ES2210046T3 - PROCEDURE FOR CLEARING CLOTHES IN A WASHER. - Google Patents

Abstract

The rinsing program execution method has a quantity of cold water supplied to the water sump, which is provided with a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the rinsing water as it is heated by heat exchange with the washing and the residual washing liquid, for controlling the duration of the rinsing cycle and/or the overall quantity of rinsing water.

Description

Procedure to rinse clothes in a washing machine.

The invention relates to the realization of a rinse program process to rinse clothes in a washing machine, especially in a drum washing machine, in which, after finishing the washing program process, a detergent bath is used heated in a bleach tank, in whose lower area there is a temperature sensor, which is then emptied and introduced into he a partial amount of cold rinse water.

Basically a procedure is already known for carry out the rinse program process as mentioned at principle and the expert can also get it in the essentials of technical advances listed in writing (documents DE 42 19 276 A1 and DE 32 06 563 C2). In addition, in document DE 39 09 021 A1 it describes how the composition of the laundry in the main washing process by evaluating your suction behavior The use of other parameters to determine the load composition of casting, for example the behavior before the turning regime (document DE 44 38 760 A1). Washing machines are also known in which The user marks the composition. Depending on the composition, then calculate or prefix rinse water quantities for several rinsing processes. These amounts are contributed to bleach tank while the laundry moves in the water of rinsed for a set time and then empties. After each rinse process, the combined rinse bath It is ejected by centrifugal force in drum washers by rapid rotation of the drum (centrifugation).

In the known rinse processes, the calculation Dilution serves as a basis for optimizing the rinse result. This calculation is based on the fact that the remains of detergents and dirt in the laundry is reduced by the amounts of water added in the rinsing processes to the same extent as the substances that are They find out of the laundry. Therefore, according to the calculation of dilution, the result of the rinse is all the more optimal the more Rinse processes are used.

But it is known that in the capillaries of the fibers and on the surface of the clothes are additionally deposited detergent components For this reason, the calculated values according to the dilution model they are considerably lower than They really measure themselves. Essentially, the dilution model It has the following fundamental deficiencies:

one.

Concentrations of detergent and dirt in laundry are not the same as in The detergent bath. In addition to the substances retained by the laundry by residual moisture after centrifugation, in the capillaries there are also remains of detergent and dirt agglomerated in the surface, which significantly worsen the result of cleared up.

two.

In the calculation of dilution the temporary effects of exchange are neglected (transport effects). The best rinse result is achieved in a rinsing process when a balance is reached between the alkalinity of the detergent and wash bath. The balance is set only after a certain time. But the compensation temporary depends, in addition to the mechanics of washing, also the quantities of water used and the existing remains of detergent and dirt. Thus, for example, two rinsing processes with equal duration and amounts of rinse water of approx. 42 liters provide a rinsing result better than three rinsing processes

To avoid the above mentioned inconveniences the use of resistivity sensors and sensors is known turbidimetric to control the rinsing process. But this Sensors hardly influence your result. Both the sensor resistivity as the turbidimetric sensor have in common that their effect depends especially on the different compositions of the detergent, and therefore a process controlled by these sensors It depends on the type of detergent. Thus, for example, in detergents liquids there are hardly any insoluble components and few alkalis, so that a turbidimetric sensor or resistivity sensor does not capture the surfactants in the laundry in their real proportion. TO then too little is recognized through the sensor system detergent, which does not sufficiently guarantee the washing of surfactants through an intervention in the process of rinse.

Therefore, the invention poses the problem to describe a process to rinse clothes in a washing machine type mentioned at the beginning that avoids the inconveniences mentioned and in which the processes of compensation between the rinse bath and the wash, in a simple way No additional sensor devices.

According to the invention, this problem is solved. with a procedure that has the characteristics of the claim 1. Advantageous configurations and developments of the invention result from the following claims subordinates

The intended rinsing process is based on the assumption that the alkalinity increase in the rinse bath that occurs over time correlates very well with the variation of temperature over time. The processes Temperature compensation depends essentially on the parameters

?

temperature of the detergent bath in the previous rinsing process or washed

?

humidity wash residual

?

amount of rinse water

?

temperature of rinse water

?

temperature environment

and can be simulated by measuring the temperature in the detergent bath, including eventually ambient temperatures and simulation of residual moisture by the regime evolution in the preceding spin process. Do not are in direct physical relationship with the rinse value that is wait, but you can use a similarity relationship (in both cases are about transport processes) to determine the time of rinse and / or the amount of rinse water needed to finalize the compensation processes between the rinse bath and the wash.

The advantage achieved with the invention consists in in which to control the rinsing process you don't need any additional sensor device, except the temperature sensor that It already exists in most washing machines. In addition, it can be done an assessment of the effect of the rinse regardless of detergent used

In an advantageous development of the process according to the invention, the rinse program section is divided at least in two steps of rinsing and measuring and evaluating the temperature evolution occurs in the first step of cleared (claim 2). At that time, due to warming of the laundry, in the washing program section a relatively large temperature difference between laundry and rinse bath, which puts less demands on the temperature sensor resolution. This is the case especially when measuring and evaluating the evolution of the temperature occur at the beginning of the first rinse step (claim 3) and the increase in the bath temperature of Rinsed is still very large. By knowing the evolution of the temperature in this part you can calculate the evolution subsequent temperature and, on this basis, you can advantageously establishing the duration (claim 4) and the amount (claim 5) of all the rinse steps, as well as the amount of rinse water used in it and the rate of spin required for intermediate spin (compare claims 6 and 7).

The example is described in detail below. of running a washing machine to perform the rinsing process according to the invention. A drawing shows the evolution of the rinse bath temperature in the first rinse step using a temperature and time diagram.

The washing machine has a bleach tank of the type known, on which a rotating drum is mounted to receive the wash. In the lower area of the bleach tank has been arranged a heating system to heat the laundry. Drive of the drum is carried out by means of a motor. The deposit of bleach is suspended in the housing by springs so that it moves  with the vibrations, and to attenuate these vibrations it is supported in the lower zone in shock absorbers on the floor of the Case.

With rotary selectors and / or push buttons in a keyboard, the user can select different washing programs that differ in terms of the type of washing and the temperature of the laundry You can think of other precision settings using Additional functions. To control the different programs of washing is provided a microprocessor control that is attached through signaling lines to different generators of measure and control elements. Transmit orders based on time and state through command lines to different acting units

Between the measurement generators of the washing machine there is a weight sensor with which the load of the drum. As a sensor, a sensor of position arranged parallel to the shock absorber, with which captures the height of the bleach tank according to the weight. Too other weight sensors can be used, for example bands extensometric From the static component of the signal of the position sensor, the microprocessor control calculates the load and Registers it in a memory.

A tachometric generator coupled to the motor takes an engine speed signal for regulation, to from which the microprocessor control determines the regular deviation of the regimen in the first reversal cycles and also records it.

To measure the water level, the drain zone of the bleach tank is attached to a lifting pipe inside which has an analog pressure sensor as a sensor of level. The contribution of fresh water to the bleach tank is made through a conduit in which a valve is located electromagnetic switched by the microprocessor control. Preferably electromagnetic valves are used with a low flow tolerance range in a pressure band as much big possible. Through the analog pressure sensor, the control of the microprocessor determines the evolution of the pressure in the bleach tank by assessing the pressure difference and suction times in the suction phases during entry of water in which the solenoid valve is not open. It also determines the amount of incoming water by adding all the opening times of the electromagnetic valve in the corresponding section of the program.

Since the suction behavior, the regime behavior, the evolution of pressure and amounts of incoming water are also quantities that depend on the load and the type of laundry, can be used to determine more precisely the type and weight of the drum load.

A temperature sensor in the lower area of the Lye tank allows during the program section of washing occurs the temperature regulation of the bath detergent, and in the rinse program section a measurement and evaluation according to the invention of bath temperature for rinsing, which is described in more detail below:

The "Washing" section of the program is carried out and microprocessor control influences it in the known way depending on the setting values and the measured parameters. TO then the emptying of the bleach from the tank occurs, supported by a drum rotation at higher speed (centrifuged intermediate).

Then the program section is done "Rinse", which consists of several rinse steps. In the first rinsing step is added to the bleach tank a partial amount of cold fresh water (rinse water) depending of the type and / or amount of laundry, which with drum rotation rinses the detergent residue from the wash. Water Rinse and wash have different temperatures. Yes later from the main wash the cold rinse water comes into contact with the hot wash, the rinse bath is getting hotter gradually due to a heat exchange between the bathroom Rinse and wash. The rinse bath and laundry tend to Balance your temperature. But this one also depends on the room temperature, since at a lower room temperature you have to Expect additional heat losses to the outside.

The figure shows the evolution of the temperature of the rinse bath in the form of a temperature and time diagram. First, due to the contribution of cold rinse water, the temperature drops to an initial temperature T_ {0}. Act followed, due to the hot wash that still contains a bath detergent, a temperature rise occurs until the equilibrium temperature T_ {G}. From the initial evolution of the curve (T_ {1}, T_ {2}, \ Deltat = (T_ {1}) - t (T2)) the equilibrium temperature can be calculated T_ {G} and a reciprocal time constant b expressing the temperature increase.

A similar evolution over time is produces in the alkaline exchange between the rinse bath and the wash. The exchange takes place until a equilibrium concentration between the alkalis of the detergent bath and of the laundry. Due to the physical similarity, the process of temperature exchange between the rinse bath and the wash shows the same evolution over time as the exchange of the alkalis. This can be confirmed with measurements of the resistivity in the rinse bath and therefore can be physically verify

Therefore, by measuring the temperature evolution over time, taking into counts the ambient temperatures, you can deduct the exchange at throughout the time of the alkalis in the detergent bath. So in case of too little water in the bathroom cleared, the equilibrium temperature reached in the laundry can be relatively high. In the same proportion it will be also the concentration of alkali in the laundry. Of it there are several possibilities to dynamically control the process of rinse through the evolution of the temperature:

1. Rinse time control

The rinse time is also a factor decisive for the rinse value. In the laundry there are more alkalis if alkali equilibrium concentration is not achieved. The laundry temperature is also proportionally higher than the temperature of the detergent bath. Only through measurement  the evolution of the temperature of the detergent bath can be estimate the equilibrium temperature and relate this temperature With the measured temperature. Then the alkalis in the laundry have an analogous relationship with equilibrium concentration. The process of rinse can be interrupted if this relationship is acceptable for The expected rinse result. From the evolution of the first clearing step you can deduce the compensation processes in The following rinse steps. Thus it is possible to calculate the necessary quantity and duration of other rinse steps to from the evolution of the temperature in the first step of cleared up.

2. Control of the amount of rinse bath and the regime evolution

If the evolution of the temperature in the bathroom of rinsing makes the equilibrium temperature too high, We must start from the fact that the washing machine has brought too little water. This will also result in a poor rinse value. In this case the washing machine can influence the development of the Program:

2.1 In the current rinse step, the washing machine feed enough water so that a temperature can be expected of balance that meets the requirements. Then, through the evolution of the rinse bath temperature along the time, the duration of the rinse is controlled as described in 1. But the addition of water in the first rinse step has the inconvenient that, because the time of performance, the effect of clarifying the amount of water added later.

2.2 There is no addition of water in the First rinse step. The washer centrifuges after the passage of current rinsing with a higher regime profile to expel better the combined detergent wash bath and thereby reduce the alkalis in the laundry.

2.3 The washing machine provides in the next step of rinse, or in the following rinse steps, more water than the established by the normal program process to ensure a greater rinse of the alkalis in the laundry.

In the following rinse steps it is possible and a combination of higher profile profile and higher rinse water supply.

Claims (7)

1. Procedure to perform a section of the rinse program to rinse the laundry in a washing machine, in special in a drum washing machine, in which after finishing the washing program section, where a detergent bath is used heated in a bleach tank and then it is emptied, it fill the bleach tank with a partial amount of water from cold rinse, where in the lower area of the bleach tank a temperature sensor is found, characterized because at least in a program or time section the temperature sensor is measured continuously the temperature of the rinse bath, that is, the heated laundry mixture or the detergent bath contained in it and cold rinse water contributed, and the duration of the rinse program section and / or The total amount of rinse water is determined based on the evolution of the measured temperature. 2. Procedure to perform a section of the rinse program according to claim 1, characterized because the rinse program section is divided at least in two steps of rinsing and because the measurement and evaluation of the evolution of the temperature are performed in the First rinse step. 3. Procedure to perform a section of the rinse program according to claim 2, characterized because the measurement and evaluation of the evolution of the Temperature are performed at the beginning of the first rinse step. 4. Procedure to perform a section of the rinse program according to claim 3, characterized because from the evolution of the measured temperature at the beginning of the first rinsing step the duration of All rinse steps. 5. Procedure to perform a section of the rinse program at least according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized because The number of rinse steps is determined at from the evolution of the temperature measured in the first step of cleared up. 6. Procedure to perform a section of the rinse program at least according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized because in the first rinsing step a established partial amount of cold rinse water and why the / s partial quantity / s / is used in the other step / s of clarified is determined / n based on the evolution of the rinse water temperature in the first rinse step. 7. Procedure to perform a section of the rinse program at least according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized because from the evolution of the measured temperature in the first rinse step the amount and / or the increased spin speed at least in one step subsequent centrifugation at a rinse step.