EP2935674B1

EP2935674B1 - A method for controlling a washing machine provided with functionality of washing cycle rapid conclusion

Info

Publication number: EP2935674B1
Application number: EP13828831.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vanessa Ten Hoff
Original assignee: Indesit Co SpA
Current assignee: Whirlpool EMEA SpA
Priority date: 2012-12-21
Filing date: 2013-12-18
Publication date: 2016-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 2033-12-18
Also published as: RU2639272C2; EP2935674A1; WO2014097168A1; RU2015125803A; ITTO20121134A1; PL2935674T3

Description

[FIELD OF THE INVENTION]

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a washing machine with the functionality of speedy conclusion of a washing cycle.

[PRIOR ART]

As known, the washing machines are provided for the execution of specific wash cycles, which the user sets according to the type of clothes to be washed.
The cycles typically involve substantially fixed durations, which depend on the initial settings given by the user (temperature, fabric material, etc.).
However, there are circumstances in which the user, after starting a washing cycle, feels the need to conclude the same as quickly as possible, that is in times substantially shorter than the planned overall duration for this cycle.
Currently the only solution that the state of the art offers consists of a manual cycle interruption (by pressing a special button or even opening or trying to open the door of the machine). This involves a series of drawbacks, primarily related to the fact that significant amounts of detergent may remain associated with the clothes, and, if not removed quickly, can compromise their quality. It should be pointed out, in this regard, that the interruption of the wash operation can be caused by the user for reasons, for example, of immediate unavailability of time, that are preventing him from taking care of the machine and its load. It is therefore possible that stopping a washing cycle suddenly and not taking care the laundry loaded in the drum in a proper manner, that can remain in contact with the detergent for a prolonged time, encountering the issues described above.
Document US4,410,329 relates to a washing machine comprising a control system that includes an arrangement which is operative upon detection of an oversuds condition to interrupt appliance operation and initiate a corrective cycle which includes the actuation of a spraying system for spraying water over the clothes in the basket.

[OBJECT OF THE INVENTION]

The aim of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling a washing machine that is able to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above.
In particular, aim of the invention is to provide a method for controlling a washing machine that, at least in certain circumstances, can conclude the washing cycle in a significantly reduced time compared with that expected, avoiding that significant amounts of detergent can remain deposited in the clothes.
These and other aims are still substantially achieved by a method for controlling according to what is described in the attached claims.
A basic idea of the present invention is to allow the user to enter an early finish command during the operation of the machine, that is during the execution of a particular washing cycle. If certain minimum conditions are met, the machine stops the preset washing cycle and performs a conclusion cycle specifically defined, so that it can be available within a predetermined time, which is smaller than the time that would have been necessary for the conclusion of the original cycle.
In particular, object of the present invention is a method for controlling a washing machine, comprising:

Start the execution of a preset washing cycle;
During the execution of said preset washing cycle, receive an early finish command;
Following the receiving of said command, stop said preset wash cycle and perform a conclusion cycle so as to make the machine available within a predetermined time. Preferably, said predetermined time is below or equal to 20 minutes.

Preferably said preset wash cycle is stopped and said conclusion cycle is performed if determined conditions are verified, or to the achievement of these determined conditions.
Preferably, said determined conditions comprise the fact that, when said command is received, the temperature of the wash water used by the machine exceeds or is equal to 30 °C, in particular exceeds or is equal to 35 °C.
Preferably, said determined conditions include the fact that, when said command is received, said machine has carried out a mechanical wash for at least 10 minutes. In the technical jargon, mechanical cleaning means a phase of the washing cycle in which it is performed the moving of the drum at a speed in a range between 40 and 50 rpm and which is performed after the achievement of the desired washing temperature.
In particular, said certain conditions include the fact that, when said command is received, said machine has performed a mechanical washing for at least 10 minutes keeping the washing water at a temperature exceeding or equal to 30 °C, preferably exceeding or equal to 35 °C.
Preferably said conclusion cycle comprises one or more rinse steps, even more preferably two rinse steps in particular followed by a final spin step.
Preferably, each rinse step is preceded by one or more impulses of spin having a limited speed of rotation.
Preferably said limited rotation speed is comprised between 200 rpm to 300 rpm.
Preferably said conclusion cycle comprises a plurality of temporally ordered rinse steps, wherein the impulses of spin preceding the rinse steps performed previously carried out have speed of rotation below or equal to the impulses of spin that precede the rinse steps carried out afterwards.
Preferably, the method according to the invention comprises a verification step wherein the stopping of said preset wash cycle and the execution of said conclusion cycle are inhibited in case said preset washing cycle is carried out on determined articles of clothing or fabrics.
Preferably, the method according to the invention comprises a verification step wherein, if the ending of said preset washing cycle is expected within a shorter time than said determined time, then the stopping of said preset wash cycle and the execution of said conclusion cycle are inhibited.
Preferably, the method according to the invention also comprises:

Verifying that said certain conditions are not present when the said command is received;
Verifying if the detergent has already been introduced in washing tank and, in the negative case, interrupting said preset washing cycle and bringing the machine to the end of the cycle without performing said conclusion cycle.

Preferably, the method of the invention also comprises:

checking that said determined conditions are not verified when said command is received;
checking said determined conditions are expected during the execution of said preset wash cycle;
during the execution of said preset wash cycle checking that said determined conditions are verified;
when said determined conditions are verified, stop said preset wash cycle and carry out said conclusion cycle.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS]

Some examples of preferred and advantageous embodiments of the invention are provided for purely illustrative purposes and not limiting, with reference to the attached figure 1, which shows a diagram representing some characteristic parameters of the method according to the invention.

[DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION]

The method according to the invention, as mentioned above, has the aim to make a washing machine available in a short time even when the machine is carrying out washing operations that, according to the preset cycle, would require longer time to its conclusion.
The method thus provides the execution of at least a part of a preset washing cycle.
This cycle can be set by the user by selecting the type of fabric that must be washed (cotton, wool, synthetic, delicate, etc. ) and/or the temperature at which must be performed the washing (typically between 30 °C and 90 °C).
According to the invention, during the execution of said preset wash cycle the user can enter a early finish command or "fast forward".
The purpose of the insertion of such a command is to make the machine available within a specific time period, through the execution of an appropriate conclusion cycle, without compromising the integrity of the clothes loaded.
The conclusion command can be inserted, for example, through the pressure of a special push-button that is on the control panel of the machine.
Preferably, following the reception of this command, the machine, and in particular, the control system that oversees the operation of the machine itself, carries out a series of checks.
First it may be performed a checking step in which the stop of the preset wash cycle and the execution of the conclusion cycle are inhibited in case said preset washing cycle is carried out on determined articles of clothing or fabrics.
For example the stop of the preset washing cycle and the execution of the conclusion cycle may be inhibited if the initial washing cycle was carried out to special garments, silk fabrics, etc.
In this circumstance, the preset washing cycle is not stopped and then continues up to its own conclusion according to the preset program, without undergoing changes.
Can be also carried out a verification step wherein, if the ending of the preset washing cycle is expected within a shorter time than said determined time, then the stopping of the preset wash cycle and the execution of the conclusion cycle are inhibited.
In other words, if it is expected that the preset wash cycle rapidly concludes, that is in a time that is substantially shorter than the duration of the conclusion cycle, then the preset cycle is not interrupted and the conclusion cycle is not performed.
In the case in which the said determined conditions (which will be better specified below) are not verified when said command is received, checks may be carried out to verify if the detergent has already been introduced in the wash tub; if negative, it is provided that the preset wash cycle is stopped and that the machine is brought to end-of- cycle without carrying out said conclusion cycle. In this circumstance, in fact, since it is not yet started the real washing, the detergent is not yet come in contact with the clothes and there are not particular problems in interrupting substantially instantaneously the machine.
Always in the case where the determined conditions are not met when the early finish command is inserted, the control system of the machine preferably verifies if it is expected that these specific conditions should occur later, during the preset washing cycle. If so, a series of checks are distributed over time, for example of a periodic type, to determine the actual occurrence of the expected conditions. Once these are verified, the preset wash cycle can be stopped and can be carried out the conclusion cycle.
As said, the conclusion cycle may be performed if determined conditions met.
Preferably, said determined conditions comprise the fact that, when said command is received, the temperature of the wash water used by said machine exceeds or is equal to 30 °C, in particular exceeds 35 °C.
Preferably, certain conditions comprise the fact that, when said command is received, said machine has carried out a mechanical wash for at least 10 minutes.
In particular, determined conditions comprise the fact that, when said command is received, the machine has performed a mechanical washing for at least 10 minutes keeping the washing water at temperature exceeding or equal to 30 °C and preferably exceeding or equal to 35 °C.
If these circumstances have occurred, then the method according to the invention allows making available the machine within a determined time.
Preferably this determined time is below or equal to 20 minutes.
Preferably this determined time is greater than or equal to 10 minutes.
Advantageously, the conclusion cycle comprises one or more rinse steps; in the preferred embodiment two rinse steps are provided.
Preferably, each rinse step is preceded by one or more impulses of spinning having a limited rotation speed. For example, the speed of rotation can be comprised between 200 rpm to 300 rpm.
Preferably the conclusion cycle comprises a plurality of temporally ordered rinse steps (as said, by way of example, two rinse steps), wherein the impulses of spin preceding the rinse steps previously carried out have a speed of rotation below or equal to the impulses of spin preceding the rinse steps carried out afterwards.
The first impulse of spin or the first impulses of spin can have a speed of about 200-250 rpm, while subsequent impulses may have a speed of about 250-300 rpm.
Advantageously, at the end of the rinse steps of the conclusion cycle, a step of final spin is carried out, for example at a speed comprised between 750 rpm to 850 rpm.
Figure 1 shows, by way of example, representative graphs of the execution of the method of the invention.
The x-axis represents the time, on the y-axis are represented the water consumption of the machine (A), the electric power absorbed by the machine (B), the temperature of the washing water (C) and the speed of rotation of the drum (D).
The conclusion command is given at the instant X, and the conclusion cycle substantially ends at the instant Y. As can be seen, the duration is approximately 20 minutes.
With reference to the consumption of water, it is possible to notice the segments A1, A2 corresponding to the two rinse steps expected in the conclusion cycle, which clearly involve an increase in water consumption over time; in particular, as indicated by numerical data to the left of the graph, the first segment A1 indicates a water consumption, which, starting from 18 liters, exceeds 36 liters, and the second segment A2 indicates consumption that greatly surpass the 60 liters.
As regards the electric power, it is observed that the maximum absorption (with peaks around 1.8kW) is in the range B1, in which the resistance, used to heat the water, is properly powered and thus causes the absorption shown.
With reference to the temperature, the graph shows how it grows during the absorption of power by the resistance, and reaches a value that is substantially equal to 35 °C.
As regards the speed of rotation of the drum, the chart shows the peaks D1, D2 associated with the rinse steps and the relevant s impulses of spin, and the peaks D3 that are instead the step of final spin.

Claims

A method for controlling a washing machine, comprising:
- start the execution of a preset wash cycle;

- during the execution of said preset wash cycle, receive an early finish command;

- following the receiving of said command, stop said preset wash cycle and perform a conclusion cycle having a predetermined duration,
characterized in that
the early finish command is entered by a user.
A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined time is below or equal to 20 minutes.
A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said predetermined time exceeds or is equal to 10 minutes.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said preset wash cycle is stopped and said conclusion cycle is performed if determined conditions are verified.
A method according to claim 4 wherein said determined conditions comprise that, when said command is received, the temperature of the wash water used by said machine exceeds or is equal to 30°C.
A method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said determined conditions comprise that, when said command is received, said machine had carried out a mechanical wash for at least 10 minutes.
A method according to claim 5 and 6, wherein said determined conditions comprise that, when said command is received, said machine had carried out a mechanical wash for at least 10 minutes keeping the wash water at a temperature exceeding or equal to 30°C.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said conclusion cycle comprises one or more rinse steps, preferably two rinse steps, in particular followed by a final spin step.
A method according to claim 8 wherein each rinse step is preceded by one or more impulses of spin having a limited speed of rotation, wherein said limited speed of rotation is comprised between 200 rpm and 300 rpm.
A method according to claim 9, wherein said conclusion cycle comprises a plurality of temporally ordered rinse steps, wherein the impulses of spin preceding the rinse steps previously carried out have a speed of rotation below or equal to the impulses of spin preceding the rinse steps carried out afterwards.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a verification step wherein the stopping of said preset wash cycle and the execution of said conclusion cycle are inhibited in case said preset wash cycle is carried out on determined articles of clothing or fabrics.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a verification step wherein if the ending of said preset wash cycle is expected within a shorter time than said determined time, then the stopping of said preset wash cycle and the execution of said conclusion cycle are inhibited.
A method according to claim 12, comprising:
- checking that said determined conditions are not verified when said early finish command is received;

- checking if some detergent has been already introduced in the wash tub and, if negative, stop said preset wash cycle and bring the machine to an end-of-cycle condition, without carrying out said conclusion cycle.
A method according to claims 12 or 13, comprising:
- checking that said determined conditions are not verified when said command is received;

- checking that said determined conditions are expected during the execution of said preset wash cycle;

- during the execution of said preset wash cycle, checking that said determined conditions are verified;

- when said determined conditions are verified, stop said preset wash cycle and carry out said conclusion cycle.
A laundry washing machine comprising:
- operating means for executing at least one wash cycle;

- a control unit active on said operating means to control operation of the same;
characterized in that
said control unit is configured to execute, in cooperation with said operating means, the method according to any one of the preceding claims
and in that
said operating means are adapted to execute said preset wash cycle and said conclusion cycle.