EP3988704A1 - Washing machine, method for operating a washing machine and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a washing machine with a tub (2) for holding water (13), a drum (3) rotatably mounted in the tub (2) for holding laundry (8), a motor for driving the drum (3) and a control or regulating device, the method having a step for de-creasing dry laundry (8) located in the drum (3), in which the drum (3) is moved into a right-left direction with the aid of the motor Movement is displaced over a predetermined period of time so as to cause a reciprocating movement of the dry laundry (8) such that the dry laundry (8) is mechanically agitated in the drum (3). The invention also relates to a corresponding washing machine and a computer program that is set up to carry out the method when it is executed on a control or regulating device of the washing machine.

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a washing machine, a washing machine and a computer program. In particular, the invention relates to a method for operating an automatic washing machine, an automatic washing machine and a computer program that are suitable and/or set up to untangle laundry.

In households without a dryer, the laundry is usually dried on a clothesline inside or outside of closed rooms after washing. Especially in summer, clothes are often overdried and the laundry feels rough and stiff after drying. Also, new folded clothing is often treated with a finish and cannot be worn immediately.

Dryers are known which are designed to freshen up the laundry after selecting a program such as "airing". Furthermore, automatic washing machines are known which are designed to unwrinkle the laundry after a washing program has been carried out by means of an anti-crease process in which the laundry in the drum, which is still damp after washing, is loosened. That is, either the laundry has to be damp in order to be uncreased by means of the washing machine, or the laundry has to be uncreased by means of a dryer, which represents an additional household appliance to the washing machine and thus requires additional space and incurs additional costs.

The invention therefore faces the problem of providing an automatic washing machine that is designed to de-crease dry laundry.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by a method having the features of patent claim 1, a washing machine having the features of patent claim 7 and a computer program having the features of patent claim 10. Advantageous refinements and developments of the invention result from the following dependent claims.

The advantages that can be achieved with the invention, in addition to the provision of the possibility of de-creasing dry laundry, consist in the fact that the use of fabric softener is made superfluous and soft and fluffy laundry is nevertheless obtained. For households without a dryer, a program is offered in the washing machine that treats dry laundry and leads to a crease reduction and remoistening of laundry and fluffy, soft laundry. As a result, dry laundry can be refreshed in a washing machine.

The mechanical movement in the form of a pendulum movement has an intensive and at the same time gentle effect even on dry laundry. Hardened fibers of the laundry are broken up again with the mechanical movement of the pendulum rhythm. This makes the laundry fluffy and soft again and creases are reduced. The fibers can harden, for example due to limescale deposits and silicate residues.

The invention relates to a method for operating a washing machine with a tub for holding water, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub for holding laundry, a motor for driving the drum and a control or regulating device, the method including a step for de-creasing dry laundry located in the drum, in which the drum is caused to move right-left by the motor for a predetermined period of time in such a way as to cause the dry laundry to swing in such a way that the dry laundry in the drum is mechanically driven is moved.

The step of unwrapping the dry laundry is performed waterless. The term "waterless" means that in this step no water in the liquid state of aggregation is supplied to the laundry, but the laundry can optionally be supplied with water vapor, i.e. water that has changed from its usually liquid state of aggregation to a gaseous state of aggregation by the action of heat.

Preferably, steam is supplied to the interior of the drum while the laundry dewrinkling step is being performed. This moistens the laundry. This further supports the crease reduction or smoothing of the laundry.

In a preferred embodiment, supplying steam to the interior of the drum comprises generating and introducing the steam from a steam module to the interior of the drum. The steam module is designed as a steam generating device.

• Zuführen von Wasser in einer vorbestimmten Wassermenge in den Laugenbehälter vor dem Schritt des Entknitterns der trockenen Wäsche,
• anschließend Sensieren, ob eine Tür des Waschautomaten geöffnet und anschließend verschlossen wird, und/oder ob, die Trommel nach dem Zuführen von Wasser in einer vorbestimmten Wassermenge in den Laugenbehälter mit der Wäsche beladen wird,
• Aktivieren eines Heizkörpers des Waschautomaten vor und/oder während des Entknitterns der Wäsche, um mittels des sich im Laugenbehälter befindenden Wassers Dampf zu erzeugen.

Alternatively, the method preferably has the following steps

• supplying water in a predetermined amount of water into the tub prior to the step of unwrapping the dry laundry,
• then sensing whether a door of the washing machine is opened and then closed, and/or whether the drum is loaded with the laundry after the supply of water in a predetermined amount of water into the tub,
• Activating a heating element of the washing machine before and/or during the unwrapping of the laundry in order to generate steam using the water in the tub.

In this variant of the method for generating steam, the design of the steps, which are carried out in the specified order, ensures that the laundry in the drum is dry. The water is fed into the tub before the laundry is loaded into the drum. Furthermore, the water is preferably supplied to the tub in such a way that a water level of the water supplied to the tub is below the drum. The heater can heat the water in the tub. The heating element is preferably installed in the washing machine in such a way that when the water level is appropriate, an active heating surface of the heating element is directly below the water surface, so that in this case steam forms on the water surface, which flows through the drum into the laundry.

In a further variant of the method, the water is routed through the existing water supply paths at a very low flow rate so that it can be routed along the inner shell of the tub or along the outer shell in a hole-free area of the drum to the radiator below, without wetting the laundry.

In a further variant of the method, the water is supplied by means of an additional water path at an opening located under the drum.

In a preferred embodiment, a load quantity of the laundry located in the drum is determined before the step of de-crease-ing the dry laundry. A maximum loading quantity is preferably dependent on a drum volume.

In a preferred embodiment, the drum is designed without ribs. A ribless drum is a drum that does not have a rib or flight inside it. However, it can have other elevations and/or depressions that do not have the shape of the plate-shaped rib or driver. The drum, preferably the drum casing, preferably has indentations and/or elevations other than a rib. It preferably has honeycombs, each of which is designed as an elevation or depression.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a washing machine with a tub for holding water, a drum rotatably mounted in the tub for holding laundry, a motor for driving the drum and a control or regulating device, configured to carry out a method according to one or more of the preceding embodiments.

The drum is preferably designed without ribs, as described above.

In a preferred embodiment, the automatic washing machine also has a steam module which is designed to generate steam and direct it into the interior of the drum.

The automatic washing machine preferably has a heating element which is designed and arranged to heat the water in the tub. The heating element is preferably arranged below the drum so that it can heat water located below the drum.

The automatic washing machine can be a washing machine or a combination device such as a washer-dryer. The automatic washing machine is preferably a washing machine which is designed exclusively for washing laundry and has no function for drying laundry.

The invention also relates to a computer program that is set up to execute the method according to one or more of the embodiments described above when it is executed on the control or regulating device of the automatic washing machine according to one or more of the embodiments described above.

Fig. 1

eine Teildarstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Waschautomaten in einer skizzierten Schnittdarstellung; und

Fig. 2

eine Teildarstellung eines weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Waschautomaten in einer skizzierten Schnittdarstellung.

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

1

a partial view of a washing machine according to the invention in a sketched sectional view; and

2

a partial view of another washing machine according to the invention in a sketched sectional view.

Information on position and direction relates to the operating position of a washing machine.

1 shows a partial view of a washing machine according to the invention in a sketched sectional view. Shown is the tub 2 of a washing machine, in which a drum 3 is rotatably mounted. In the drum 3 laundry 8 can be filled. During a washing program, the drum 3 can be driven by a motor (not shown) so that the laundry 8 is moved in the drum 3. In the present exemplary embodiment, the drum 3 is made of stainless steel and is provided with a large number of openings (not shown) for the throughflow. A heating element 7 is arranged below the drum 3 in a lower area of the tub 2 . The radiator 7 can be in Heat the water 13 in the suds container 2. The heating element 7 is installed in the washing machine 1 in such a way that when the water level is appropriate, an active heating surface of the heating element 7 is directly below the water surface, so that in this case steam 14 forms on the water surface, which flows through the openings in the drum 3 into the drum 3 and flows into the wash 8.

In addition, an inlet valve (not shown) is arranged in an upper area of the washing machine, which provides the washing machine with water from the supply network. A drain device 12 is arranged below the tub 2, which leads used water 13 out of the tub 2 when a drain pump 12a is activated and which usually opens into a sewer (not shown). In the lower area of the tub 2, a circulation pump 17a of a circulation device 17 is also optionally arranged. The flooding device 17 is connected to a drain pipe 11 on the inlet or suction side and can convey water 13 located therein into the upper area of the tub 2 or the drum 3 . A control or regulating device (not shown) of the washing machine controls the inlet valve, the activity of the drain device 12, the activity of the circulation device 17, the motor and the heating element 7.

During operation of the washing machine, a method according to the invention can be carried out, which has a step for unwrapping the dry laundry 8 located in the drum 3, in which the drum 3 is driven in a right-left movement in such a way over a predetermined period of time with the aid of the motor is offset to cause a reciprocating movement of the dry laundry 8 such that the dry laundry 8 in the drum 3 is mechanically agitated.

• Zuführen von Wasser 13 in einer vorbestimmten Wassermenge in den Laugenbehälter 2 vor dem Schritt des Entknitterns der trockenen Wäsche 8,
• anschließend Sensieren, ob eine Tür des Waschautomaten geöffnet und anschließend verschlossen wird, und/oder ob, die Trommel 3 nach dem Zuführen von Wasser in einer vorbestimmten Wassermenge in den Laugenbehälter 2 mit der Wäsche 8 beladen wird, und
• Aktivieren eines Heizkörpers 7 des Waschautomaten vor und/oder während des Entknitterns der Wäsche 8, um mittels des sich im Laugenbehälter 2 befindenden Wassers Dampf 14 zu erzeugen.

Optionally, the method can further include supplying steam 14 . Then the method has the following steps

• supplying water 13 in a predetermined amount of water into the tub 2 before the step of unwrapping the dry laundry 8,
• then sensing whether a door of the washing machine is opened and then closed, and/or whether the drum 3 is loaded with the laundry 8 after the supply of water in a predetermined amount of water into the tub 2, and
• Activating a heating element 7 of the washing machine before and/or during the unwrapping of the laundry 8 in order to generate steam 14 by means of the water in the tub 2 .

In a further variant of the method, the water is routed through the existing water supply paths at a very low flow rate so that it can be routed along the inner shell of the tub or along the outer shell in a hole-free area of the drum to the radiator below, without wetting the laundry.

In a further variant of the method, the water is supplied by means of an additional water path at an opening located under the drum.

2 shows a partial view of another washing machine according to the invention in a sketched sectional view. the inside 2 washing machine shown has compared to the in 1 washing machine shown instead of the one in 1 shown heater 7 for generating steam 14, a steam module 15 with a nozzle 15a for introducing steam 14 into the drum 3. the inside 2 The washing machine shown can have a heater (not shown) in the lower area of the tub 2 which serves to heat water in the tub 2 . However, this does not have to be installed in such a way that it is able to generate steam.

When operating the in 2 A method according to the invention can be carried out as shown in the automatic washing machine shown, which has a step for unwrapping the dry laundry 8 located in the drum 3, in which the drum 3 is set in a right-left movement in such a way over a predetermined period of time with the aid of the motor that an oscillating movement of the dry laundry 8 is caused such that the dry laundry 8 is mechanically moved in the drum 3, during the performance of which step steam 14 is supplied into the interior of the drum 3 by the steam 14 from the steam module 15 is generated and is conducted into the interior of the drum 3 via the nozzle 15a.

Reference sign

2

tub

3

drum

7

radiator

8th

Laundry

11

drain pipe

12

drain device

12a

drain pump

13

water

14

steam

15

steam module

15a

jet

17

flooding device

17a

circulation pump

Claims (10)

Method for operating a washing machine with a tub (2) for holding water (13), a drum (3) rotatably mounted in the tub (2) for holding laundry (8), a motor for driving the drum (3) and a control or regulating device, the method having a step for uncrease-ing in the drum (3) located dry laundry (8), in which the drum (3) with the help of the motor in a right-left movement such over a predetermined period of time to cause a reciprocating motion of the dry laundry (8) such that the dry laundry (8) in the drum (3) is mechanically agitated. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that steam (14) is supplied to the interior of the drum (3). Method according to claim 2, characterized in that supplying steam (14) inside the drum (3) comprises generating and introducing the steam (14) from a steam module (15) into the inside of the drum (3). Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the following steps are carried out - supplying water (13) in a predetermined amount of water into the tub (2) before the step of unwrapping the dry laundry (8), - then sensing whether a door of the washing machine is opened and then closed, and/or whether the drum (3) is loaded with the laundry (8) after the water (13) has been supplied in a predetermined quantity into the tub (2). will, - Activating a heating element (7) of the washing machine before and/or during the uncrease of the laundry (8) in order to generate steam (14) by means of the water (13) located in the tub (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a load quantity of the laundry (8) located in the drum (3) is determined before the step of uncrease-ing the dry laundry. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drum (3) is designed without ribs. Automatic washing machine with a tub (2) for holding water, a drum (3) rotatably mounted in the tub (2) for holding laundry (8), a motor for driving the drum (3) and a control or regulating device which is designed to carry out a method according to any one of the preceding claims. Automatic washing machine according to Claim 7, characterized in that the drum (3) is constructed without ribs. Automatic washing machine according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized by a steam module (15) which is designed to generate steam (14) and to direct it into the interior of the drum (3). Computer program which is set up to carry out a method according to one of Claims 1 to 6 when it is carried out on the control or regulating device of a washing machine according to one of Claims 7 to 9.

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