JP2013052063A - Drum type washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a washing effect by optimally drive a drum according to a state of foam.SOLUTION: A drum type washing machine comprises: a water tub 2 for rotatably accommodating a drum 3; a motor 7 for driving the drum; water supply means 10 for supplying washing water to the water tub; circulation means 17 for circulating washing water in the water tub into the drum; foam detection means 27 for detecting generation of foam; and control means 22. The control means detects an amount of foam by the foam detection means after a prescribed time lapse after a washing process is started, and when the amount of foam detected by the foam detection means is small, the control means rotates the drum at a rotational frequency by which laundry is attached to an inner surface of the drum and circulates washing water in the water tub by the circulation means to spray washing water in the water tub to the laundry in the drum.

Description

  The present invention relates to a drum type washing machine for washing laundry such as clothes.

  Conventionally, it has been considered that this type of drum type washing machine detects excessive generation of foam in order to optimally perform washing (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The drum type washing machine described in Patent Document 1 sprays cooling water when it detects an excessive generation of bubbles by means of an electrode.

  In another example, it is considered to detect the occurrence of bubbles with the driving current of a motor and reduce the rotational speed of the drum (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  In order to increase the cleaning power, a drum-type washing machine that performs tapping and centrifugal cleaning by centrifugal force has been considered (for example, see Patent Document 3).

JP 2003-260290 A JP 2005-169001 A JP-A-8-299658

  However, the conventional configuration has a problem that optimum cleaning cannot be performed depending on the state of generation of bubbles. Moreover, although it is thought by patent document 3 that centrifugal force is made to act on laundry and carrying out squeeze washing | cleaning, it is not what was made to detect the state of foam, but washes based on the state of foam. There was a problem that the operation could not be optimized.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a drum type washing machine that can optimize the driving of the drum in accordance with the state of foam and enhance the cleaning effect.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a drum-type washing machine of the present invention includes a water tank that rotatably accommodates a drum, a motor that drives the drum, a water supply unit that supplies washing water to the water tank, Circulating means for circulating washing water in the water tank into the drum, foam detecting means for detecting the generation of foam, and control means for controlling the motor, etc., and controlling processes such as washing, rinsing and dehydration. The control means detects the amount of foam by the foam detection means after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of the washing step, and when the amount of foam detected by the foam detection means is small, washing is performed on the inner surface of the drum. The drum is rotated at a rotational speed at which an object sticks, and the washing water in the water tub is circulated by the circulation means and sprayed on the laundry in the drum.

  As a result, when the amount of foam detected by the foam detecting means is small, the washing water impregnated between the fibers of the laundry is centrifuged together with dirt by rotating the drum at a rotational speed at which the laundry sticks to the inner surface of the drum. It can be discharged by force. In addition, the washing water can be poured between the fibers of the laundry by spraying the washing water on the laundry in the drum by the circulation means. That is, when there is a lot of dirt on the laundry, it is possible to promote the replacement of the washing water between the fibers of the laundry, accelerate the removal of the dirt, and enhance the cleaning effect.

  The drum type washing machine of the present invention can promote the replacement of the washing water between the fibers of the laundry, accelerate the removal of dirt, and enhance the cleaning effect.

Sectional drawing of the principal part of the drum type washing machine in Embodiment 1 of this invention Block diagram of the drum type washing machine Time chart showing the operation of the drum type washing machine State diagram of laundry during operation of the drum type washing machine Time chart showing operation of drum type washing machine in embodiment 2 of the present invention

  1st invention is the drum which accommodates and rotates laundry, the water tank which accommodates the said drum rotatably, the motor which drives the said drum, the water supply means which supplies washing water to the said water tank, and the said water tank A circulation means for circulating the wash water in the drum, a foam detection means for detecting the generation of foam, and a control means for controlling the motor and the like, and controlling the steps of washing, rinsing, dehydration, etc. The control means detects the amount of foam by the foam detection means after a lapse of a predetermined time from the start of the washing step, and when the amount of foam detected by the foam detection means is small, on the inner surface of the drum The drum is rotated at a rotational speed at which the drum sticks, and the washing water in the water tub is circulated by the circulation means and sprayed on the laundry in the drum. Enhance Door can be. In general, an appropriate amount of detergent is put into washing water set in accordance with the amount of laundry, and the detergent is activated by foaming, so that the laundry can be easily soiled. However, when there is a lot of dirt on the laundry, the generation of foam is small and the activity is low. Therefore, when the amount of foam detected by the foam detecting means is small, the washing water impregnated between the fibers of the laundry is centrifuged together with the dirt by rotating the drum at a rotation speed at which the laundry sticks to the inner surface of the drum. To discharge. In addition, the washing water can be poured between the fibers of the laundry by spraying the washing water on the laundry in the drum by the circulation means. In other words, when there is a lot of dirt on the laundry, it is possible to accelerate the removal of the dirt by increasing the replacement of the washing water between the fibers of the laundry and enhance the cleaning effect. In addition, since the amount of foam is detected after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the washing step, dissolution of the detergent can be promoted by rotation of the drum, and the state of the foam can be accurately detected. .

  In the second aspect of the invention, in particular, the control means of the first aspect of the invention is configured such that at the start of the washing process, the laundry is rotated at a rotational speed that causes the laundry to stick to the inner surface of the drum, and then the washing water is supplied and the foam detection means performs foaming. By detecting the amount of water, the washing water in the aquarium is rolled up and stirred by the high-speed rotation of the drum, so that the dissolution of the detergent and the generation of foam can be promoted, so the state of the foam is accurately detected. can do.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this plan is not limited by this embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a drum type washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the drum type washing machine, and FIG. 3 shows an operation of the drum type washing machine. FIG. 4 is a time chart of the laundry during operation of the drum type washing machine.

1 to 4, a casing 1 of a drum type washing machine is provided with a water tank 2 for storing washing water inclined in a front-up state, and a suspension spring (not shown). And elastically supported by a damper (not shown). A bottomed cylindrical drum 3 for storing laundry is rotatably provided in the water tank 2. A plurality of baffles 4 and a plurality of small holes 5 communicating with the inside of the water tub 2 are provided on the peripheral side wall surface of the drum 3, and an opening 6 for taking in and out the laundry is provided on the front side.

  A motor 7 that rotates the drum 3 is fixed to the lower part of the outer periphery of the water tank 2 and is configured to rotate the drum 3 via a belt 8 and a pulley 9. A water supply valve 10 serving as a water supply means for supplying washing water into the water tank 2 supplies washing water into the water tank 2 via a detergent case 12 into which a detergent provided in the water supply path 11 is poured.

  A water reservoir 13 for storing washing water is provided at the bottom of the water tank 2. A heater 14 is disposed in the water reservoir 13 substantially parallel to the surface of the washing water stored in the water tub 2, and the washing water stored in the water reservoir 13 has a predetermined temperature suitable for washing (for example, 30 to 40). ° C). The temperature of the water reservoir 13 is detected by temperature detection means 15 such as a thermistor.

  The washing water stored in the water reservoir 13 in the water tank 2 can be circulated into the drum 3 by a pump 17 as a circulation means provided in the circulation water channel 16. A suction part 18 for sucking washing water communicating with the circulation water channel 16 is provided at the bottom of the water reservoir 13 so that the washing water is discharged toward the inside of the drum 3 at the upper part of the opening 6 provided on the front side of the drum 3. The discharge part 19 is provided in the.

  A switching valve 20 is provided in the circulating water channel 16 on the downstream side of the pump 17 and can be selectively switched to either the circulating water channel 16 leading to the discharge unit 19 or the drainage channel 21 for discharging the wash water to the outside of the machine. it can. At the time of washing and rinsing, the washing water in the water reservoir 13 can be discharged from the discharge portion 19 toward the laundry in the drum 3 through the circulation water passage 16, and the washing water after washing and rinsing can be discharged through the drainage passage 21. It can be discharged outside.

  The control means 22 provided in the housing 1 drives the motor 7, the water supply valve 10, the heater 14, the pump 17, the switching valve 20, etc., and sequentially controls each step of washing, rinsing and dehydration.

  About the drum type washing machine comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below. Open the door 23 that can be opened and closed on the front side of the housing 1, put the laundry into the drum 3 from the opening 6, turn on the power switch (not shown) of the operation unit 24, and start switch (FIG. When the operation is started by operating (not shown), the amount of laundry put in is detected by the weight detection means 25, the water supply valve 10 is operated to start water supply, and the motor 7 is driven.

  The amount of water is set in advance in accordance with the amount of cloth to be added. Washing water is supplied into the aquarium 2 together with the detergent supplied into the detergent case 12, and a set amount of washing water is supplied by the water level detection means 26. When it is detected that the water supply has been performed, the water supply valve 10 is closed to stop water supply.

  In the washing process, the drum 3 is rotated forward and backward by the motor 7 at, for example, 50 rpm, the laundry in the drum 3 is lifted by the baffle 4 and dropped on the water surface from the inside of the drum 3 to be washed.

  When the temperature of the supplied wash water is low, the heater 14 is energized to heat the wash water in the water reservoir 13 to a temperature suitable for washing. The heating temperature of washing water at the time of warm water washing is generally 30 to 40 ° C., and heating at a low temperature of, for example, 10 ° C. or less is effective in enhancing the washing effect.

The washing water stored at the bottom of the water tank 2 is heated by the heater 14, the temperature of the water storage 13 is detected by the temperature detection means 15 provided on the outer bottom thereof, and the washing water is set to a preset temperature by the control means 22. It is controlled to become. The control means 22 switches the switching valve 20 to the circulating water channel 16 side, and the pump 17 is driven at a preset rotational speed to circulate a predetermined amount of washing water in the drum 3 and is agitated in the drum 3. Washing water can penetrate into the laundry.

  The hot water heated in the water reservoir 13 is discharged from the discharge unit 19 and rapidly penetrates into the laundry, thereby promoting dissolution of the detergent and enhancing the cleaning effect by enhancing the action of separating dirt from clothing. it can.

  By circulating the wash water in the water reservoir 13 into the drum 3 by the pump 17, the water level in the water tank 2 is lowered. When the temperature of the water reservoir 13 detected by the temperature detector 15 exceeds a predetermined temperature (for example, 70 ° C.), the rotation speed of the pump 17 is decreased to reduce the ability to circulate the washing water.

  Thereby, the circulation amount of washing water decreases and the water level in the water tank 2 can be raised. When the water level rises, the temperature of the water reservoir 13 decreases and is controlled again to the set temperature. The heater 14 is submerged in the raised washing water, and the set temperature is stably maintained by the control means 22. Therefore, the heater 14 can maintain a state in which heat can be radiated to the washing water without being exposed from the surface of the washing water, and can circulate the washing water in the drum 3 while heating the washing water to an optimum temperature.

  The washing water in the water tank containing the detergent is rolled up by the rotational drive of the drum 3 to generate bubbles. One of the foam detection means 27 is installed on the front side in the water tank 2 at a position lower than the rotation center axis A of the drum 3. The reason for installing at this position is to quickly detect the generated foam. If it is installed at a position higher than the rotation center axis of the drum 3, the detection of the foam will be delayed even if the amount of foam increases. This is because the inside is filled with bubbles, and measures such as a bubble extinguishing process and drainage are performed.

  The other bubble detection means 27 a is provided in the upper part on the rear surface side in the water tank 2. The action of the foam detection means 27a is to detect when a large amount of foam is generated up to the upper part in the water tank 2, and prevent the foam from leaking outside the apparatus.

  When the supply of the washing water is completed and the washing water containing the detergent is stirred by the rotation of the drum 3, the amount of foam generated in the water tank 2 is detected by the foam detection means 27. The bubble detection means 27 is composed of an electrode sensor, detects the current generated when the bubble contacts the electrode sensor, and measures the current value to determine the generation of bubbles and the amount of bubbles.

  When the foam generated in the water tank 2 does not reach the foam detection means 27 and the foam is not detected, that is, when it is determined that the amount of foam is small, it can be determined that the laundry in the drum 3 is heavily soiled. The control means 22 controls the motor 7, raises the drum 3 to 150 to 200 rpm, and rotates the drum 3 at a rotation speed at which the laundry sticks to the inner surface of the drum 3, thereby impregnating the fibers of the laundry. The washing water is discharged together with dirt by centrifugal force, and the washing water in the water reservoir 13 is circulated into the drum 3 by the pump 17 which is a circulation means and sprayed on the laundry.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, when the drum 3 rotates in the direction of arrow B, the laundry is in a state of sticking to the inner surface of the drum 3 by centrifugal force. At this time, washing water is actively exchanged between the fibers of the laundry. Therefore, since a new washing water can be always poured between the fibers of the laundry, the cleaning effect can be enhanced. At the same time, the washing water is circulated in the drum 3 so that it can be sprayed on the laundry, and the washing effect can be enhanced by accelerating the replacement of the washing water between the fibers.

Similarly, in the rinsing process performed after the washing process, after washing water in the water tank 2 is drained, the water supply valve 10 is opened to start water supply, and a predetermined amount of rinse water is supplied into the water tank 2. .
When a predetermined water level is detected by the water level detection means 26, water supply is stopped and the motor 7 is driven. In the rinsing process, the drum 3 is rotated forward and backward by the motor 7 at 50 rpm, and the laundry in the drum 3 is lifted and dropped onto the water surface.

  At this time, the heater 14 provided at the bottom of the water tank 2 is energized, and the rinse water in the water tank 2 can be heated and rinsed. For this reason, also in the rinsing process, by switching the switching valve 20 to the circulation water channel 16 side and operating the pump 17, the rinsing water is circulated in the drum 3, and the detergent component and the remaining dirt are quickly separated from the clothing, The rinsing effect can be enhanced.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the drum 3 that accommodates and rotates the laundry, the water tank 2 that rotatably accommodates the drum 3, the motor 7 that drives the drum 3, and the washing water in the water tank 2 The water supply means 10 for supplying water, the circulation means 17 for circulating the washing water in the water tank 2 into the drum 3, the foam detection means 27 for detecting the generation of foam, the motor 7 and the like are controlled, washed, rinsed and dehydrated. And the control means 22 for controlling the process, and the like. The control means 22 detects the amount of foam by the foam detection means 27 after the elapse of a predetermined time from the start of the washing process, and detects the foam detected by the foam detection means 27. When the amount of water is small, the drum 3 is rotated at a rotation speed at which the laundry sticks to the inner surface of the drum 3, and the washing water in the water tub 3 is circulated by the circulation means 17 and sprayed on the laundry in the drum 3. And this Te, replacement of the washing water between the fibers of the laundry by a centrifugal force is actively performed. Accordingly, new washing water can be always poured between the fibers of the laundry, and at the same time, the washing water can be circulated in the drum 3 to be sprayed on the laundry. Can be accelerated to enhance the cleaning effect.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the operation of the drum type washing machine in the second embodiment of the present invention. The feature of this embodiment is that at the start of the washing process, after rotating the drum 3 at a rotation speed at which the laundry sticks to the inner surface of the drum 3, the washing water is supplied, and the amount of foam is detected by the foam detection means 27. This is what I did. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations, and the detailed description of the first embodiment is used.

  First, at the start of the washing process, the drum 3 is raised to 150 to 200 rpm and the rotation speed is maintained. Since no washing water is supplied into the aquarium 2, the laundry is in a dry state. When the drum 3 is rotated at a high speed, the laundry in the drum 3 is less likely to be biased, and the vibration is less likely to occur. The number of rotations can be increased smoothly.

  After the drum 3 is raised to 150 to 200 rpm, the water supply valve 10 is opened to supply a predetermined amount of washing water. The washing water supplied into the water tub 2 gradually permeates the laundry stuck to the inner surface of the drum 3 and maintains high-speed rotation in a stable state without causing a bias. The washing water in the aquarium 2 is agitated by the high-speed rotation of the drum 3 to dissolve the detergent contained in the washing water and generate bubbles.

  Bubbles generated in the water tank 2 rise with an increase in the amount thereof, reach the bubble detection means 27, and are detected. Washing water is supplied into the aquarium 2 with the drum 3 rotated at a high speed, and the time (t1) until the predetermined amount of washing water is supplied, the washing water containing the detergent is sufficiently agitated, depending on dirt Bubbles are generated.

When the supply of the washing water is completed and the washing water containing the detergent is sufficiently stirred, the foam detection means 27 detects the foam. At this time, when the foam does not reach the foam detection means 27 and the foam is not detected, that is, when the amount of foam is small, it can be determined that the laundry in the drum 3 is heavily soiled. By maintaining the rotation speed of 200 rpm and rotating the drum at a rotation speed at which the laundry is stuck to the inner surface of the drum 3, the washing water impregnated between the fibers of the laundry is discharged together with dirt by centrifugal force.

  In addition, by driving the pump 17 which is a circulation means and spraying the wash water on the laundry in the drum 3, the wash water can be poured between the fibers of the laundry. That is, when there is a lot of dirt on the laundry, the washing water between the fibers of the laundry can be actively replaced to accelerate the removal of the dirt and enhance the washing effect.

  As described above, the drum-type washing machine according to the present invention is useful as a drum-type washing machine because it promotes the replacement of washing water between the fibers of the laundry, accelerates the removal of dirt, and enhances the cleaning effect. It is.

2 Water tank 3 Drum 7 Motor 10 Water supply valve (water supply means)
17 Pump (circulation means)
22 Control means 27 Bubble detection means

Claims (2)

A drum for storing and rotating laundry, a water tank for rotatably storing the drum, a motor for driving the drum, a water supply means for supplying washing water to the water tank, and the washing water in the water tank A circulation means for circulating in the drum; a foam detection means for detecting the generation of foam; and a control means for controlling the motor and the like to control steps such as washing, rinsing and dehydration. After the elapse of a predetermined time from the start of the process, when the amount of foam is detected by the foam detection means, and the amount of foam detected by the foam detection means is small, the rotation speed at which the laundry sticks to the inner surface of the drum A drum-type washing machine that rotates the drum and circulates the washing water in the water tub by the circulation means and sprays the washing water on the laundry in the drum. 2. The control means according to claim 1, wherein at the start of the washing process, the laundry is rotated at a rotational speed at which the laundry adheres to the inner surface of the drum, and then the washing water is supplied and the amount of foam is detected by the foam detection means. Drum type washing machine.

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