JP2006334205A - Clothes processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a clothes processing device capable of accurately detecting a liquid level while securing electric insulation between an AC power source and liquid. <P>SOLUTION: The clothes processing device is connected to the AC power source 56 and is provided with a container 40 and a liquid level detection means 46 for detecting the liquid level of a liquid detergent 41 stored in the container 40. The liquid level detection means 46 is provided with a first thermistor 44 provided on a prescribed height inside the container 40, an insulation layer 63 provided between the first thermistor 44 and the liquid detergent 41 and formed from insulation tubes 60, 61, and an electronic circuit 45 for detecting whether or not the liquid level of the liquid detergent 41 reaches the first thermistor 44 corresponding to the electric characteristics change of the first thermistor 44. Electric insulation between the AC power source 56 and the liquid detergent 41 becomes double, and a highly sensitive liquid level detection is performed while securing sufficient safety even when individual insulation tubes 60 and 61 are thin. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a clothing processing apparatus used for laundry or the like for business use or general home use, and in particular, a water level detection apparatus for detecting the level of liquid such as liquid detergent or condensed water generated when clothes are dried. It is about.

  As a conventional water level detection device that can be used in clothes processing devices such as electric washing machines and dryers, a tank is provided with a water level sensor configured using a self-heating type thermistor, an operating point resistance, an operating point switching resistor, and an operating point switching transistor. There is one that detects the water level in the inside (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of the water level detection device described in Patent Document 1.

  As shown in FIG. 10, a series circuit of a water level sensor 1 constituted by a self-heating type thermistor and a water level detection resistor 01 is connected to a constant voltage power supply 2, and a comparator 4 that compares the voltage of the operating point resistor 3. Is provided to detect the water level in the water storage tank 7 and send it to the control means (microcomputer) 10.

The operating point switching resistors 11, 12, 13 and 14 are turned on / off by a signal from the control means 10, and the voltage dividing ratio with the operating point resistor 3 is changed by the operating point switching transistors 21, 22, 23 and 24. The control means 10 is configured to change the operating point voltage input to the unit 4 so that the operating point voltage becomes an optimum operating point voltage according to the water temperature and temperature detected by the water temperature thermistor 27 and the temperature thermistor 28. In addition, by turning on and off the operating point switching transistors 21, 22, 23, and 24, a water level detecting device having a wide usable temperature range is realized.
JP 2001-159556 A

  However, the above Patent Document 1 does not show in detail the configuration of electrical insulation between the water level sensor 1 constituted by a self-heating type thermistor and the water in the water storage tank 7.

  In general, for thermistors used for this purpose, in order to maximize the difference in heat transfer from the thermistor element when it is immersed in water and when it is in the air, a waterproof insulator is used. It is very thin.

  However, when a clothing processing apparatus is configured, it is connected to a commonly used 100 V or 200 V AC power source (commercial power source), and such AC power source is not insulated from the ground. Therefore, when the water level sensor 1 is connected to a power source obtained by converting an AC power source, there are the following problems.

  In other words, since clothing processing devices such as electric washing machines and clothes dryers handle water during washing, dehydration, and drying, electrical insulation between the AC power source that is not insulated from the ground and water is safe. Therefore, a sufficiently reliable configuration is required, and there is a problem that it is difficult to use as it is.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a clothing processing apparatus having a highly accurate liquid level detection function while ensuring sufficient electrical insulation between an input AC power source and a liquid. The purpose is that.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a clothing processing apparatus of the present invention is connected to an AC power source, includes a container, and a liquid level detection unit that detects a liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, The position detecting means includes a first thermistor provided at a predetermined height in the container, an insulating layer provided between the first thermistor and the liquid and made of at least a double insulating tube, An electric circuit for detecting whether or not the liquid level of the liquid reaches the first thermistor according to a change in electrical characteristics of one thermistor, and electrically insulating between an AC power source and the liquid; Even if the thickness of each insulation tube is thin, highly sensitive liquid level detection can be performed while ensuring sufficient safety.

  The clothing processing apparatus of the present invention is connected to an AC power source, and has a container and a liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, and the liquid level detecting means is provided in the container. A first thermistor provided at a predetermined height, an insulating layer of 0.8 mm or more provided between the first thermistor and the liquid, and a change in electrical characteristics of the first thermistor. And having an electronic circuit for detecting whether or not the liquid level reaches the first thermistor, and the electrical insulation between the AC power source and the liquid is reinforced, and the necessary and sufficient safety. As a result, the maximum liquid level detection performance can be obtained.

  The clothing processing apparatus of the present invention is connected to an AC power source, and has a container and a liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, and the liquid level detecting means is provided in the container. A first thermistor provided at a predetermined height, an insulating transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, and a liquid level of the liquid in accordance with a change in electrical characteristics viewed from the primary winding. And an electronic circuit for detecting whether or not the first thermistor has been reached, the secondary winding is connected to the first thermistor, and the primary winding has a higher frequency than the AC power supply Electric power is supplied from a high-frequency power source, and the electrical insulation between the AC power source and the liquid is reinforced by an insulation transformer, and the insulation between the primary winding and the secondary winding of the insulation transformer is provided. Because it can be designed to be sufficient, while ensuring safety The liquid level detection performance can be made very excellent.

  The clothing processing apparatus of the present invention has a container, a direct current power source having an output electrically insulated from the alternating current power source, and a liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, The liquid level detection means includes: a first thermistor provided at a predetermined height in the container; and a photocoupler whose input changes in accordance with a change in electrical characteristics of the first thermistor. And an electronic circuit for detecting whether the liquid level of the liquid reaches the first thermistor or not, and an electric insulation between the AC power supply and the liquid by a DC power supply and a photocoupler. Therefore, safety is ensured and the liquid level detection performance can be very excellent.

  The clothing processing apparatus of the present invention can realize a clothing processing apparatus capable of detecting the liquid level while ensuring electrical insulation between the AC power source and the liquid and ensuring sufficient safety. It becomes.

  The first aspect of the present invention is connected to an AC power source, and has a container and a liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, and the liquid level detecting means has a predetermined height in the container. In accordance with a change in electrical characteristics of the first thermistor, a first thermistor, an insulating layer that is provided between the first thermistor and the liquid and is made of at least a double insulating tube, It has an electronic circuit for detecting whether or not the liquid level of the liquid reaches the first thermistor, and the electric insulation between the AC power source and the liquid is doubled. Even if the thickness is small, highly sensitive liquid level detection can be performed while ensuring sufficient safety.

  The second invention is connected to an AC power source, and has a container and a liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, and the liquid level detecting means has a predetermined height in the container. A first thermistor provided on the side, an insulating layer of 0.8 mm or more provided between the first thermistor and the liquid, and the liquid according to a change in electrical characteristics of the first thermistor. Having an electronic circuit for detecting whether or not the liquid level of the liquid reaches the first thermistor, the electrical insulation between the AC power supply and the liquid is strengthened, while ensuring the necessary and sufficient safety The maximum liquid level detection performance can be obtained.

  A third invention is connected to an AC power source, and has a container and a liquid level detecting means for detecting a liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, and the liquid level detecting means has a predetermined height in the container. The liquid level of the liquid is changed according to the first thermistor, the insulating transformer having the primary winding and the secondary winding, and the change in the electrical characteristics viewed from the primary winding. An electronic circuit for detecting whether or not the first thermistor is reached, the secondary winding is connected to the first thermistor, and power is supplied to the primary winding from a high frequency power source having a higher frequency than the AC power source. The electrical insulation between the AC power supply and the liquid is reinforced by the insulation transformer, and the insulation between the primary winding and the secondary winding of the insulation transformer is sufficient. Since it can be designed, the liquid level detection performance is ensured while ensuring safety. Always it can be made excellent.

  4th invention has a liquid level detection means which detects the liquid level of the liquid stored in the said container, the DC power supply which has an output electrically insulated from the AC power supply, and the said container, The said liquid level detection The means includes a first thermistor provided at a predetermined height in the container, and a photocoupler whose input changes in accordance with a change in electrical characteristics of the first thermistor, and receives the output of the photocoupler. And an electronic circuit for detecting whether or not the liquid level reaches the first thermistor, and the electrical insulation between the AC power supply and the liquid is reinforced by the DC power supply and the photocoupler. Therefore, safety is ensured and the liquid level detection performance can be very excellent.

  In particular, the fifth invention has a second thermistor for detecting the temperature around the first thermistor of any one of the first to fourth inventions, and the liquid level detecting means is the second thermistor. By receiving a signal that changes in accordance with a change in electrical characteristics, a correct liquid level can be detected in a wide temperature range.

  In the sixth invention, in particular, the second thermistor of the fifth invention has a characteristic that the resistance value at the same temperature is higher than that of the first thermistor, and the first thermistor has sufficient self-heating. As a result, it is possible to obtain a large terminal voltage while suppressing unnecessary self-heating of the second thermistor while increasing the sensitivity of the liquid level detection of the liquid, so that the ambient temperature at which the first thermistor is placed can be obtained. By measuring with high accuracy, more reliable liquid level detection performance can be realized over a wide ambient temperature range.

  The seventh aspect of the invention is particularly provided with a liquid detergent of any one of the first to sixth aspects of the invention, and provided with a washing tub and a detergent charging means for charging the liquid detergent in a container into the washing tub. Liquid detergent is automatically put into the washing tub, it is possible to perform extremely easy-to-use washing work, detect whether the remaining amount of liquid detergent is the predetermined amount, and safe when refilling liquid detergent It is possible to provide a clothing processing machine having sufficiently high properties.

  According to an eighth aspect of the invention, in particular, the clothing processing apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects includes a washing tub and dehumidifying means for dehumidifying the air while the damp air from the washing tub is guided during a drying operation. The container stores condensed water generated by the dehumidifying means, and the liquid level detecting means detects whether or not the water level of the condensed water is a predetermined amount. When the water level rises, it can be detected, and excessive water level rise can be reliably prevented.

  In the ninth aspect of the invention, in particular, the dehumidifying means of the eighth aspect of the invention comprises a heat pump having a compressor and a heat exchanger. When the water level rises, it can be detected, and an excessive rise in the water level can be reliably prevented.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
Below, the clothing processing apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated using FIGS. 1-3. In addition, the clothing processing apparatus in this Embodiment is comprised as what is generally called a washing machine which throws in clothing and wash | cleans clothing with water and a detergent.

  FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a clothing processing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, a clothing processing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a housing 30, a washing tub 32 that is disposed in the housing 30 and stores clothing 31, and a rotating drum 33 that is rotatably provided inside the washing tub 32. And a washing motor 35 that is connected to the shaft 34 of the rotating drum 33 and rotates the rotating drum 33. The washing motor 35 is attached to a mechanical case 36 made of aluminum die cast that is attached to the rear surface of the washing tub 32. It has been.

  In the present embodiment, a container 40 containing a liquid detergent 41, which is a liquid used for washing, which is one of clothing processing, is provided above the washing tub 32, and the container 40 is replenished with the liquid detergent 41. A screw lid 42 that can be opened and closed when detaching is provided.

  43 is a detergent loading means for loading the liquid detergent 41 from the container 40 into the washing tub 32, and is constituted by a valve (not shown) that opens and closes when electrically controlled.

  Furthermore, whether the liquid surface of the liquid detergent 41 reaches the first thermistor 44 due to the first thermistor 44 provided at a height of 15 mm from the bottom in the container 40 and the change in the electrical characteristics of the first thermistor 44. A liquid level detection means 46 comprising an electronic circuit 45 for detecting whether or not the liquid level detection means 46 is located below the height of the first thermistor 44. It is determined that the remaining amount of the liquid detergent 41 has been reduced, and a signal is sent to the display means 48 so that the display means 48 performs display.

  An openable / closable lid 49 is provided on the front surface of the washing tub 32 and is closed during washing.

  A water supply pipe 50 that draws in tap water from above the washing tub 32 and a water supply valve 51 that opens and closes by being electrically controlled are provided, and the washing tub 32 communicates with the inside of the washing tub 32. A water distribution pipe 52 and a drain valve 53 that opens and closes by being electrically controlled are provided. The washing motor 35, the detergent charging means 43, the water supply valve 51, and the drain valve 53 are all control circuits 55. The washing operation is performed by applying power and signals in order.

  The control circuit 55 operates by receiving power from an AC power source 56 having a voltage of 100 V and a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the container 40, and shows a state where the liquid detergent 41 is accumulated up to a height of 15 mm from the inner bottom of the container 40. In FIG. 2, the first thermistor 44 is passed through double insulating tubes 60, 61 made of Teflon (registered trademark) and thermally contracted, and then the insulating resin 62 is filled from the upper and lower openings of the insulating tubes 60, 61. Then, by performing heat treatment, the inner and outer insulating tubes 60 and 61 contract, and the insulating resin 62 is cured, so that a double layer is formed between the first thermistor 44 and the outer liquid detergent 41. The insulating layer 63 is provided.

  As the electrical wiring from the first thermistor 44, lead wires 67 and 68 having an insulating coating made of Teflon (registered trademark) are drawn out by the crimp-type connection fittings 64 and 65 and connected to the electronic circuit 45. The

  In the electronic circuit 45, the AC voltage from the AC power source 56 is converted into DC by a rectifier 70 using four diodes (not shown), and the DC voltage is smoothed by an electrolytic capacitor 71. The switching type power supply circuit 72 supplies a high-efficiency converted voltage of 12V, and the output of the power supply circuit 72 is also supplied to the control circuit 55 (not shown). Common terminal (ground) for all circuits.

  FIG. 3 shows an internal circuit diagram of the electronic circuit 45. A two-terminal connector 75 for connecting the first thermistor 44 is provided, and one is connected to the ground, and the other is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply circuit 72 that outputs a DC voltage of 12 V via a resistor of 250 ohms. The series circuit of the resistor 76 and the first thermistor 44 is connected to the power supply circuit 72, and the first thermistor 44 is self-heated by the current supply from the resistor 76 so that the temperature of the internal element rises. It has become.

  In the state where the first thermistor 44 is immersed in the liquid detergent 41, the heat generated from the elements of the first thermistor 44 escapes well to the liquid detergent 41 through the insulating layer 63, so the first thermistor 44 The stable temperature of the first thermistor 44 is not so high, the resistance value of the first thermistor 44 is high, and the voltage V1 obtained by dividing the voltage with the resistor 76 is high.

  On the other hand, when the liquid detergent 41 is put into the washing tub 32 and decreases, and the liquid surface of the liquid detergent 41 is lowered and the first thermistor 44 is exposed to the air, the liquid detergent 41 is immersed in the liquid detergent 41. The thermal diffusion is smaller than that of the first thermistor 44, and the element temperature of the first thermistor 44 is high, that is, the resistance value is low, so that V1 is low.

  In the present embodiment, the voltage V1 of the first thermistor 44 is input to the analog voltage detection circuit 77, and the first thermistor 44 is liquid depending on whether the voltage V1 is higher or lower than a predetermined threshold. It is detected whether it is in the detergent 41 or in the air, and it is ensured that the level of the liquid level is higher or lower than 15 mm from the bottom of the container 40 where the first thermistor 44 is provided. Can be detected.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, the clothing processing apparatus in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated using FIGS. FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a clothing processing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  In FIG. 4, the housing 30, the clothing 31, the washing tub 32, the rotating drum 33, the shaft 34, the washing motor 35, the water supply pipe 50, the water supply valve 51, the drain pipe 52, the drain valve 53, and the AC power supply 56 are described above. Since the configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the garment processing apparatus according to the present embodiment has a dehumidifying means 80 for dehumidifying the air dampened by the moisture from the garment 41 when the garment 41 in the laundry 32 is dried. The dehumidifying means 80 includes a compressor 81, heat exchangers 82 and 83, and a heat pump 86 having an expansion valve 84 using a capillary tube.

  The heat exchanger 82 is also called an evaporator or the like because it evaporates the refrigerant and sucks heat from the air into the refrigerant. On the other hand, the heat exchanger 83 acts to give heat from the refrigerant to the air. However, the refrigerant used is not limited to various types of chlorofluorocarbons, and may be one using carbon dioxide (CO2) as a supercritical state, in which case It may be a gas cooler.

  In the heat exchanger 82 of the dehumidifying means 80, the dehumidified water 87 is generated as moisture dehumidified from the clothing 41, that is, as a liquid related to clothing processing. Therefore, a container 88 for storing the condensed water 87 is provided below the dehumidifying means 80. It is arranged.

  93 is a liquid level detection means for detecting the water level of the condensed water 87 in the container 88, and a first thermistor 90 disposed in the container 88 and a second temperature for detecting the temperature around the first thermistor 90. The thermistor 91 is composed of an electronic circuit 92 in which the first and second thermistors 90 and 91 are electrically connected.

  The liquid level detection means 93 detects whether or not the dew condensation water level is 15 mm or more from the bottom of the container 88 based on the change in the electrical characteristics of the second thermistor 91 in addition to the first thermistor 90. A signal is emitted in response to the change.

  In order to circulate and move the air into the air passage 96 in the middle of the air passage 96 that connects the heat exchangers 82 and 83 and the washing tub 32, an air blowing means 97 using an electric fan is provided.

  In addition, in order to drain the condensed water 87 stored in the container 88 to the outside of the clothing processing apparatus, a drain pump 100 and a filter 101 for preventing foreign matter from being caught in the drain pump 100 are provided.

  The drainage pump 100 includes gears 103 and 104 that mesh with each other, and a motor 102 that rotationally drives one or both of the gears 103 and 104. After being pumped up, it is joined to the drain pipe 52 and drained out of the clothing processing apparatus.

  In the present embodiment, the water supply valve 51, the washing motor 35, the compressor 81, the drain valve 53, the blower 97, and the drain pump 100 are all operated by power supply and signal supply from the control circuit 107. The output signal of the liquid level detection means 93 is also taken into the control circuit 107, and when the water level of the condensed water 87 is high, the drainage pump 100 is operated to drain the condensed water 87 in the container 88, Even if the drainage pump 100 is driven for a predetermined time, if the liquid level detection means 93 detects that the water level of the condensed water 87 is up to the first thermistor 90, the control circuit 107 controls the drainage pump 100. When it is determined that an abnormality such as a failure or a foreign matter clogging in the filter 101 has occurred, the operation of the compressor 81 is stopped and an abnormality occurs in the display means 108. Tell them is, the display unit 108 so that displays that stopped in the abnormal state.

  FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the first thermistor 90 and the second thermistor 91 in the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 5, the first thermistor 90 is passed through a tube-shaped insulating layer 110 made of Teflon (registered trademark) and having a thickness of 0.9 mm and thermally contracted, and then the insulating resin 112 is transferred to the insulating layer 110. The tube-shaped insulating layer 110 is contracted and the insulating resin 112 is hardened by performing heat treatment thereafter, and the insulating thickness between the first thermistor 90 and the outer dehumidified water 87 is reduced. The thickness is 0.8 mm or more.

  In addition, as electrical wiring from the first thermistor 90, lead wires 117 and 118 having a Teflon (registered trademark) insulation coating are drawn out by crimp-type connection fittings 115 and 116, respectively.

  The second thermistor 91 has the same structure, and the second thermistor 91 is made of Teflon (registered trademark) and is passed through a tube-like insulating layer 120 having a thickness of 0.9 mm that is thermally contracted. In addition, the insulating resin 122 is filled from the upper and lower openings of the insulating layer 120, and then heat treatment is performed, so that the tubular insulating layer 120 contracts and the insulating resin 122 is cured, and the second thermistor 91, Similarly, an insulation thickness of 0.8 mm or more is ensured between the outer dehumidified water 87.

  In addition, as the electrical wiring from the second thermistor 91, lead wires 127 and 128 having an insulating coating made of Teflon (registered trademark) are drawn out by crimp-type connection fittings 125 and 126, respectively.

  The four lead wires 117, 118, 127, and 128 are further passed through the bundling tube 130, and their tips are connected to the connector 131.

  In the present embodiment, the second thermistor 91 has a resistance value of 15 kiloohms at 0 degrees Celsius, which is compared with the resistance value of 6 kiloohms of the first thermistor 90 at the same temperature. The one with high characteristics is used.

  In the present embodiment, the ambient temperature of the first thermistor 90 is detected by the second thermistor 91 along with the first thermistor 90, and the second thermistor 91 detects the air between the heat exchangers 82 and 83. It is provided at a position for detecting temperature.

  And when the water level of the dew condensation water 87 rises, the 2nd thermistor 91 is provided in the height which can contact the dew condensation water 87 with the 1st thermistor 90, and can detect the temperature.

  FIG. 6 shows a detailed circuit diagram of the electronic circuit 92.

  The electronic circuit 92 detects whether or not the liquid level of the dew condensation water 87 reaches the first thermistor 90 in response to changes in the electrical characteristics of both the first thermistor 90 and the second thermistor 91.

  The first thermistor 90 is connected by a connector 141 to a 250 ohm resistor 142 and an NPN transistor 143.

  The upper terminal of the resistor 142 is connected to a 12V DC power supply 144. When the output Q is high, the microcomputer 145 causes a current to flow from the resistor 142 to the first thermistor 90 when the transistor 143 is turned on. The first thermistor 90 is supplied and causes sufficient self-heating.

  In the present embodiment, when the output Q of the microcomputer 145 becomes low and the transistor 143 is turned off, an overvoltage is generated due to an inductance or the like existing in the wiring of the first thermistor 90, and the collector / emitter of the transistor 143 A diode 146 is also provided to prevent application between them.

  The terminal voltage V1 of the first thermistor 90 is applied to the voltage dividing circuit 150 constituted by the resistors 148 and 149, and the resistor 151 and the capacitor 152 are connected to the voltage of the first thermistor 90 with respect to the divided output voltage. It acts as a filter circuit to remove noise components from the noise, and obtains an analog voltage V1a without noise.

  The microcomputer 145 operates by being supplied with power from a DC power supply 154 of 5V, and is clamped by a diode 155 so that V1a does not exceed 5V which is a power supply voltage.

  Note that the microcomputer 145 includes analog voltage detection circuits 160 and 161 that receive an analog voltage called an AD converter and output a digital value corresponding to the analog voltage, and a processing circuit 162 that has a built-in program and performs operations.

  The second thermistor 91 is connected to a 5V DC power supply 154 through a connector 164 through a resistor 165 of 12 kilohms, and the second thermistor 91 is connected to the first thermistor 90 at the same temperature. Since the resistance value is larger than the resistance value, the current value flowing through the second thermistor 91 is considerably smaller than that of the thermistor 90. Therefore, the self-heating is as low as about 1 mW, and the temperature rise of the thermistor 91 due to the self-heating is almost ignored. The second thermistor 91 can measure the temperature around the first thermistor 90 with high accuracy because it is used in such a size that it can be used.

  The voltage of the second thermistor 91 is also read into the analog voltage detection circuit 161 of the microcomputer 145 through the filter by the resistor 166 and the capacitor 167 for obtaining the analog voltage V2 having no influence of noise, and the digital value is obtained inside the microcomputer 145. In the processing circuit 162, an internal program works to convert it into temperature data.

  FIG. 7 is a graph showing the operating characteristics of the liquid level detection means 93. The vertical axis represents the analog voltage V1 and the horizontal axis represents the temperature, which corresponds to the temperature detection value by the second thermistor 91. It is treated as.

  W and A indicated by solid lines indicate the characteristics of the stable temperature and the analog voltage V1 when the first thermistor 90 is in the air and in the water, respectively.

  The broken line T is a threshold value for V1, and in the present embodiment, the threshold value T is determined according to the detected temperature of the second thermistor 91. If V1 is higher than the threshold value, condensed water 87 is determined to have reached the first thermistor 90, and if V1 is lower than the threshold value, it is determined that the water level of the condensed water 87 has not yet reached the first thermistor 90.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the first thermistor 90 and the second thermistor 91 are arranged side by side at substantially the same height L1, so that when the water level rises, they are immersed in the dew condensation water 87 almost simultaneously. Thus, accurate determination is possible.

  However, even in the case where it is provided in a state where there is a slight difference in height, at the stage where the water level rises until at least both the first thermistor 90 and the second thermistor 91 are immersed in the condensed water 87, the condensed water 87 is used. It is possible to detect that is rising.

  In the present embodiment, V1a determined in proportion to the voltage V1 of the first thermistor 90 is read into the microcomputer 145, and the threshold T is set in the microcomputer 145 according to the detected temperature from the second thermistor 91. Although the liquid level is detected by comparing between them, it is not necessarily limited to such an algorithm. For example, the detection output of the second thermistor 91 is set to a predetermined value for V1. A method of correcting by calculation and comparing the result with a certain threshold value, and whether or not the condensed water 87 for the detection output of V1 and the second thermistor 91 reaches the first thermistor 90 is 1 bit, that is, 1 The output may be output by referring to a table stored with binary values of 0. In short, the liquid level detection means 93 is used by the first thermistor 9. And the second thermistor 91 are subject to changes in the electrical characteristics, a variety of processing methods and calculation methods from these values can be used depending on the designer's preference. Therefore, either method may be used.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 8 shows a circuit diagram of the liquid level detecting means of the clothing processing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The clothing processing apparatus according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except for the portion shown in FIG. 8, and stores a liquid detergent 41 that is connected to the AC power source 56 and is a liquid related to clothing processing. Container 40 is provided.

  In the present embodiment, the first thermistor 169 provided at a height of 15 mm from the bottom inside the container 40 is connected to the electronic circuit 170, and the electronic circuit 170 is connected to the insulating transformer via the two-terminal connector 171. 172 is connected to the secondary winding 173. Further, the primary winding 174 of the insulating transformer 172 is supplied with power through a resistor 176 from a high frequency power source 175 operating at a frequency of 100 kHz, which is higher than the AC power source 56 having a frequency of 50 or 60 Hz. ing.

  In this embodiment, the high-frequency power source 175 includes a transistor 177 and a diode 178 connected in reverse parallel between the emitter and collector of the transistor 177, a transistor 179, and a diode 180 connected in reverse parallel between the emitter and collector of the transistor 179, The capacitor 181 is configured so that the transistors 177 and 179 are alternately turned on and off by the ON signal alternately generated from the P terminal and the N terminal of the microcomputer 182, and the DC component is removed by the capacitor 181. It becomes a voltage source having a component.

  The high-frequency AC voltage applied to the primary winding 174 of the isolation transformer 172 via the resistor 176 is supplied from the secondary winding 173 to the first thermistor 170, and the first thermistor 169 self-heats. become.

  The primary winding 174 is configured to detect the peak value of the terminal voltage of the primary winding 174 of the insulation transformer 172 by the diode 185, the capacitor 186, and the resistor 187, and this is connected to the V terminal of the microcomputer 182. By being added, the microcomputer 182 takes in the voltage applied to the terminal V as an analog voltage and processes it as an 8-bit digital value in the internal AD converter (conversion circuit), that is, the primary winding of the insulation transformer 172 The configuration is such that a change in electrical characteristics viewed from 174 can be detected.

  Here, when the first thermistor 169 is in the liquid detergent 41, the rate of self-heating applied to the first thermistor 169 is increased in the liquid detergent 41, so that the temperature rise of the element increases. Less resistance value. On the other hand, when the first thermistor 169 is in the air, the temperature rise of the element of the first thermistor 169 is increased and the resistance value is decreased as the thermal diffusion is reduced.

  In the present embodiment, since the resistor 176 is connected in series and power is supplied from the high frequency power source 175 to the primary winding 174, the first thermistor 169 is in the liquid (liquid detergent 41). In some cases, the input impedance of the primary winding 174 is high and V is high, and in the air, the input impedance of the primary winding 174 is low and V is low. .

  In particular, in the present embodiment, since the high-frequency power source 175 supplied to the insulating transformer 172 has a higher frequency than that of the AC power source 56, sufficient self-power is used while using a smaller insulating transformer 172. The heat generation power is supplied to the first thermistor 169, and it is possible to obtain a sufficient ability to heat the elements of the first thermistor 169 necessary for liquid level detection while being small and low cost. Become.

  In addition, since the insulation transformer 172 can obtain sufficient electrical insulation between the primary winding 174 and the secondary winding 173, the insulation around the first thermistor 169 is the same as that of the first embodiment. Compared to the above, a thin one, for example, an insulating tube with a thickness of about 0.5 mm, can ensure a sufficient one from the aspect of safety, and the liquid level detection performance is very excellent. It becomes.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the electronic circuit 170 can detect whether or not the liquid level (of the liquid detergent 41) reaches the first thermistor 169.

  Note that the AC power supply 56 reduces the ripple voltage component of the output voltage of the rectifier 190 and a bridge-type rectifier 190 that is generally called full-wave rectification, which is a combination of four diodes for rectification from AC to DC. For this purpose, a smoothing capacitor 191 is connected, and a DC voltage of 140 V is obtained between the terminals of the capacitor 191, and a switching power supply circuit 192 using a switching element is used, so that a 5 V It has a configuration for obtaining a DC voltage.

  However, there is a circuit configuration called a voltage doubler rectifier circuit that can obtain a DC voltage of about 280 V when there is no load from the AC power source 56 of 100 V, for example. It is well known that there are many cases where such a double voltage type rectifier circuit that is operated by being supplied with a high DC voltage is advantageous. Such a rectifier circuit configuration may be used.

  When the power supply circuit 192 is configured to use a high-frequency switching element, it is possible to use a transformer that insulates between the primary and secondary, but particularly in the case of a clothing processing apparatus, a motor, a water supply valve Since it is necessary to control various loads such as drain valves, even if there is electrical insulation between the input and output of the power supply circuit 192 in order to realize driving of these loads with a low-cost configuration, For example, if the microcomputer 182 is configured not only to detect the liquid level but also to control the load thereof, in conclusion, the common terminal (ground) of the microcomputer 182 is connected to the AC power source 56. In order to realize a highly safe clothing processing apparatus, it is advantageous to provide a state in which no electrical insulation is applied to the first to thermistor 169 between the microcomputer 182 and the first thermistor 169. Reduction has been insulated is required.

  The insulation between the primary winding 174 and the secondary winding 173 of the insulation transformer 172 can sufficiently achieve the above-mentioned “enhanced insulation”. Detection can be reasonably realized under a configuration in which sufficient safety is ensured.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 9 shows a circuit diagram of the liquid level detecting means of the clothing processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Since this embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except for the liquid level detecting means shown in FIG. 9, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

  As in the third embodiment, the present embodiment includes a rectifier 190 and a smoothing capacitor 191 from an AC power source 56, and obtains a DC voltage of about 140 V when there is no load. A DC power source 195 connected to the capacitor 191 is provided with an insulating transformer 203 having a primary winding 200 and secondary windings 201 and 202 that are electrically sufficiently insulated from the primary winding 200. The insulation transformer 203 ensures sufficient electrical insulation even between the secondary windings 201 and 202.

  Also in the present embodiment, the negative terminal of the smoothing capacitor 191 is a common terminal (ground), and a switching element constituted by a MOSFET is provided between the other terminal of the primary winding 200 and the ground. 204 is connected, and the switching element 204 is driven by the drive circuit 205 at a high frequency of 200 kHz.

  A series circuit of a resistor 207 and a capacitor 208 is also connected between the terminals of the primary winding 200, and an excessive voltage due to leakage inductance of the primary winding 200 during the period when the switching element 204 is turned off. The action which suppresses a sudden bounce is made.

  High-speed diodes 210 and 211 and electrolytic capacitors 212 and 213 are connected to the secondary windings 201 and 202, respectively, and are stored in the insulating transformer 203 while the switching element 204 is on. Flyback converter in which the magnetic energy is generated as direct current rectified output voltages VO1 and VO2 to the capacitors 212 and 213 through the diodes 210 and 211 and supplied to the load during the OFF period of the switching element 204 It is the composition also called.

  In the present embodiment, VO1 is set to 12V and VO2 is set to 5V by design of the number of turns of the secondary windings 201 and 202. Although not shown, the drive circuit 205 is switched by the output voltage. As a result of controlling the ON period of the element 204, the above voltage is stably output.

  Similar to the first embodiment, the container 40 stores the liquid detergent 41, which is a liquid related to clothing processing, and the liquid level detection means 220 is attached to a height of 15 mm from the bottom of the container 40. The first thermistor 221 and the electronic circuit 222 to which the first thermistor 221 is connected via the connector 223 are connected. The first thermistor 221 and the resistor 225 are connected in series. Connected to.

  The voltage across the first thermistor 221 is connected to the light emitting diode 228 side of the photocoupler 227 via the resistor 226. Note that, on the photocoupler 229 side that is the light receiving side of the photocoupler 227, a DC voltage VO2 of 5 V is received from the DC power supply 195, a resistor 231 is connected in series, and a capacitor 232 for noise reduction is connected. In the configuration, a DC voltage V3 is generated and transmitted to the microcomputer 233.

  The microcomputer 233 receives the input V3 as an analog voltage, converts it into an 8-bit digital value and processes it in a circuit called an internal AD converter (converter).

  Similar to the phototransistor 229 side of the photocoupler 227, the microcomputer 233 obtains a DC voltage VO2 of 5 V from the DC power supply 195.

  In the above configuration, a 12V DC voltage VO1 is supplied to both ends of the series circuit of the resistor 225 and the first thermistor 221, and the first thermistor 221 self-heats. Since the voltage VO1 is as high as 12V, the amount of heat generated can be easily increased.

  When the self-heated first thermistor 221 is immersed in the liquid detergent 41, since the thermal diffusion to the surroundings is large, the temperature rise of the element can be suppressed and the resistance value is high. In the case where the first thermistor 221 is present, since the thermal diffusion is small, the temperature rise of the element tends to increase and the resistance value tends to decrease.

  When the first thermistor 221 is in the liquid detergent 41 and the resistance value is high, the current flowing through the light-emitting diode 228 side of the photocoupler 227 through the resistor 226 increases, so that the light in the photocoupler 227 increases, The phototransistor 229 receives a large amount of light, and V3 has a high value.

  On the other hand, when the first thermistor 221 is in the air, since the resistance value of the first thermistor 221 is low, the current value on the light emitting diode 228 side of the photocoupler 227 flowing through the resistor 226 is small. The amount of light in the photocoupler 227 becomes small, the collector current of the phototransistor 229 also becomes small, and V3 becomes a low value.

  That is, the input of the photocoupler 227 changes depending on the resistance value of the first thermistor 221, that is, the electrical characteristics change, and the microcomputer 233 receives the output of the photocoupler 227 as the analog voltage V 3, so that the liquid level becomes the first level. It is possible to detect whether or not one thermistor 221 has been reached.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the photocoupler 227 having the output isolated from the AC power supply 56 and having electrical insulation between the light emitting diode 228 side and the phototransistor 229 is provided. Therefore, between the AC power supply 56 and the liquid detergent 41, the electrical insulation can be reinforced by the inside of the DC power supply 56 and the photocoupler 227, so that the periphery of the first thermistor 221 is Regarding insulation, for example, even if it is formed of a thin layer having a thickness of about 0.5 mm, safety is sufficiently ensured, and the liquid level detection performance can be made extremely excellent.

  In the present embodiment, the transformer 203 has a primary winding 200 and secondary windings 201 and 202, and a switching element 204 using a MOSFET is connected to the transformer 203 to operate as a flyback converter. The DC voltage VO1 that is electrically insulated is output from the AC power source 56, and the first thermistor 221 is thereby self-heated. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration. You may use the power transformer which utilizes the frequency of 50 or 50 Hz which is 56 frequencies as it is.

  In each of the embodiments described above, a clothing processing apparatus capable of performing washing or drying as clothing processing, that is, a type of clothing processing apparatus generally called a washing machine or a dryer, is taken as an example, but includes dehydration. A washing / drying machine that automatically proceeds to washing and drying may be used. In that case, a liquid level detection device is provided in each part for detecting the remaining amount of the liquid detergent 41 and detecting the condensed water 87. May be used.

  Also, a second thermistor that detects the ambient temperature of the first thermistor is provided, and the liquid level is detected by receiving the ambient temperature of the first thermistor, or only the signal from the first thermistor is used. The liquid level is not detected depending on whether it is liquid detergent or condensed water. For example, liquid level detection of a liquid detergent is performed while receiving a signal from the second thermistor. It may be a combination of things and the like, and may be configured to detect a liquid other than the liquid detergent and condensed water, for example, a water level in the washing tub.

  Similarly, the thickness of the insulating layer of the first thermistor is set to 0.8 mm or more, a double insulating tube is used, an insulated DC power supply or a photocoupler is used, or an insulating transformer is used. There are no restrictions on the combination.

  As described above, the clothing processing apparatus according to the present invention can detect a good liquid level while sufficiently securing electrical insulation between the liquid and the first thermistor. It can be applied to various devices that handle various liquids such as drugs.

Sectional drawing of the clothing processing apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention Sectional view of the container of the clothing processing apparatus Circuit diagram of the electronic circuit of the clothing processing apparatus Sectional drawing of the clothing processing apparatus in Embodiment 2 of this invention Sectional drawing of the 1st thermistor and the 2nd thermistor of the clothing processing apparatus Circuit diagram of the electronic circuit of the clothing processing apparatus The graph which shows the relationship between the ambient temperature and voltage of the 1st thermistor of the clothing processing apparatus Circuit diagram of the liquid level detection means of the clothing processing apparatus in Embodiment 3 of the present invention Circuit diagram of the liquid level detection means of the clothing processing apparatus in Embodiment 4 of the present invention Circuit diagram of water level detection device in the prior art

Explanation of symbols

32 Washing tub 40, 88 Container 41 Liquid detergent (liquid)
43 Detergent input means 44, 90, 169, 221 First thermistor 45, 170, 222 Electronic circuit 46, 93, 220 Liquid level detection means 56 AC power supply 60, 61 Insulating tube 63, 110, 120 Insulating layer 80 Dehumidifying means 81 Compressor 82, 83 Heat exchanger 86 Heat pump 87 Condensed water (liquid)
91 Second thermistor 172 Insulation transformer 173 Secondary winding 174 Primary winding 195 DC power supply 227 Photocoupler

Claims (9)

Connected to an AC power source, and having a container and a liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, the liquid level detecting means is a first provided at a predetermined height in the container. The liquid level of the liquid is changed according to a change in electrical characteristics of the first thermistor, an insulating layer comprising at least a double insulating tube provided between the first thermistor and the liquid. A clothing processing apparatus having an electronic circuit for detecting whether or not the first thermistor has been reached. Connected to an AC power source, and having a container and a liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, the liquid level detecting means is a first provided at a predetermined height in the container. The liquid level of the liquid varies depending on a change in electrical characteristics of the first thermistor and an insulating layer of 0.8 mm or more provided between the first thermistor and the liquid. A clothing processing apparatus having an electronic circuit for detecting whether or not a thermistor of 1 is reached. Connected to an AC power source, and having a container and a liquid level detecting means for detecting the liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, the liquid level detecting means is a first provided at a predetermined height in the container. The liquid level of the liquid reaches the first thermistor according to the change in the electrical characteristics viewed from the primary winding, the insulation transformer having the primary winding and the secondary winding, and the thermistor An electronic circuit for detecting whether or not, the secondary winding is connected to the first thermistor, and power is supplied to the primary winding from a high frequency power source having a higher frequency than the AC power source. Clothing processing equipment. A container, a direct current power source having an output electrically insulated from the alternating current power source, and a liquid level detecting means for detecting a liquid level of the liquid stored in the container, wherein the liquid level detecting means is provided in the container. A first thermistor provided at a predetermined height and a photocoupler whose input changes in accordance with a change in electrical characteristics of the first thermistor, and receives the output of the photocoupler and receives the liquid level of the liquid. A clothing processing apparatus having an electronic circuit for detecting whether or not the first thermistor has been reached. 5. A second thermistor that detects the temperature around the first thermistor, and the liquid level detecting means receives a signal that changes in accordance with a change in electrical characteristics of the second thermistor. The clothing processing apparatus of any one of. The clothing processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second thermistor has a higher resistance value at the same temperature than the first thermistor. The clothing processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a washing tank and a detergent loading unit that loads the liquid detergent in a container into the washing tank. A washing tub and dehumidifying means for dehumidifying the air while the wet air from the washing tub is guided during the drying operation, the container stores dew condensation water generated by the dehumidification means, and the liquid level detection means is dew condensation. The clothing processing apparatus of any one of Claims 1-6 which detects whether the water level of water is a predetermined amount. The clothing processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the dehumidifying means is constituted by a heat pump having a compressor and a heat exchanger.