FR2471433A3 - WATER INTAKE CONTROL DEVICE FOR WASHING MACHINES CONNECTED TO THE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK - Google Patents

Abstract

THE CABLE FOR THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT CONTROL OF AN ELECTROMAGNETIC VALVE PROVIDED AT THE END OF THE PIPE CONNECTED TO THE WATER DISTRIBUTION NETWORK, INCLUDES ONE OR MORE DETECTOR CONDUCTORS WHICH ARE SHORT-CIRCUITED BY WATER FROM A LEAK AND CAUSE THE CLOSING OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC VALVE BY THE INTERMEDIATE OF AN EVALUATION CIRCUIT DELIVERING A PULSE TO THIS LATEST.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for controlling

the intake of water for machines, such as dishwashers and washing machines, which are connected to the water distribution network by means of a hose comprising an electromagnetic valve

  arranged at least at its end intended to be connected

ded to the water pipe of the fixed installation and whose

wall contains a cable for the electric current controlled

the solenoid valve.

  In a device of this type known from patent application DE-OS 2 657 900 an electromagnetic distribution valve is mounted in the water pipe of the fixed installation and this valve which, at rest is closed

  can be opened by applying a control current to it.

  This valve has a tubing for the connection of a pipe leading to a household appliance and a socket for the connection of a cable leading the control current. The pipe and the insulated electrical cable as well as the necessary coupling elements are joined by housing the target inside the wall of the pipe while respecting safety standards with regard to insulation. The opening and closing of the valve is exclusively controlled by a timer. In the event of an accidental puncture of the pipe after opening the

valve this known device cannot prevent spillage -

  significant amount of water. Water damage can be very significant due to the amount of water required to fill the tub of a washing machine and when it is taken into account that the valve cannot be adjusted precisely due to the different water pressures depending on the location and therefore the duration of the water admissions can also not be accurately preselected only by means of a timer. Since the water supply to the washing tank is interrupted during a puncture in the hose, the level switches inside the tank

machine no longer work.

  The patent application DE-OS 2 614 053 also describes

  a control or monitoring device for supplying water to dishwashing or laundry washing machines which are connected to the water distribution network by inserting at least one electromagnetic valve which can be controlled by a level regulator and a program switching mechanism whose triggering can

be carried out by means of pressure warning devices,

trodes or the like. A timer associated with the level regulator then cuts off the water supply to the machine via the electromagnetic valve or an additional stop valve and / or issues a warning signal as soon as the level regulator does not work anymore. This known device cannot also

not prevent the amount of water determined by the minu-

  terie flows into the room in which the

  machine before the water supply is interrupted.

  The object of the present invention is to create a dis-

  positive control and monitoring of the type mentioned

which, during a puncture or a leak in the fuel hose

  mentation of water from a machine supplied from a network, acts quickly and immediately interrupts the water supply. The above problems are resolved in accordance with

  to the invention by a control device which is characteristic

terized in that the cable for the electric control current comprises one or more detector conductors, in that the leakage water resulting from a lack of tightness of the pipe, closes an electrical circuit between at least two detector conductors or between water present in the pipe and a detector conductor and in that the current

  short-circuit thus created provides a closing impulse

  at the solenoid valve.

The control device according to the invention provo-

  that the automatic and instantaneous closing of the electromagnetic valve connected to the fixed water inlet pipe by closing an electrical control circuit as soon as the detector conductor (s) inside the pipe

report a lack of watertightness of the latter. The availability

The control device also keeps the solenoid valve closed when the machine does not signal the arrival of water or when the machine stops. Various other features of the invention

emerge moreover from the detailed description which follows

  and concerning an embodiment of the subject of the information

  vention given without limitation.

  The pipe for the connection of a machine,

  for example a washing machine or a dishwasher

  saddle, to a water pipe of a distribution installation

  fixed tion, has a valve at one of its ends

electromagnetic which is connected directly or by the in-

  through a suitable fitting and by means of a screw connection to the tap of the water distribution network. The hose connection is carried out in the usual way

  using a tubular fitting and a hose clamp.

  For the control of the electromagnetic valve we use

a low voltage current, for example an alternating voltage

native of 24 volti which is taken from a suitable place

required from the electrical circuit of the household appliance before

  indicator, if necessary, a transformer. Food

in electric current is carried out by means of two conduc-

isolated tutors of suitable cross-section and placed either inside

  inside the pipe is in the wall of the latter. The other end of the hose is connected to the water supply connection of the machine, the solenoid valve usually found in washing machines or

dishes, which can then be removed.

  In the hose made of rubber or another elastic material, an envelope is formed, consisting of a non-insulated metallic mesh (for example made of copper) which is coated with an external insulating coating.

  relatively thin and insulating. This wire mesh or network

  metal is incorporated, similarly to a textile reinforcement, at the same time as the electrical supply conductors of the electromagnetic valve, in the pipe during the manufacture thereof. In a simpler embodiment, a usual water supply pipe can be coated with a pipe formed by a network of metallic wires and after the installation of the insulated electrical conductors serving to supply the

electromagnetic valve, the assembly thus obtained is enclosed

opened by a hose.

  Uninsulated conductors intended to detect a

  possible lack of tightness of the pipe can be consti-

  killed by fine wires incorporated into the wall of the pipe by being wound in the form of turns, by ribbons or

  thin sheets of metal or synthetic material

  tallized, by covering the pipe with

  of an electrically conductive lacquer, by a metallic layer

  metal coated by galvanic or chemical means or by a layer of graphite applied on the pipe. Detector conductors and possibly supply conductors

  of the solenoid valve can be electrically connected

  only to the valve and to the machine using connectors

plug or clamping devices. The water present inside the pipe and being necessarily at ground potential can be used as a return conductor for the detection circuit. When the pipe has a lack of tightness, there is a short circuit between the detector conductor and the water inside the pipe and this short circuit immediately causes the valve to close.

  electromagnetic through a fault circuit

line fault and the disturbance is indicated, for example, by a warning lamp provided on the dashboard of the

slave machine.

  Instead of using water as a return conductor, it is also possible to provide two or more detector conductors. These conductors must be placed near the first conductor

detector but being isolated from it.

  In this case, the electrically conductive liquid creates, during a leak, a short circuit between the detector conductors which are suitably connected to the

evaluation circuit.

Claims (7)

1 - Device for controlling the admission of water for machines such as dishwashers and washing machines, which are connected to the water distribution network by means of a pipe comprising an electromagnetic valve arranged at least at its end intended to be connected to the installation's water pipe fixed tion and the wall of which contains a cable for the electric rant controlling the electromagnetic valve, characterized in that the target for the electric current   control unit includes one or more conductors detected   tors, in that the leakage water resulting from a lack of tightness of the pipe, closes an electrical circuit between at least two detector conductors or between the water present in the pipe and a detector conductor and in that the current short circuit thus created provides a closing pulse to the solenoid valve.   2 - Control device according to claim 1, characterized in that an electric detector circuit   of line faults is associated with the pipe comprising the detector conductors and with the electromagnetic valve and in that the insulated conductors for supplying the electromagnetic valve and one or more non-insulated detector conductors are incorporated in the wall of the pipe.   3 - Control device according to one of the res dications 1 and 2, characterized in that the conduction (s) detectors are attached to the pipe or incorporated   in it in the form of a mesh or metal network- metal wire, metallic layer,   metallic sheets, lacquer or graphite layers. 4 - Control device according to one of the res dications 1 to 3, characterized in that the electro- magnetic is supplied with low voltage.   5 - Control device according to one of the res   dications 1 to 4, characterized in that the line fault detection circuit causes the opening and 2471 433 closing of the electromagnetic valve by means of. control pulses. -   6 - Control device according to one of the resales   dications 1 to 5, characterized in that a voltage is taken from the electric circuit of the slave machine, in that the supply of electric current to the   electromagnetic valve is carried out by means of two conduc-   insulators which are placed inside the pipe or are incorporated in the wall thereof, in that the pipe is coated with a detection network or the like, non-isolated which is covered on the outside with a layer   of insulating material and in that the conductors   ment of the electromagnetic valve as well as the conductors forming the detection network-are electrically connected to the terminals of the electromagnetic valve and to those of the slave machine by means of connectors with plugs or clamping. 7 - Control device according to one of the res   dications 1 to 6, characterized in that the water present inside the pipe and being at ground potential constitutes the return circuit for the conductor - detector.