JP2011072730A - Electric washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric washing machine which can cut the standby power to zero and restart the washing automatically from the washing process point at which the power failure occurs, when the power is restored from the power failure during the washing process. <P>SOLUTION: The electric washing machine includes a washing and dewatering bin located pivotally in the outer bin, a power driving apparatus to drive the washing and dewatering bin using a driving motor for a power source, a water supplying and discharging means to supply and discharge water to and from the outer bin or washing and dewatering bin, a water level detecting means to detect the amount of water in the washing and dewatering bin, a controlling apparatus to control power supply to the power driving apparatus and the water supplying and discharging means and to determine water level, and a power circuit to supply power from the commercial power supply. The electric washing machine also includes a power switch which is pressed to be turned on and is released to be turned off, a latching relay provided between the commercial power source and the power circuit, and a nonvolatile memory to save the washing process status. The washing machine is characterized in that it can restart the process automatically from the point at which the power is interrupted using its latching relay and nonvolatile memory after power recovery even when the power is interrupted during the washing process. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric washing machine.

In the electric washing machine, washing is completed by a series of operations of washing, rinsing, and dewatering.
In recent years, a micro switch is used as a power switch of an electric washing machine because of its design, and the power switch is opened and closed by a combination with a relay. However, since the relay is electrically excited and the relay contact is closed, when the power supply is cut off, such as a power failure, the electrically held relay contact opens and the relay contact remains open even when the power returns. Therefore, the washing machine is not supplied with power unless the user performs an operation of turning on the power. Further, even if the user turns on the power again, it is difficult to determine how far each process has been completed, and it is necessary to start again from the first process of washing.

  In order to operate from the middle of the washing process before the power failure, the state of the process can be stored in the non-volatile memory and the process can be restarted by the stored contents of the non-volatile memory at the time of recovery. In order to supply power to the washing machine, it is necessary to press the power switch, and even after returning after a power failure, an operation of pressing the power switch is required to complete a series of washing steps.

  In order to recover from a power failure without pressing the power switch and to end a series of washing steps, a circuit configuration that always supplies power to the washing machine is necessary, and standby power is generated.

  In the case of a circuit configuration that restarts from the process before the power failure when a power failure occurs and returns from the power failure during the washing process, the power on the circuit is consumed even if the washing machine is turned off, so the standby power cannot be reduced to zero.

  Further, in the case of a circuit configuration in which the standby power when the power is turned off is zero, washing cannot be resumed even if the power is restored after a power failure in the process during washing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a washing machine capable of automatically resuming operation from the midway washing process before the power failure when the standby power is zeroed and the power is restored from the power failure during the washing.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention solves the problem by mounting a relay that can mechanically hold the open / closed state of the contact for switching the commercial power supply and a nonvolatile memory that stores the state of the washing process.

The present invention can provide a washing machine that has zero standby power and can be automatically restarted from the middle of washing before the power failure when the power is restored from the power failure.

It is a control block diagram of this invention. It is a circuit block diagram of a controller. It is a flowchart figure when a microcomputer starts by pushing a power switch. It is a flowchart figure when the second microcomputer which recovered from the power failure starts.

  FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an electric laundry according to the present invention.

  Reference numeral 1 denotes an outer frame of the washing machine, which is a frame of the washing machine that encloses the periphery of the internal mechanism. Reference numeral 2 denotes a washing and dewatering tank provided inside the outer frame of the washing machine. A fluid balancer 3 is provided at the upper edge of the washing and dewatering tub. A stirring blade 4 is rotatably provided inside the bottom of the washing and dewatering tank 2. Reference numeral 5 denotes an outer tub in which a washing tub / dehydration tub 2 is rotatably provided. An electric drive device 6 having a motor (electric motor) is attached to the outside of the bottom of the outer tub 5 by a steel plate attachment base 7, and is suspended and supported by vibration-proof support devices 8 from the upper four corners of the outer frame 1.

  An upper cover 9 provided with a clothing input opening 9 a is provided on the washing and dewatering tub 2. The upper cover 9 is fitted to the opening edge so as to cover the upper opening of the frame 1 and is attached to the frame 1 together with the front panel 10 and the back panel 11 by means of mounting screws (not shown).

  A front panel box 12 formed in front of the upper cover 9 and below the front panel 10 includes a power switch 13, an input switch group 14 that is an operation switch, a display element group 15, and a water level corresponding to the water level in the outer tub 5. A water level sensor 16 for generating a signal and a control device 17 are incorporated.

  A back panel box 18 formed behind the upper cover 9 and below the back panel 11 is connected to the faucet 19 at the back side of the back cover 11 and below the back panel 11. A water supply electromagnetic valve 21 is connected to the water inlet 20. The water injection port 20 is formed to discharge water toward the opening of the washing tub / dehydration tub 2.

  A clothing input opening 9 a formed in the upper cover 9 is configured to be covered with a lid 22 so as to be freely opened and closed.

  A drain port 5 a formed at the bottom of the outer tub 5 is connected to a drain hose 24 via a drain valve 23. An air trap 5 b is provided below the outer tub 5, and the air trap 5 b is connected to the water level sensor 16 through an air tube 25. The water level sensor 16 detects the water level by the above configuration and inputs a signal representing the water level to the control device 17.

  A synthetic resin base 27 with legs 26 attached to the four corners is mounted below the frame 1.

  When the washing operation is started, the drain valve 23 is closed by the power supply from the control device 17 and the water supply electromagnetic valve 21 is opened. By opening the water supply electromagnetic valve 21, tap water connected to the faucet 19 is discharged into the washing / dehydrating tank 2 through the water supply electromagnetic valve 21 and the water inlet 20 to the water level set according to the washing course and the amount of washing. Washing starts.

  The circuit configuration of the electric washing machine is shown in FIG.

  A relay (hereinafter referred to as latching relay) 29 that can mechanically maintain the open / closed state of the contact, a power switch 13, a power circuit 31 that supplies power from the commercial power source to the circuit, a reset circuit 32 that detects the output voltage of the power circuit, and a power switch A switch signal capturing circuit 34 for detecting a pressed state, a Hz signal circuit 40 that also serves as a zero cross detection of a commercial power supply and a contact opening / closing state detection of a latching relay, a storage circuit 41 of a nonvolatile memory that maintains stored contents even when the power is cut off, A bi-directional thyristor 36a-e for driving the water supply valve 21 and the washing motor 6, an operation switch circuit 14 for the user to select a washing course, a display circuit 15 for displaying the washing process during operation, and a microcomputer for controlling the entire washing machine 33.

  The power switch 13 is a switch that automatically turns off when the contact is turned on by pressing and the contact is turned off when the pressing is released. The latching relay 29 includes a contact that is mechanically held on or off by a toggle operation, a set coil 29a that turns on the contact that is turned off, and a reset coil that turns off the contact that is turned on. 29b.

  The circuit also includes a clutch solenoid 42, drain valve open / close detection switches 37a and 37b, drain valve open / close detection switch signal capturing circuits 38a and 38b, and an oscillation circuit 39.

  The latching relay 29 has a set coil 29a for closing the contact and a reset coil 29b for opening. The contact is closed when the set coil 29a is energized, and the contact state is mechanically maintained even when the coil is de-energized. The When opening the contact, the reset coil 29b is energized.

  The operation sequence is such that when the power switch 13 is pressed, the contact becomes conductive with the NO side, so that commercial power is supplied to the power supply circuit via the resistor 28 and DC power is supplied to operate the microcomputer 33 and the microcomputer 33 operates. To start. When the microcomputer 33 starts to operate, even if the microcomputer 33 energizes the set coil 29a of the latching relay 29 and the contact is closed and the power switch 13 is released, the commercial power supply continues to be energized, and the operation is started to the washing process selected by the user. The After the series of selection steps is completed, the relay contact is opened and the power supply is shut off by energizing the reset coil 29b of the latching relay 29.

  Before each process such as washing, rinsing and dehydration is started in a series of washing processes, operation information of the processes is written in the memory circuit 41. When the power is cut off due to a power failure, the power to the microcomputer 33 is not supplied, so the process stops during the washing process. However, since the contact of the latching relay 29 is mechanically held, the contact is kept closed even when power is not supplied. When the power is restored, the microcomputer 33 resumes its operation because power is supplied via the power circuit 31 to keep the contact of the latching relay 29 closed without pressing the power switch 13. At this time, the operation state of the memory circuit is read to determine which process caused the power failure, and the operation is resumed from that process.

  FIG. 3 shows a time chart when the microcomputer 33 is activated again and the power switch 13 is pushed and activated, and FIG. 4 shows a time chart when the microcomputer 33 is activated after a power failure. Whether the microcomputer 33 is activated by pressing the power switch 13 or is activated after recovering from a power failure is determined by a signal from the switch signal capturing circuit 34 when the microcomputer 33 is reset.

  The latching relay 29 can close the contact point when the set coil 29a is energized, and the state is maintained even when the energization is stopped. However, in the present invention, the contact point may be opened due to vibration such as washing and dehydration. Is always prevented by energizing the set coil 29a.

  That is, when the set coil 29a of the latching relay 29 is energized and the contact is turned on, the contact is mechanically held in the on state, but the contact is not turned off by unbalanced vibration that occurs when the electric washing machine is dehydrated. By maintaining the energization of the set coil 29a, a stable washing machine can be operated without suddenly stopping in the middle.

  According to the above invention, even when a power failure occurs during the washing process, when the power is restored from the power failure, washing can be automatically continued from the middle of the process, and the standby power when the power is turned off can be reduced to zero. A washing machine can be provided.

  In the above embodiment, the vertical washing machine has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to a drum-type washing machine or a washing / drying machine.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 30 ... Load relay 35 ... Relay drive circuit 37a, 37b ... Drain valve opening / closing detection switch 38a, 38b ... Drain valve opening / closing detection switch signal taking circuit 39 ... Oscillation circuit 42 ... Clutch solenoid 29 ... Latching relay 29a ... Set coil 29b ... Reset coil 13 ... Power switch

Claims (3)

A washing and dewatering tub that is rotatably installed in the outer tub, an electric drive device that drives the washing and dewatering tub using a drive motor as a power source, and a water supply and drainage means that supplies and drains the outer tub or the washing and dehydration tub A water level detecting means for detecting the amount of water in the washing / dehydrating tub, a power supply control to the drive motor and the water supply / drainage means, a control device for determining the water level, and a power supply circuit for supplying electricity from a commercial power source. In an electric washing machine,
A power switch that turns on when pressed and turns off when released, a latching relay provided between the commercial power source and the power circuit, and a nonvolatile memory that stores the state of the washing process
Even if the power supply is cut off during a series of washing processes, after the power supply is restored, the latching relay and the nonvolatile memory automatically restart the operation from the intermediate process that was previously stopped. Washing machine. The electric washing machine according to claim 1, wherein
The latching relay has a contact that is mechanically held on or off by a toggle operation, a set coil that turns on the contact that is turned off, and a reset coil that turns off the contact that is turned on. Features an electric washing machine. The electric washing machine according to claim 2,
An electric washing machine, wherein the set coil is energized during a washing operation.

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