JP2019213643A - Washing machine, control device, control method and control program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technology which more accurately detects the state of laundry while washing.SOLUTION: A washing machine 1 includes: a washing tub 3 for storing laundry inside; a motor for directly or indirectly rotating an agitation blade 2 for agitating the washing tub 3 or the laundry stored in the washing tub 3; and a control device 20 for at least controlling the motor. The control device 20 includes: a load force information acquisition unit for acquiring load force information which shows a load force generating in the motor during a predetermined detection period, while rotating the washing tub 3 or the agitation blade 2 by the motor in a washing step, a rinsing step or a dewatering step; and a laundry state detection unit for detecting the state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a washing machine for washing laundry such as clothes, a control device for controlling the washing machine, a control method, and a control program.

  A washing machine having various functions has been proposed. For example, in Patent Literature 1, in the washing process and the rinsing process, when the output value of the current detection unit is equal to or more than a predetermined value, it is determined that the laundry in the washing tub has been biased or entangled, and the water supply valve is turned on. There is disclosed a technique in which the washing tub or the stirring blade is rotated by operating the motor to supply water to a predetermined water level in the washing tub and driving the motor until the output value of the current detecting means becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value. As a result, the laundry in the washing tub floats, the load on the laundry is reduced, and the unevenness and entanglement are reduced, so that the finish of the laundry can be improved.

JP-A-2006-129534

  If the laundry is unbalanced or entangled during the laundry, the load is applied to the laundry, and the fabric may be stretched, damaged, lose its shape, or have wrinkles. Reducing lean and entanglement is one of the important issues to be solved in a washing machine. Therefore, the present inventors need to further improve the technology described in Patent Literature 1 in order to more accurately detect the state of the laundry during the washing and perform appropriate control according to the state of the laundry. The present invention has been realized, and the present invention has been reached.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide a technique for more accurately detecting the state of laundry during washing.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a washing machine according to an aspect of the present invention includes a washing tub that stores laundry therein, and a washing tub, or a stirrer that agitates the laundry stored in the washing tub, Alternatively, it includes a motor that indirectly rotates, and a control device that controls at least the motor. The control device acquires load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor during a predetermined detection period when the washing tub or the stirring unit is rotated by the motor in the washing process, the rinsing process, or the spinning process. A load force information acquisition unit; and a laundry state detection unit that detects a state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit.

  Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a control device. In the washing process, the rinsing process, or the dehydrating process, a motor directly or indirectly rotates a washing tub for storing laundry therein or a stirring unit for stirring the laundry stored in the washing tub by a motor. A drive control unit to be performed, a load force information acquisition unit that acquires load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor during a predetermined detection period in the washing process, the rinsing process, or the dehydration process, and the acquired load force information And a laundry state detection unit that detects the state of the laundry in the washing tub based on

  Still another embodiment of the present invention relates to a control method. In this method, in a washing step, a rinsing step, or a dehydrating step, a washing tub for storing laundry therein, or a stirrer for stirring laundry stored in the washing tub is directly or indirectly rotated by a motor. A step of acquiring load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor during a predetermined detection period in the washing step, the rinsing step, or the spin-drying step; and a washing tub based on the acquired load force information. Detecting the condition of the laundry in the computer.

  It should be noted that any combination of the above-described constituent elements and a conversion of the expression of the present invention between a method, an apparatus, a system, a recording medium, a computer program, etc. are also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the technique which detects the state of the laundry during washing more accurately can be provided.

It is an outline sectional view of the washing machine concerning a 1st embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a driving unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a control device according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of control by a detection operation control unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of control by a detection operation control unit according to the first embodiment. It is a figure showing an example of load power information acquired in a normal process and a detection period. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a result of frequency analysis of the load force information illustrated in FIG. 6. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the control method of the washing machine which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure showing the example of the stirring blade concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is a figure showing another example of a stirring blade concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is a figure showing an example of control of a stirring blade concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is a figure showing an example of control of a stirring blade concerning a 2nd embodiment.

  A washing machine according to a first aspect of the present invention provides a washing tub for storing laundry therein, and a washing tub, or a motor for directly or indirectly rotating a stirring unit for stirring the laundry stored in the washing tub, At least a control device that controls the motor, the control device, in the washing step, the rinsing step, or the dehydration step, when rotating the washing tub or the stirring unit by the motor, the motor during a predetermined detection period A load force information acquisition unit that acquires load force information indicating a generated load force; and a laundry state detection that detects a state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit. And a unit. According to this aspect, the state of the laundry during the laundry can be detected more accurately.

  According to a second aspect, in the first aspect, the load force information acquiring unit rotates the motor in a mode different from a mode in which the motor is rotated in the washing step, the rinsing step, or the spin-drying step during the detection period. It is configured to acquire load force information indicating the load force generated in. According to this aspect, the state of the laundry can be more accurately detected, and the load is generated in the motor by rotating the motor in a manner that does not increase the entanglement or offset of the laundry. Load force information can be obtained.

  In a third aspect based on the first or second aspect, the laundry state detector detects a state of the laundry in the washing tub based on a result of frequency analysis of the load force information during the detection period. It is composed. According to this aspect, the state of the laundry during the laundry can be detected more accurately.

  In a fourth aspect based on any one of the first to third aspects, the laundry state detection unit includes the initial load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit at an early stage of the washing step, the rinsing step, or the dehydration step. And the load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit during the detection period to detect the state of the laundry in the washing tub. According to this aspect, the state of the laundry during the laundry can be detected more accurately.

  According to a fifth aspect, in the fourth aspect, when the amount of the laundry or the washing liquid in the washing tub changes, the load force information acquiring section acquires and updates the initial load force information again. It is a thing. According to this aspect, even when the amount of the laundry or the washing liquid in the washing tub changes, the state of the laundry can be accurately detected.

  In a sixth aspect based on any one of the first to fifth aspects, the control device is configured to improve the entanglement or offset of the laundry based on the laundry status detected by the laundry status detection unit. And an improvement process control unit for controlling the improvement process. According to this aspect, it is possible to reduce the entanglement or offset of the laundry during the laundry, so that it is possible to reduce the elongation, damage, shape loss, wrinkles, and the like of the laundry.

  A seventh invention is the sixth invention, further comprising a plurality of stirrers arranged at different positions on the bottom of the washing tub, and the improvement step is configured to include rotation of the plurality of stirrers. is there. According to this aspect, it is possible to reduce the entanglement or offset of the laundry during the laundry, so that it is possible to reduce the elongation, damage, shape loss, wrinkles, and the like of the laundry.

  In an eighth aspect based on the seventh aspect, the improvement step control section is configured to be capable of independently controlling the rotation of each of the plurality of stirring sections. According to this aspect, since the water flow can be controlled more finely, the entanglement or offset of the laundry during the laundry can be further reduced.

  In a ninth aspect based on the seventh or eighth aspect, the improvement step includes a plurality of types of patterns having different rotation modes of the plurality of stirring sections, and the improvement step control section is detected by the laundry state detection section. It is configured to select a pattern from a plurality of types of patterns based on the state of the laundry and to control an improvement process according to the selected pattern. According to this aspect, it is possible to improve the entanglement or offset of the laundry according to an appropriate pattern, so that it is possible to reduce the elongation, damage, shape loss, wrinkles, and the like of the laundry.

  The control device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is a control device, wherein in a washing step, a rinsing step, or a dehydrating step, a washing tub that stores laundry therein, or a stirrer that agitates the laundry stored in the washing tub is directly driven by a motor. Or, a drive control unit that indirectly rotates, a load force information acquisition unit that acquires load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor during a predetermined detection period in the washing process, the rinsing process, or the dehydration process, and acquisition. A laundry state detecting unit that detects a state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the applied load force information. According to this aspect, the state of the laundry during the laundry can be detected more accurately.

  In a control method according to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the washing step, the rinsing step, or the dehydrating step, the washing tub that stores the laundry therein, or the stirring unit that agitates the laundry stored in the washing tub is directly driven by a motor. Or a step of indirectly rotating, and a step of acquiring load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor during a predetermined detection period in the washing step, the rinsing step, or the dehydrating step, and Detecting the state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the computer program. According to this aspect, the state of the laundry during the laundry can be detected more accurately.

  The control program according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention provides a computer, wherein the washing step, the rinsing step, or the dehydrating step includes a washing tub for storing laundry therein, or a stirring unit for stirring the laundry stored in the washing tub, A drive control unit that rotates directly or indirectly by a motor, a washing process, a rinsing process, or a predetermined detection period in a dehydration process, a load force information acquisition unit that acquires load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor, It is caused to function as a laundry state detection unit that detects the state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the acquired load force information. According to this aspect, the state of the laundry during the laundry can be detected more accurately.

  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. Further, there is no problem that the contents described in the plurality of embodiments are combined as much as possible.

[First Embodiment]
In the washing machine according to the first embodiment, the load generated in the motor during a predetermined detection period when the washing tub or the stirring unit is rotated by the motor in the washing step, the rinsing step, or the dehydrating step. Is obtained, and the state of the laundry in the washing tub is detected based on the obtained load force information. During the detection period, the motor is rotated in a mode different from the mode in which the motor is rotated in a normal process, and load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor is acquired. This makes it possible to more accurately detect the state of the laundry, and to acquire the load force information at that time by rotating the motor in a manner that does not increase the entanglement or offset of the laundry. Therefore, it is possible to accurately acquire the load force information without increasing the entanglement and offset of the laundry, and to more accurately detect the state of the laundry.

  The detection period is provided in at least one of the washing step, the rinsing step, and the dehydration step. In the present embodiment, an example in which the detection period is provided in the washing step will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. The washing machine 1 is an example of a washing tub 3 rotatably provided in an outer tub 7 elastically supported in the main body of the washing machine 1 and an agitator provided rotatably at the bottom of the inside of the washing tub 3. A certain stirring blade 2; a driving unit 4 for driving the washing tub 3 and the stirring blade 2; a water supply unit 6 for supplying water to the washing tub 3; a drain unit 5 for discharging the washing liquid in the washing tub 3; 4, a control device 20 that controls the drainage unit 5, the water supply unit 6, and the like, and sequentially controls a series of steps of washing, rinsing, and dehydration.

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration of the driving unit according to the first embodiment. The driving unit 4 includes a motor 13 for rotating the washing tub 3 and the stirring blade 2, an inverter 11 for controlling the motor 13, a current sensor 12 for detecting a current value of a current supplied from the inverter 11 to the motor 13, a motor 13. A speed sensor 14 for detecting the rotational speed of the motor 13 and a torque sensor 15 for detecting the torque of the motor 13 are provided. The inverter 11 determines a rotation direction and a rotation speed of the motor 13 based on a control signal from the control device 20, and determines a current value detected by the current sensor 12, a speed detected by the speed sensor 14, and a torque sensor 15. The rotational speed of the motor 13 is controlled to a predetermined speed based on the detected torque. The motor 13 may be a motor of any known drive system, and the inverter 11 may be an inverter of any known control system. The rotational force of the motor 13 is transmitted to the washing tub 3 and the stirring blade 2 via a configuration such as a gear.

  FIG. 3 illustrates a configuration of the control device according to the embodiment. The control device 20 is realized by hardware such as a microcomputer, a microcontroller, and an integrated circuit.

  The control device 20 includes a process control unit 21, a drive control unit 22, a detection operation control unit 23, a load force information acquisition unit 24, a laundry state detection unit 25, an improvement process control unit 26, and a memory 27. These configurations are realized in terms of hardware by a CPU, a memory, and other LSIs of an arbitrary computer, and are realized in terms of software by a program loaded in the memory. Draws functional blocks realized by. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms, such as hardware alone or a combination of hardware and software.

  The process control unit 21 controls each process according to a washing course that defines the time, order, number of times, etc. of the washing process, the rinsing process, the dehydrating process, and the drying process. The contents of the washing course are stored in the memory 27, and the user can select and set a favorite selection course.

  The drive control unit 22 controls the drive of the drive unit 4 that rotates the washing tub 3 and the stirring blade 2 according to instructions from the process control unit 21, the detection operation control unit 23, the improvement process control unit 26, and the like. The drive control unit 22 rotates the washing tub 3 and the stirring blade 2 by switching a gear for transmitting the rotation of the motor 13 to one or both of the washing tub 3 and the stirring blade 2.

  The detection operation control unit 23 causes the drive control unit 22 to execute an operation for detecting the state of the laundry during a detection period provided in the middle of the washing process. As described above, the operation of the drive unit 4 for detecting the state of the laundry is different from the normal operation of the drive unit 4 in the washing process. The operation of the drive unit 4 during the detection period will be described later.

  The load force information obtaining unit 24 obtains load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor 13. In the present embodiment, the load force information obtaining unit 24 obtains the torque detected by the torque sensor 15 as load force information. In another example, the load force information acquisition unit 24 may acquire a current value detected by the current sensor 12 as load force information. If the laundry is offset or entangled, the rotational resistance of the washing tub 3 or the stirring blade 2 increases, and the motor drive current flowing through the motor 13 increases. Therefore, as the current value detected by the current sensor 12 increases, It is estimated that the load applied to the laundry is large. The load force information obtaining unit 24 may obtain, as the load force information, any information that can calculate or estimate the load force generated in the motor 13. For example, in addition to the torque sensor 15 that detects the physical torque, the load force information may be obtained by arithmetic processing from at least one information of the motor current and the motor rotation position.

  The load force information acquiring unit 24 acquires load force information when or immediately after the washing process is started, and stores the load force information in the memory 27 as initial load force information indicating an initial state in which the laundry is not entangled or offset. To memorize. During washing, when water is added to the washing tub 3 by the water supply unit 6 or the user puts laundry into the washing tub 3 and the amount of the laundry or the washing liquid in the washing tub 3 changes. The load force information acquiring unit 24 reacquires the load force information and updates the initial load force information stored in the memory 27. The load force information acquisition unit 24 also acquires load force information during a detection period during the washing process.

  The laundry state detection unit 25 detects the state of the laundry in the washing tub 3 based on the load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit 24 during the detection period. The laundry state detection unit 25 compares the initial load force information stored in the memory 27 with the load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit 24 during the detection period, and thereby stores the laundry load in the washing tub 3. Detect the condition of the laundry. As described above, since the load force information is estimated to increase as the deviation or entanglement of the laundry increases, the laundry state detection unit 25 determines whether the load force information and the initial load force information have been acquired during the detection period. It may be detected that the larger the difference is, the larger the deviation or entanglement of the laundry is. Further, as described later, the laundry state detection unit 25 may detect the state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the result of the frequency analysis of the load force information during the detection period.

  The improvement process control unit 26 controls an improvement process for improving the entanglement or offset of the laundry based on the state of the laundry detected by the laundry state detection unit 25. The improvement process control unit 26 improves the entanglement or offset of the laundry when the laundry state detection unit 25 detects that the load state of the laundry in the washing tub 3 exceeds a predetermined standard. Implement an improvement process for The improvement process control unit 26 stops the washing, the rinsing, or the spin-drying, and stops the washing tub 3 when the laundry is entangled during the washing, the rinsing, or the spin-drying and an excessive load is generated. Rotate in the opposite direction, rotate the washing tub 3 and the stirring blade 2 relatively in the opposite direction, or supply water once during dehydration to remove the entanglement of the laundry and then dehydrate again. If the water level of the washing liquid has not reached the maximum water level even during washing or rinsing, additional water may be supplied to untangle the laundry. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the washing tub 3 from being forcibly continued to rotate at a high speed even if the laundry is entangled and to continue to apply a load to the laundry, thereby preventing the laundry from being stretched, damaged, and deformed. , Wrinkles and the like can be reduced.

  The process control unit 21 may change the mode of the subsequent washing step, rinsing step, or dehydrating step based on the state of the laundry detected by the laundry state detecting unit 25. For example, when the laundry state detecting unit 25 detects that the load state of the laundry in the washing tub 3 exceeds a predetermined standard, the stirring blade in the subsequent washing step, rinsing step, or dewatering step is performed. The number of rotations, rotation speed, or rotation time of No. 2 may be reduced, or the time of the entire process may be reduced. Thereby, the load applied to the laundry can be reduced, and the elongation, damage, loss of shape, wrinkles, and the like of the laundry can be reduced.

  FIG. 4 illustrates an example of control by the detection operation control unit according to the first embodiment. The detection operation control unit 23 can more accurately detect the state of the laundry during a detection period provided at a predetermined time in the middle of the washing process, and does not increase the entanglement or offset of the laundry. By rotating the motor 13 in a suitable manner, the washing tub 3 or the stirring blade 2 is rotated, and the load force information acquisition unit 24 acquires load force information indicating the load force applied to the motor 13.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 4A, the detection operation control unit 23 rotates the motor 13 in such a manner that the number of rotations is lower than in the normal process and the frequency for switching the rotation direction is lower than in the normal process. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4B, the detection operation control unit 23 rotates the motor 13 in one direction so that the number of rotations is smaller than that in the normal process and the rotation direction is not switched. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4C, the detection operation control unit 23 rotates the motor 13 in a mode in which the number of rotations is smaller than that in the normal process and the rotation direction is switched only once. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4D, the detection operation control unit 23 rotates the motor 13 in a mode in which the number of rotations is smaller than that in the normal process and the number of rotations is increased stepwise. As described above, during the detection period, the stirring blade 2 is rotated in such a manner that the laundry in the washing tub 3 can rotate following the rotation of the stirring blade 2, so that the entanglement and offset of the laundry are increased. Thus, the state of the laundry can be detected more accurately. The above examples may be arbitrarily combined. For example, the rotation direction and the number of rotations may be switched stepwise.

  FIG. 5 illustrates an example of control by the detection operation control unit according to the first embodiment. Normally, when the motor 13 is controlled by the inverter 11, the speed control gain is set to a lower value in order to prevent vibration and oscillation of the mechanical system. Since the motor 13 is controlled at a low rotation speed, the motor 13 is set to a higher value than the normal process in order to improve the response to load disturbance. Thereby, the state of the laundry can be more accurately detected.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the load force information acquired during the normal process and the detection period. FIG. 6A shows an example of the load force information in the case where the entanglement of the laundry generated during the normal process is large, and FIG. 6B shows how the entanglement of the laundry generated during the normal process is performed. An example of the load force information when it is small is shown. The amplitude of the fluctuation of the load force information during the detection period is larger when the entanglement is large. Therefore, the laundry state detection unit 25 may detect that the greater the difference between the load force information acquired during the detection period and the initial load force information, the greater the deviation or entanglement of the laundry.

  FIG. 7 shows a result of frequency analysis of the load force information shown in FIG. The peak around 42 Hz is a component due to the rotation of the motor 13, and the peak around 15 to 30 Hz is a component detected even when only the water is put into the washing tub 3 and the motor 13 is rotated. The peaks below are components detected when the motor 13 is rotated with the laundry and the washing liquid put in the washing tub 3. The peak below 15 Hz is larger when the entanglement is large. Therefore, as the difference between the result of the frequency analysis of the load force information acquired during the detection period and the result of the frequency analysis of the initial load force information is larger, the laundry state detection unit 25 is more likely to shift or entangle the laundry. You may detect that it is large.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of the control method of the washing machine according to the first embodiment. Although the drawing shows the procedure of the washing step, the same applies to the case where a detection period is provided in the rinsing step or the dehydrating step. When the washing process is started by the process control unit 21, a predetermined amount of water is supplied to the washing tub 3 by the water supply unit 6 (S10). When a predetermined amount of water is supplied, the detection operation control unit 23 causes the drive control unit 22 to drive the drive unit 4 to detect the initial load force information (S11), and the load force information acquisition unit 24 The load force information is acquired and stored in the memory 27 as initial load force information (S12).

  Subsequently, the normal step of the washing step is executed by the step control unit 21 (S13). In the washing process (N in S14), the normal process is continued (S13) until the detection period comes (N in S15), and once the detection period comes (Y in S15), the normal process is stopped once. In the detection period, the detection operation control unit 23 causes the drive control unit 22 to drive the drive unit 4 to detect the load force information (S16), and the load force information acquisition unit 24 acquires the load force information ( S17). The laundry state detection unit 25 performs frequency analysis of the load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit 24, and compares the result with the result of the frequency analysis of the initial load force information stored in the memory 27. The state of the laundry is detected (S18). When it is detected that the laundry is entangled or offset (Y in S19), the improvement process control unit 26 performs an improvement process (S20). When the improvement process is completed, the process returns to the normal process (S13). When it is not detected that the laundry is entangled or offset (N in S19), the process returns to the normal process without performing the improvement process (S13). The above procedure is repeated until the washing process is completed (Y in S14).

  The detection period may be provided at a predetermined timing, or when the load force information is acquired at a predetermined timing during the normal process, and the acquired load force information exceeds a predetermined value, the normal process is performed. The operation may be temporarily stopped and the process may be shifted to the detection period.

[Second Embodiment]
In the second embodiment, a configuration of a washing machine capable of reducing tangling and offset of laundry is proposed. The overall configuration of the washing machine of the second embodiment is the same as that of the washing machine of the first embodiment shown in FIG. The control device for a washing machine according to the second embodiment includes a process control unit 21 and a drive control unit 22 in the configuration of the control device 20 for the washing machine according to the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  In a conventional general vertical type washing machine, a rotating impeller (pulsator) provided at the bottom of the washing tub causes a water flow of the washing liquid in the washing tub. The water flow is displaced between the lower part of the washing tub that is automatically rotated and the upper part of the washing tub that is indirectly rotated by transmitting the rotation of the washing liquid or the laundry in the lower part of the washing tub. This shift is considered to be a cause of the entanglement and twist of the laundry. In addition, while the stirring blade is rotated in one direction, the laundry in the washing tub is flown to the vicinity of the outer periphery of the washing tub due to centrifugal force. The laundry is drifting and is likely to be entangled or twisted by contact with other laundry. However, since the detergency is exerted by rubbing in contact with other laundry, a technique for reducing entanglement and offset while bringing the laundry into proper contact with each other is required.

  In order to solve such a problem, in the present embodiment, a plurality of stirring blades are arranged on the bottom surface of the washing tub, and the rotation of each stirring blade is arbitrarily controlled. As a result, the water flow of the washing liquid in the washing tub can be more finely controlled, so that the entanglement and twist of the laundry can be reduced, and the elongation, damage, loss of shape, wrinkles, and the like of the laundry can be reduced.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of a stirring blade according to the second embodiment. The plurality of agitating blades 2 are respectively arranged at different positions on the bottom surface of the washing tub 3 and agitate the washing liquid and the laundry in the washing tub 3. The first stirring blade 2a is arranged at a position including the center of the bottom surface of the washing tub 3, and the second stirring blade 2b is arranged around the first stirring blade 2a. The area of the second stirring blade 2b is smaller than the area of the first stirring blade 2a, and the second stirring blades 2b are arranged at equal intervals around the first stirring blade 2a. Gears are provided on the outer periphery of the first stirring blade 2a and the second stirring blade 2b. When the first stirring blade 2a is rotated by the motor 13, the rotation of the first stirring blade 2a is rotated by the second gear via the gear. The power is transmitted to the stirring blade 2b, and the second stirring blade 2b is also rotated in conjunction therewith.

  FIG. 10 shows another example of the stirring blade according to the second embodiment. In the example of this figure, the plurality of stirring blades 2 are configured in the same shape, and are arranged so that the distance from the center of the bottom surface of the washing tub 3 is uniform. In the example of FIG. 10A, four stirring blades 2 of the same size are provided at the positions of the vertices of the square. In the example of FIG. 10B, three stirring blades 2 of the same size are It is provided at the position of the vertex. Thus, the flow of the washing liquid for collecting the laundry near the center of the washing tub 3 and the flow of the washing liquid for dispersing the laundry near the outer periphery of the washing tub 3 can be freely caused.

  FIG. 11 shows an example of control of the stirring blade according to the second embodiment. The drive control unit 22 can independently control the plurality of stirring blades 2 respectively. In the example shown in FIG. 10A, when the four stirring blades 2 are rotated as shown in FIG. 11A, the washing in the upper and lower regions of the center of the bottom surface of the washing tub 3 in FIG. The laundry is drawn near the center, and the laundry in the left and right areas is pulled apart near the outer periphery. When the four stirring blades 2 are rotated as shown in FIG. 11 (b), conversely, in FIG. 11 (b), the laundry in the area above and below the center of the bottom of the washing tub 3 is pulled away to the vicinity of the outer periphery, The laundry in the left and right areas is drawn near the center. As described above, by independently controlling the four stirring blades 2, the direction of the water flow in the area near each of the stirring blades 2 can be controlled independently. The distribution of the articles can be finely controlled, and the entanglement and offset of the laundry can be further reduced.

  FIG. 12 shows an example of control of the stirring blade according to the second embodiment. The drive control unit 22 classifies the plurality of stirring blades 2 into a plurality of groups, and can control each group independently while controlling the plurality of stirring blades 2 belonging to the same group in an interlocked manner. For example, in the example of this figure, the four stirring blades 2 are classified into two groups, and the upper right and lower left stirring blade 2 groups and the upper left and lower right stirring blade 2 groups are independently controlled. As shown in FIG. 12A, the upper right and lower left stirring blades 2 are controlled in an interlocking manner, and as shown in FIG. 12B, the upper left and lower right stirring blades 2 are also controlled in an interlocking manner. Thereby, the flow of the washing liquid for collecting the laundry near the center of the washing tub 3 and the flow of the washing liquid for dispersing the laundry near the outer periphery of the washing tub 3 can be freely caused. Elongation, damage, shape loss, wrinkles, etc. of the laundry can be reduced while improving the detergency.

  The plurality of stirring blades 2 are individually detachably configured. Thus, even when one of the stirring blades 2 needs to be replaced due to failure or the like, it is possible to remove and replace only the stirring blade 2 that needs to be replaced.

  According to the technology of the present embodiment, the control of the stirring blades 2 for increasing the detergency by bringing the laundry to the vicinity of the center of the washing tub 3 and bringing them into contact with each other, and placing the laundry near the outer periphery of the washing tub 3 Since the control of the stirring blades 2 for dispersing and reducing entanglement and offset can be executed in a well-balanced manner, the conflicting demands of improving cleaning power and reducing entanglement and offset can be satisfied. A simple washing operation can be realized.

[Third Embodiment]
The washing machine according to the third embodiment has the features of the washing machine according to the first embodiment and the washing machine according to the second embodiment. That is, the state of the laundry is detected based on the load force information during the detection period, and when controlling the improvement process according to the detected state of the laundry, a plurality of stirring blades respectively arranged on the bottom surface of the washing tub are used. By rotating, the entanglement and offset of the laundry are improved. The technique of the first embodiment capable of detecting the state of the laundry more accurately, and the second embodiment capable of controlling the distribution of the laundry more finely to reduce entanglement and offset. By combining with the technique of the embodiment, it is possible to provide a washing machine capable of improving the cleaning power while further reducing the entanglement and the offset.

  The improvement process may include a plurality of types of patterns having different rotation modes of the plurality of stirring blades 2. In this case, a plurality of types of patterns may be stored in the memory 27 in advance. The improvement process control unit 26 selects an appropriate pattern from a plurality of types of patterns stored in the memory 27 based on the state of the laundry detected by the laundry state detection unit 25, and Therefore, the improvement process is controlled. Thereby, entanglement and offset can be more appropriately reduced. After the improvement process is performed, the load force information is acquired again. If the entanglement and the offset are not sufficiently improved, another pattern stored in the memory 27 is washed and the improvement process is further performed. Good.

  The washing machine of the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a plurality of agitating blades 2 are provided on the bottom surface of the washing tub 3. Therefore, when the agitating blades 2 are rotated during the detection period to acquire load force information. Alternatively, the plurality of stirring blades 2 may be rotated in various combinations, and load force information in each combination may be acquired. Thereby, the state of the laundry can be more accurately detected.

  In the above, this invention was demonstrated based on the Example. This embodiment is an exemplification, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the combination of each component and each processing process, and such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. .

  In the above embodiment, an example in which the technology of the present embodiment is applied to a vertical washing machine has been described. However, the technology of the present embodiment can also be applied to a drum-type washing machine.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Washing machine, 2 stirring blade, 2a 1st stirring blade, 2b 2nd stirring blade, 3 washing tub, 4 drive unit, 5 drainage unit, 6 water supply unit, 7 outer tub, 11 inverter, 12 current sensor, 13 motor, 14 speed sensor, 15 torque sensor, 20 control device, 21 process control unit, 22 drive control unit, 23 detection operation control unit, 24 load force information acquisition unit, 25 laundry state detection unit, 26 improvement process control unit, 27 memory .

Claims (12)

A washing tub that stores laundry inside,
The washing tub, or a motor that directly or indirectly rotates a stirring unit that stirs the laundry stored in the washing tub,
A control device for controlling at least the motor;
With
The controller is
In the washing step, the rinsing step, or the dehydrating step, when the washing tub or the agitating unit is rotated by the motor, load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor during a predetermined detection period is obtained. A load force information acquisition unit,
A laundry state detection unit that detects a state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit;
A washing machine comprising:   The load force information acquisition unit rotates the motor in a mode different from a mode in which the motor is rotated in the washing step, the rinsing step, or the dehydrating step during the detection period, and a load generated in the motor. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein load force information indicating a force is acquired.   The said laundry state detection part detects the state of the laundry in the said washing tub based on the result of the frequency analysis of the said load force information in the said detection period, The Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. Washing machine.   The laundry state detection unit is configured to include an initial load force information acquired by the load force information acquisition unit at an initial stage of the washing process, the rinsing process, or the dehydration process, and the load force information acquisition unit during the detection period. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the state of the laundry in the washing tub is detected by comparing the acquired load force information with the load force information.   The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein when the amount of the laundry or the washing liquid in the washing tub changes, the load force information acquiring unit reacquires and updates the initial load force information. .   The control device may further include an improvement process control unit that controls an improvement process for improving the entanglement or offset of the laundry based on the state of the laundry detected by the laundry state detection unit. The washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: It comprises a plurality of agitating units respectively arranged at different positions on the bottom of the washing tub,
The washing machine according to claim 6, wherein the improvement step includes rotation of the plurality of stirring units.   The washing machine according to claim 7, wherein the improvement process control unit is capable of independently controlling the rotation of each of the plurality of stirring units. The improvement step includes a plurality of types of patterns having different rotation modes of the plurality of stirring units,
The improvement step control unit selects a pattern from the plurality of types of patterns based on the state of the laundry detected by the laundry state detection unit, and controls the improvement step according to the selected pattern. The washing machine according to claim 7 or 8, wherein: In a washing step, a rinsing step, or a spin-drying step, a motor for directly or indirectly rotating a washing tub for storing laundry therein or a stirring unit for stirring the laundry stored in the washing tub by a motor. A control unit;
The washing step, the rinsing step, or during a predetermined detection period in the dehydrating step, a load force information acquisition unit that acquires load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor,
A laundry state detection unit that detects a state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the acquired load force information;
A control device comprising: In a washing step, a rinsing step, or a dehydration step, a step of directly or indirectly rotating a washing tub for storing laundry therein or a stirring unit for stirring the laundry stored in the washing tub by a motor. When,
The washing step, the rinsing step, or during a predetermined detection period in the dehydrating step, a step of acquiring load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor,
Detecting a state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the acquired load force information;
A computer-executed process. Computer
In a washing step, a rinsing step, or a spin-drying step, a motor for directly or indirectly rotating a washing tub for storing laundry therein or a stirring unit for stirring the laundry stored in the washing tub by a motor. Control unit,
The washing step, the rinsing step, or during a predetermined detection period in the dehydrating step, a load force information acquisition unit that acquires load force information indicating a load force generated in the motor.
A laundry state detection unit that detects a state of the laundry in the washing tub based on the acquired load force information;
Control program to function as