error.
For the above problem, the objective of the present invention lies in that when a washing machine door is not completely closed and locked, the washing machine door may be automatically attracted and locked, thereby omitting processing for this washing program error mode.
For the above objective, the technical solution adopted in the present invention is as defined in the independent claim. Preferred embodiments of the invention are subjects of dependent claims, the subsequent disclosure and the attached drawing.
For the above objective, the technical solution adopted in the present invention is as follows: a washing machine, comprising: a washing machine main body with a built-in main controller; a cylindrical cavity disposed in the washing machine main body and for receiving laundry; a washing machine door, connected to a washing machine main body casing and for closing a laundry input opening of the cylindrical cavity, formed on the washing machine main body casing; a lock catch, disposed on one of the washing machine main body casing and the washing machine door; a door lock latch, disposed on the other one of the washing machine main body casing and the washing machine door and working together with the lock catch to lock or unlock the washing machine door; an electromagnetic component, mounted on one of the washing machine main body casing and the washing machine door and controlled by the main controller; and an attracted component; wherein upon triggering a start button of the washing machine, the electromagnetic component employs a transient attraction force on the attracted component, so that the lock catch automatically locks the door lock latch, wherein further the attracted component is disposed on the other one of the washing machine main body casing and the washing machine door as the electromagnetic component.
As an improvement of the present invention, the lock catch is disposed on the washing machine door, and the door lock latch is disposed on the washing machine casing.
As a further improvement of the present invention, the electromagnetic component is disposed at a position on the washing machine main body casing and close to the door lock latch, and the attracted component is disposed at a position on the washing machine door and close to the lock catch.
As yet a further improvement of the present invention, the electromagnetic component is disposed to be distributed continuously along an edge of the laundry input opening, and the attracted component is disposed to be distributed continuously along a periphery of the washing machine door.
As still a further improvement of the present invention, the attracted component is stainless steel, ferroalloy, or a permanent magnet.
In order to automatically close and attract the washing machine door, the present invention further provides a method for controlling the foregoing washing machine, including the following steps: a. triggering the start button of the washing machine; and b. executing a program for judging whether the washing machine door is closed, where if the washing machine door is not completely closed, the washing machine main controller controls the electromagnetic component to employ an attraction force on the attracted component.
As a further improvement, the control method further includes the following steps: executing a program for judging whether the washing machine door is closed, where if the washing machine door is completely closed, the washing machine main controller controls the electromagnetic component to stop employing an attraction force on the attracted component.
As yet a further improvement, the program for judging whether the washing machine door is closed performs judgment through a close signal of the washing machine door generated depending on whether the lock catch locks the door lock latch which is sent to the washing machine main controller.
As still a further improvement, the washing machine main controller controls the electromagnetic component by putting through or cutting off power supplied to the electromagnetic component.
Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: when a user applies an insufficient force at the time of closing the washing machine door to result in that the washing machine door is not completely closed, the washing machine can automatically attract and lock the washing machine door in deadlock, thereby avoiding a washing program error, and omitting the procedure and time for processing this program error.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is now described in detail and with reference to the attached drawing. In the drawing,
FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional diagram of a washing machine
As shown in FIG. 1, a washing machine 100 of an embodiment of the present invention includes: a washing machine main body 10 with a built-in main controller 13; a cylindrical cavity 50 disposed in the washing machine main body 10 and for receiving laundry; a washing machine door 20, connected to a washing machine main body casing 11 and for closing a laundry input opening 51 of the cylindrical cavity 50, formed on the washing machine main body casing 11; a lock catch 21 and a door lock latch 22 cooperating with each other, used for locking or unlocking the washing machine door 20; and an electromagnetic component 30 and an attracted component 40 cooperating with each other, where when a start button 60 of the washing machine is triggered, the electromagnetic component 30 employs a transient attraction force on the attracted component 40, so that the lock catch 21 automatically locks the door lock latch 22.
The washing machine main body 10 includes a casing 11, and the casing 11 includes a top face 11 a, a bottom face 11b, two side faces 11 c, a back face 11 d, and a front face 11e. In most cases, the faces of the casing 11 are all made of a conductive metal material, or faces other than the top face 11 a are made of a metal material. Except that the bottom face 11 b and the back face 11 d are uneasily contacted, it is possible that other faces are contacted by a user. An operating panel area 12a, a stuff box area 12b, and a door and handle area 12c are provided on the front face 11e of the washing machine main body casing 11, and the user usually operates these areas as required. Different styles or types of washing machines are different from each other in the positions and the settings of the operating areas. For example, the operating panels of some washing machines are located on the top face, the door and the handle are usually located on the top face for a pulsator washing machine, and some washing machines are not provided with a stuff box. Furthermore, casings of some washing machines are not of a regular hexahedron, for example, a smooth transitional curved face is formed between the top face and the front face, and may further be of some other irregular three-dimensional structures. Embodiments of the foregoing several washing machines are not shown in the accompanying drawing, but can be doubtlessly understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art through the above description. Furthermore, other washing machines not specifically described above including a washing machine, a drying machine, a washing and drying machine, and other household washing machines applicable to the present invention are also included in the protection scope of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the operating panel area 12a in the front face 11e of the washing machine main body casing 11 is disposed with the washing machine start button 60 used for starting working of the washing machine, a program selection button 70 for selecting a washing machine working program, and a display board 80 for displaying a washing machine working state. The stuff box area 12b in the front face 11e is used for storing some cleaning products such as washing powder or washing liquid. The door and handle area 12c in the front face 11e is provided with the laundry input opening 51, and meanwhile is mounted with the washing machine door 20 used for closing the laundry input opening 51. The lock catch 21 is disposed on the washing machine door 20, and correspondingly the door lock latch 22 used for locking or unlocking the lock catch 21 is mounted on the washing machine casing 11, thereby enabling the washing machine door 20 to be closed and opened; in another embodiment, the lock catch 21 is disposed on the washing machine casing 11, while the door lock latch 22 is mounted on the washing machine door 20, and likewise the effect of locking or unlocking the washing machine door 20 may be achieved. The electromagnetic component 30 is disposed at a position close to the door lock latch 22 on the washing machine casing 11, is connected to the washing machine main controller 13, and puts through power or cuts off power under the control of the main controller 13 to generate an electromagnetic attraction force or stop generating the electromagnetic attraction force. The attracted component 40 is disposed at a position close to the lock catch 21 on the washing machine door 20, and is generally stainless steel, ferroalloy, or permanent magnet. In another embodiment, the electromagnetic components 30 are continuously distributed and disposed along an edge of the laundry input opening 51 to form an electromagnetic coil, the electromagnetic attraction force generated in this way is larger, the attracted components 40 are continuously distributed and disposed along a periphery of the washing machine door 20 to increase the area attracted by the electromagnetic component 30, and increase the attraction force to overcome the resistance of the washing machine door 20 during automatic closing. When the washing machine start button 60 is triggered, the washing machine 100 begins to work, and the washing machine main controller 13 controls the electromagnetic component 30 to put through power to generate an electromagnetic attraction force. When the washing machine door 20 is closed and is close to the laundry input opening 51, the electromagnetic component 30 employs an electromagnetic attraction force on the attracted component 40, and the lock catch 21 automatically locks the door lock latch 22 in deadlock under the action of the electromagnetic attraction force, so that the washing machine door 20 is automatically attracted and completely closed transiently, so there is no worry that in a case of an insufficient force at the time of closing the door, the washing machine door 20 is not completely closed, resulting in a program error, and the washing machine 100 cannot normally work. When the washing machine door 20 is completely closed, the washing machine main controller 13 controls the electromagnetic component 30 to cut off power after receiving a closing signal of the washing machine door 20 to stop generating the electromagnetic attraction force, so as to save power consumption. The closing signal is sent to the main controller 13 through a corresponding circuit module in the door lock latch 22, and herein, that the door lock latch 22 is an electromagnetic lock 22' capable of sending the closing signal of the washing machine door 20 is taken as an example for illustration. The principle and structure of the electromagnetic lock 22' are well known by persons skilled in the art, and are not described in detail herein, but are only described from expansion of its function. When the lock catch 21 of the washing machine door 20 is locked into the lock hole of the electromagnetic lock 22' on the washing machine casing 11 in deadlock, after a put-through power pulse and a cut-off power pulse are employed on the electromagnetic coil in the electromagnetic lock 22', a micro-switch in the electromagnetic lock 22' outputs a switch-on signal and sends the signal to the washing machine main controller 13, this switch-on signal is the closing signal for completely closing the washing machine door 20, the washing machine main controller 13 controls the electromagnetic component 30 to cut off power according to the closing signal to stop employing the electromagnetic attraction force on the attracted component 40. Moreover, in another embodiment, the electromagnetic component 30 is disposed on the washing machine door 20, while the attracted component 40 is correspondingly disposed on the washing machine casing 11, and the same effect of automatically closing the washing machine door 20 can also be achieved.
An operating control process of a washing machine with the foregoing structure is illustrated below.
Firstly, laundries are input through the laundry input opening 51, and the position of the washing machine door 20 is adjusted, so that the attracted component 40 is close to the electromagnetic component 30; when the washing machine start button 60 is pressed and a corresponding washing program is selected through the program selection button 70, the washing machine main controller 13 executes a washing machine door closing program to determine whether the washing machine door 20 is completely closed.
If the washing machine door 20 is not completely closed, the washing machine main controller 13 controls the electromagnetic component 30 to put through power to generate an electromagnetic attraction force and employ the electromagnetic attraction force on the attracted component 40, and the lock catch 21 on the washing machine door 20 automatically locks the door lock latch 22 in deadlock under the action of the electromagnetic attraction force, so that the washing machine door 20 is automatically attracted and completely closed transiently. If the washing machine door 20 is completely closed, the washing machine main controller 13 controls the electromagnetic component 30 to cut off power to stop generating the electromagnetic attraction force.
After the washing machine door 20 is completely closed, the washing machine 100 completes the washing work according to a washing program selected by the user.
Various specific embodiments described in the foregoing and shown in accompanying drawings are only used for illustrating the present invention, and are not entirety of the present invention. Within the scope of the basic technical thought of the present invention, any types of modifications for the present invention made by persons ordinarily skilled in the art fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

washing machine	100
washing machine main body	10
washing machine casing	11
top face of the washing machine casing	11a
bottom face of the washing machine casing	11b
side face of the washing machine casing	11c
back face of the washing machine casing	11d
front face of the washing machine casing	11e
operating panel area	12a
stuff box area	12b
door and handle area	12c
washing machine door	20
washing machine main controller	13
lock catch	21
door lock latch	22
electromagnetic lock	22'
electromagnetic component	30
attracted component	40
cylindrical cavity	50
laundry input opening	51
start button	60
program selection button	70
display board	80

Claims

A washing machine (100), comprising:
a washing machine main body (10) with a built-in main controller (13);

a cylindrical cavity (50) disposed in the washing machine main body (10) and for receiving laundry;

a washing machine door (20), connected to a washing machine main body casing (11) and for closing a laundry input opening (51) of the cylindrical cavity (50), formed on the washing machine main body casing (11);

a lock catch (21), disposed on one of the washing machine main body casing (11) and the washing machine door (20);

a door lock latch (22), disposed on the other one of the washing machine main body casing (11) and the washing machine door (20) and working together with the lock catch (21) to lock or unlock the washing machine door (20);

an electromagnetic component (30), mounted on one of the washing machine main body casing (11) and the washing machine door (20) and controlled by the main controller (13); and

an attracted component (40);

wherein upon triggering a start button (60) of the washing machine, the electromagnetic component (30) employs a transient attraction force on the attracted component (40), so that the lock catch (21) automatically locks the door lock latch (22),

characterized in that, the attracted component (40) is disposed on the other one of the washing machine main body casing (11) and the washing machine door (20) as the electromagnetic component (30).
The washing machine (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lock catch (21) is disposed on the washing machine door (20), and the door lock latch (22) is disposed on the washing machine casing (11).
The washing machine (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the electromagnetic component (30) is disposed at a position on the washing machine main body casing (11) and close to the door lock latch (22), and the attracted component (40) is disposed at a position on the washing machine door (20) and close to the lock catch (21).
The washing machine (100) according to claim 1 characterized in that, the electromagnetic component (30) is disposed to be distributed continuously along an edge of the laundry input opening (51), and the attracted component (40) is disposed to be distributed continuously along a periphery of the washing machine door (20).
The washing machine (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the attracted component (40) is stainless steel, ferroalloy, or a permanent magnet.
A method for controlling the washing machine (100) according to claim 1, characterized by comprising the following steps:
a. triggering the start button (60) of the washing machine; and

b. executing a program for judging whether the washing machine door (20) is closed, wherein if the washing machine door (20) is not completely closed, the washing machine main controller (13) controls the electromagnetic component (30) to employ an attraction force on the attracted component (40).
The method for controlling the washing machine (100) according to claim 6, characterized by further comprising the following steps: executing the program for judging whether the washing machine door (20) is closed, wherein if the washing machine door (20) is completely closed, the washing machine main controller (13) controls the electromagnetic component (30) to stop applying the attraction force on the attracted component (40).
The method for controlling the washing machine (100) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the program for judging whether the washing machine door (20) is closed performs judgment through a close signal of the washing machine door (20) generated depending on whether the lock catch (21) locks the door lock latch (22) which is sent to the washing machine main controller (13).
The method for controlling the washing machine (100) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the washing machine main controller (13) controls the electromagnetic component (30) by putting through or cutting off power supplied to the electromagnetic component (30).