EP3695042A1

EP3695042A1 - Washing machine and method for displaying a fill level of a detergent container in a washing machine

Info

Publication number: EP3695042A1
Application number: EP18782043.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Markus Behr; Viktor Wiens; Jan Niclas LAUMANN
Original assignee: Miele und Cie KG
Current assignee: Miele und Cie KG
Priority date: 2017-10-10
Filing date: 2018-10-01
Publication date: 2020-08-19
Also published as: KR102528190B1; WO2019072614A1; US20200332455A1; KR20200062318A; CN111183253A; US10975514B2; DE102017123519A1; CN111183253B

Abstract

The invention relates to a washing machine (100) comprising: an insertion compartment (102) for inserting at least one detergent container (104, 106), at least portions of which are transparent; at least one light source located in the insertion compartment (102) for illuminating the detergent container (104, 106); and a control device which is designed to control the light source in accordance with a fill level of the detergent container (104, 106).

Description

description

Washing machine and method for displaying a level of a detergent container in a washing machine

The invention relates to a washing machine and a method for displaying a filling level of a detergent container in a washing machine.

The vacancy of a detergent container in a washing machine can be displayed, for example, on a display of the washing machine in text form. In addition, approaches are known in which the vacancy can be displayed by light emitting diodes.

Against this background, the present invention has the object to provide an improved washing machine and an improved method for displaying a level of a detergent container in a washing machine.

According to the invention this object is achieved by a washing machine and a method having the features of the main claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention will become apparent from the following subclaims. The invention offers the advantage that by irradiating an at least partially transparent or translucent detergent container, a vacancy of the

Detergent container can be displayed. The detergent container acts as a light guide. Thus, the vacancy can be displayed directly on the detergent container. This has the advantage that, for example, when using several

Detergent container for the user of the washing machine is immediately apparent which of the detergent container is empty. The vacancy indication by illuminating the

Detergent container can be done, for example, in addition to the vacancy indicator in text form on a display of the washing machine. A particularly advantageous effect can be achieved, for example, if the detergent container is brought to a recognized vacancy by rhythmic light flashing.

It is a washing machine with the following features: a slot for inserting at least one at least partially translucent detergent container; at least one arranged in the insertion compartment light source for illuminating the

Detergent container; and a control unit which is designed to control the light source as a function of a filling level of the detergent container.

A washing machine can generally be understood as meaning a water-conducting household appliance. In particular, it may be at the washing machine to a

Laundry treatment device, also in the form of a washer dryer, act. Alternatively, however, a washing machine can also be understood to mean a dishwasher.

Under a drawer, for example, from a front of the device

Washing machine to be understood from accessible compartment. The insertion compartment can be arranged above or below a washing drum of the washing machine. To guide the detergent container when inserted into the insertion compartment, the insertion compartment may for example have a corresponding guide rail. For example, the insertion compartment may be formed to receive two detergent containers. The

Detergent containers can be inserted side by side in the slot, which is also known as TwinDos system. A detergent container can be understood as an exchangeable cartridge for storing a textile treatment agent or another cleaning or care agent, for example also for cleaning the washing machine. The detergent container may be configured, for example, cylindrical or cuboid. Depending on the embodiment, the detergent container in the longitudinal direction horizontally, vertically or obliquely in the

Einschubfach be inserted. The detergent container can be manufactured in sections or completely from a transparent or translucent material, in particular a corresponding plastic.

It is particularly advantageous, for example, if at least one end face of the

Detergent container, which faces the front of the washing machine in the inserted state of the detergent container, and a front side opposite the back of the detergent container are made of the translucent material. Thus, for example, by illuminating the back of the front side are backlit.

The detergent container, for example, be inserted into the insertion compartment such that at least a portion of the end face in the inserted state of

Detergent container is visible from the outside.

For example, a light source can be understood to mean a light bulb or a light-emitting diode or else an arrangement of a plurality of light bulbs or light-emitting diodes. The light source can be aligned with the inserted detergent container in order to be able to examine it in a targeted manner. For this purpose, the light source on a wall portion of Insertion compartment be arranged, for example on a rear or side wall or a floor or a ceiling of the insertion compartment.

A control device can be understood as meaning an electrical device which processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals in dependence thereon. The

Control unit may have an interface that may be designed in hardware and / or software. In the case of a hardware-based design, the interfaces can be part of a so-called system ASIC, for example, which contains various functions of the control unit. However, it is also possible that the interfaces are their own integrated circuits or at least partially consist of discrete components. At a

In software training, the interfaces may be software modules that

For example, on a microcontroller in addition to other software modules are available.

According to one embodiment, the light source may be arranged on a rear wall of the insertion compartment. Additionally or alternatively, the light source may comprise at least one light emitting diode. Under a rear wall of the insertion compartment, for example, a wall portion of the insertion compartment can be understood, which is opposite to an opening of the insertion compartment. The back wall may be opposite to the detergent container, if this in the

Inserted slot is inserted, for example, so that the light source has a maximum distance of 3 cm to the detergent container. By this embodiment, an effective backlighting of the detergent container with high light intensity can be achieved.

According to another embodiment, the controller may be configured to turn on the light source when the level reaches a lower threshold, the lower threshold representing an empty detergent container. As a result, the vacancy of the detergent container can be displayed directly on the detergent container. In this case, the control device can be designed to switch the light source alternately on and off when the level reaches the lower threshold. This may cause the detergent container to blink. Thus, the signal effect of the vacancy indicator can be increased.

Further, the controller may be configured to turn off the light source when the level reaches an upper threshold, wherein the upper threshold represents a full detergent container. This can make an empty or full

Detergent container can be displayed by simply switching the light source on or off. In addition, the controller may be configured to control the light source depending on a presence of the detergent container in the insertion compartment. For example, the control unit may be designed to illuminate the insertion compartment in the absence of detergent container by means of the light source, so as to allow the user to insert the

To facilitate detergent container. As a result, the ease of use of the washing machine can be increased.

The washing machine can have a housing flap for closing the insertion compartment according to another embodiment. In this case, the control device can be designed to control the light source depending on a position of the housing flap. A housing flap can be understood, for example, as a pivotable or removable cover element for covering the opening of the insertion compartment. Through this

Embodiment can be ensured, for example, that the detergent container is illuminated only when the insertion compartment is open.

Advantageously, the light source can be designed to emit light in a variable color spectrum. In this case, the controller may be formed to the

Color spectrum to vary depending on the level. As a result, the detergent container can effectively be brought to light in different colors.

The washing machine may comprise the detergent container, wherein this in the

Inserted slot is inserted. The approach presented here also provides a method for indicating a level of a detergent container in a washing machine according to any one of the above

Embodiments, wherein the method comprises at least the following step:

Outputting a drive signal for driving the light source using a measured value representing a measured fill level of the detergent container. This method enables effective vacancy indication locally on

Detergent container.

This method can be implemented, for example, in software or hardware or in a mixed form of software and hardware, for example in a control unit.

An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. It shows

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a portion of a washing machine according to an embodiment; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a drawer of a washing machine of Figure 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a section of a washing machine 100 according to one exemplary embodiment. For example, the section below shows one

Washing drum of the washing machine 100 arranged insertion compartment 102 for insertion of a first detergent container 104 and a second detergent container 106. The insertion compartment 102 is accessible from an appliance front of the washing machine 100 from. The two detergent containers 104, 106 are each shown in a fully inserted state, in each of which one of the front side facing the housing front of the detergent container 104, 106 is visible. The detergent containers 104, 106 are exemplary cuboid

designed and inserted in the insertion compartment 102 in the longitudinal direction.

To locally display a vacancy of the detergent containers 104, 106 to a user of the washing machine 100, the washing machine 100 is designed, for example, to backlight the respective detergent container within the insertion compartment 102 in such a way that the front side of the detergent container in question is clearly visible from the outside

lights. For this purpose, the detergent containers 104, 106, depending on the embodiment, completely or partially translucent, for example by using a transparent or translucent plastic as a container material. The insertion compartment 102 is closable according to this embodiment with a pivotable housing flap 108. According to one embodiment, the

Washing machine 100 is formed to illuminate the detergent containers 104, 106 depending on a position of the housing door 108. For example, they are illuminated only when the housing door 108 releases the insertion compartment 102, as shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an insertion compartment 102 from FIG. 1. The insertion compartment 102 is shown without the two detergent containers in the front view, so that a rear wall 200 of the insertion compartment 102 is visible. According to this

Embodiment are on the rear wall 200, a first light source 202 for

Rear lights of the first detergent container and a second light source 204 for

Rear lights of the second detergent container arranged. According to an alternative embodiment, the insertion compartment 102 has only one light source for backlighting both detergent containers or only one of the two detergent containers. The light sources 202, 204 are, for example, two light-emitting diodes which are directed onto the detergent containers, here in each case on a rear side of the detergent containers, if they are inserted into the insertion compartment 102. Alternatively, the light sources 202, 204 each have more than one light emitting diode.

In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the first light source 202 or the second light source 204 can also be attached to another wall section of the light source

Insertion compartment 102, for example, on a side wall, a ceiling or a bottom of the insertion compartment 102, be placed.

The two light sources 202, 204 are connected to a control unit 206 of the washing machine. A drive unit 207 of the control device 206 is designed to control the two light sources 202, 204 as a function of a respective fill level of the detergent containers. For this purpose, the control unit 206, for example, with a suitable

Measuring device coupled to measure the respective level, of which the

Control unit 207 receives a respective level representing measured value 208. The drive unit 207 evaluates the measured value 208 by comparing with a lower or upper threshold value, wherein the lower threshold value is empty

Detergent container and the upper threshold represents a full detergent container. Depending on the result of the comparison, the drive unit 207 generates a

Drive signal 210 for switching on or off the light sources 202, 204.

For example, the drive unit 207 generates the drive signal 210 to turn on the first light source 202 when the measurement 208 reaches the lower threshold. Conversely, the drive unit 207 generates the drive signal 210 in order to switch off the first light source 202 again when the measured value 208 reaches the upper threshold, for example after a refill or an exchange of the first

Detergent container is the case. It is particularly effective when the first

Detergent container is made by alternately turning on and off the first light source 202 by means of the Ansteuersignais 210 when the vacancy is detected to blink.

The activation of the second light source 204 by means of the activation signal 210 can be effected analogously to the activation of the first light source 202 as a function of the fill level of the second agent container.

FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method 300 according to one exemplary embodiment. The method 300 for indicating a filling level of a detergent container in a washing machine can be described, for example, from that described above with reference to FIG

described control unit are executed. In this case, in an optional step 310, the level of the detergent container is measured by a suitable measuring device of the washing machine, for example an optical measuring device, and the measured value representing the filling level is generated. In a further step 320, using of the measured value, the drive signal output to either switch the light source in the slot depending on the measured level on or off or alternately on and off.

The level indicator is illuminated by two detergent containers

For example, by introducing two light emitting diodes opposite the backs of Waschmittelbehalter in a leadership allows the Waschmittelbehalter in the slot.

Depending on the embodiment, different states of the detergent containers are indicated by appropriate control of the light sources as follows:

- detergent container full: light off; - detergent container empty: flashing;

- Detergent container is missing: light on.

According to a further embodiment, the light sources are controlled by sensing the housing flap so that the light sources are turned on only when the housing door is opened. By the backlighting of the detergent container not only the vacancy, but also the respective location of an empty detergent container is displayed. As a result, a better user guidance is realized.

Claims

claims

1 . Washing machine (100) having the following features: an insertion compartment (102) for inserting at least one at least partially translucent detergent container (104, 106); at least one light source (202, 204) arranged in the insertion compartment (102) for

Illuminating the detergent container (104, 106); and a controller (206) configured to drive the light source (202, 204) in response to a level of the detergent container (104, 106).

2. Washing machine (100) according to claim 1, wherein the light source (202, 204) on a rear wall (200) of the insertion compartment (102) is arranged and / or at least one

Has light emitting diode.

A washing machine (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller (206) is adapted to turn on the light source (202, 204) when the level reaches a lower threshold, the lower threshold being an empty detergent container (104, 104). 106).

A washing machine (100) according to claim 3, wherein the controller (206) is adapted to alternately turn the light source (202, 204) on and off when the level reaches the lower threshold.

5. Washing machine (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device (206) is designed to turn off the light source (202, 204) when the

Level reaches an upper threshold, wherein the upper threshold represents a full detergent container (104, 106).

6. Washing machine (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device (206) is adapted to the light source (202, 204) depending on a presence of the detergent container (104, 106) in the insertion compartment (102).

driving.

7. Washing machine (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with a

Housing flap (108) for closing the insertion compartment (102), wherein the

Controller (206) is adapted to control the light source (202, 204) depending on a position of the housing flap (108).

8. Washing machine (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the light source (202, 204) is adapted to emit light in a variable color spectrum, wherein the control device (206) is adapted to vary the color spectrum depending on the level.

9. Washing machine (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with the

Detergent container (104, 106), wherein the detergent container (104, 106) is inserted into the insertion compartment (102).

10. A method (300) for displaying a level of a detergent container (104, 106) in a washing machine (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the

Method (300) comprises at least the following step:

Outputting (320) a drive signal (210) for driving the light source (202, 204) using a measured value (208) representing a measured fill level of the detergent container (104, 106).