JP2019501724A - Multi-drum washing machine and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A drum washing machine comprising at least two independent washing drums, one operation panel (3), one integrated circuit (IC) controller, and one drive circuit board, and a control method thereof The operation panel (3) has a plurality of input control elements (9) and a plurality of output display elements (10), and the input control elements (9) are used for inputting washing parameters, and the output display elements (10) is used for displaying the state of the washing process, the IC controller and the drive circuit board are connected to the operation panel (3), and the washing machine controls the operation of the washing drum, and its control method.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

The present disclosure relates to a technical field of design and manufacture of a washing machine, for example, a multi-drum washing machine and a control method thereof.

Common drum-type washing machines are all single-drum washing machines, and large-scale washing machines with a large capacity of, for example, 6 kg or more are usually selected at home to meet the demand for washing clothes for the whole family. It is. With the progress of the times and the improvement of people's standard of living, the rhythm of life becomes faster and the washing machine has various problems during use. For example, clothing can be divided into adult clothing, underwear and children's clothing, but to wash separately, the washing machine needs to be used many times, takes a lot of washing time, and consumes a lot of energy Must be consumed. Furthermore, considering energy conservation, the washing process set for a large washing machine generally consumes a large amount of water, consumes a large amount of power, and a large washing machine is a preferred option when washing a small amount of clothing. is not. At the same time, a large amount of clothing is assumed in the washing process, so that the washing time is relatively long. Moreover, the washing process set in the large washing machine mainly assumes general clothing, and may not be suitable for washing delicate clothing such as underwear or children's clothing.

In order to solve the above problems, the related technology has developed a double-drum washing machine that drives a large-capacity washing drum and a small-capacity washing drum separately or simultaneously, and performs independent washing operations on each drum. . The user can have two drum-type washing machines with different capacities at the same time, and without having to occupy extra physical space, the user can flexibly wash at the same time or separately according to the amount of laundry and the type of laundry. it can.

However, in the related art, in general, in the double drum washing machine described above, an input control unit and an output display unit corresponding to each washing drum are arranged independently, and the control system is simply added to the hardware. Is still two independent control systems, which indirectly increase the manufacturing cost, hinder the spread and application in the market, and also disadvantageous for the later version upgrade and maintenance of the control system.

The present disclosure provides a multi-drum washing machine and a control method thereof for solving the control problem of each washing drum of the multi-drum washing machine and reducing the manufacturing cost of the multi-drum washing machine.

Examples of the present disclosure are:
A multi-drum washing machine comprising at least two independent washing drums, one operation panel, one integrated circuit (IC) controller, and one drive circuit board,
The operation panel has a plurality of input control elements and a plurality of output display elements, the input control elements are used to input washing parameters, and the output display elements are used to display the status of the washing process,
The IC controller and the driving circuit board are connected to the operation panel and provide a multi-drum washing machine that controls the operation of the washing drum.

As an option, the plurality of washing drums share a part or all of the input control element and the output display element, and one of the plurality of washing drums is selected during operation, whereby a common input control element is selected. And / or an output display element uniquely corresponds to an operation program of one of the plurality of washing drums, and is used as one input element or output element of the plurality of washing drums.

As an option, a switch for selection for designating one of a plurality of washing drums is provided on the operation panel.

Optionally, the switch is a button or knob.

As an option, each of the plurality of washing drums has an independent output display element, and only the input control element is shared.

As an option, each of the plurality of washing drums has an independent input control element, and only the output display element is shared.

Optionally, a plurality of laundry drums share the input control element and the output display element.

As an option, the operation panel is provided with one power switch as a switch for collectively controlling power.

Optionally, the input control element and the output display element are on the same button.

An embodiment of the present disclosure is a control method of a multi-drum washing machine using the multi-drum washing machine according to any embodiment of the present disclosure,
The washing machine obtains a corresponding washing drum selection command, calls a background control program for the washing drum, and sets a common input control element and / or output display element to operate one of the plurality of washing drums. A control method for a multi-drum washing machine is further provided, including uniquely corresponding to a program and serving as an input / output element of the plurality of washing drums.

As an option, when the background control program for the washing drum is called, only the input control element is used as an input element.

As an option, when the background control program for the washing drum is called, only the output control element is used as an output element.

In the multi-drum washing machine and the control method thereof according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, an input control element and an output display element are provided on the operation panel, and when used, the plurality of laundry drums are all or part of the input control element and the output display element. By selecting a specific washing drum, the corresponding washing program is called, the input control element and / or the output display element are associated with the washing program, and one of a plurality of washing drums is supported. Input and output. As a result, the operation and control of a plurality of washing drums can be integrated into a single control system, replacing the conventional simple hardware addition, and the input control unit and output of the operation panel of the multi-drum washing machine The number of display units is reduced, thereby simplifying the hardware structure of the operation panel, reducing the cost of the washing machine hardware, and contributing to the upgrade and maintenance of the later control system.

It is an outline lineblock diagram of a double drum washing machine concerning an example. It is a block diagram of the control system of the double drum washing machine which concerns on an Example. It is a 1st type block diagram of the operation panel of the double drum washing machine which concerns on an Example. It is a structure schematic diagram of the several input control element of the double drum washing machine which concerns on an Example. It is a structure schematic diagram of the some output display element of the double drum washing machine which concerns on an Example. It is a 2nd type block diagram of the operation panel of the double drum washing machine which concerns on an Example. It is a 3rd type block diagram of the operation panel of the double drum washing machine which concerns on an Example. It is a 4th type block diagram of the operation panel of the double drum washing machine concerning an example. It is the schematic diagram which the input control element which concerns on an Example, and the said output display element are located in the same button. It is a schematic diagram which shows the flow of the control method which concerns on the Example of this indication.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to optional embodiments and drawings. It will be understood that the optional embodiments described herein are only for interpreting the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. For convenience of explanation, only a part of the present disclosure is shown in the drawings. As long as there is no contradiction, the features in the embodiments can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

As shown in FIG. 1, an external configuration diagram of a double drum washing machine is shown. The washing machine has an upper drum 1 and a lower drum 2 mounted in the machine body, and a combination of two independent large and small washing drums is formed, and an operation panel 3 is provided. In actual production, the capacity of the upper drum 1 is normally made relatively small, generally 2 to 3 kg, and the capacity of the lower drum 2 is made relatively large, generally 6 to 8 kg. In this way, it contributes to lowering the position of the center of gravity of the entire washing machine. In operation, two independent laundry drums can operate separately or simultaneously, allowing the user to have two drum-type washing machines of different capacities at the same time, and more for the various laundry demands of the home Have a choice. For example, one or a small amount of clothing can be carefully washed with the upper drum, and large clothing such as sheets and comforter covers can be washed with the lower drum, and more importantly, two types of laundry Can be performed simultaneously, reducing the waiting time, and in terms of actual use effect, further saving time and saving energy.

Since the drum type washing machine is related to the control of two independent laundry drums, in order to realize input setting and status display for each laundry drum according to the user, the operation panel 3 is objectively connected to each drum. It is necessary to provide two sets of input control units and output display units corresponding to each. The control system of the double drum washing machine is configured as shown in FIG. 2, and the user selects and sets various washing parameters and programs via the operation panel, and the IC controller is connected to the operation panel so as to be communicable. Then, the parameter input from the operation panel is received, the selected program is input, and the command is transmitted to the drive circuit. The corresponding upper and lower drums are driven and operated by the drive circuit according to the command, and the corresponding IC controller transmits the corresponding drum operation state parameters to the operation panel in real time for the convenience of grasping the user's washing process. Display in real time.

About the control process of said double drum washing machine, the operation panel which concerns on the Example of this indication may adopt the composition shown in Drawings 3-5. The operation panel is divided into an input control unit 4, output display units 5 and 6, and a switching unit 7 by region. Here, the input control unit 4 is composed of six buttons such as “temperature”, “number of revolutions”, “washing”, “rinsing”, “reservation”, “washing”, etc. as the input control element 9. All input control elements in 4 are shared parts of the upper drum and the lower drum. The corresponding output display unit 5 is also composed of a plurality of output display elements 10, which are “temperature”, “rotational speed”, “washing”, “rinsing”, “reservation”, “washing” which are input control elements of the upper drum. Corresponds to the display of the parameter selected when. The output display unit 6 is also composed of a plurality of output display elements, and inputs “temperature”, “rotation speed”, “washing”, “rinsing”, “reservation”, and “washing” which are input control elements of the lower drum. Each corresponding to the display of the selected parameter. In operation, the corresponding upper drum or lower drum is selected by the selection of the switching unit 7, and as shown in FIG. 3, the upper drum is selected at this time. The shared input control element uniquely corresponds to the upper drum operation program, and the IC controller transmits the input parameters to the corresponding operation program. At this time, the shared control element 9 performs the upper drum control program. The output display units of the corresponding upper drum and lower drum are independent of each other. For example, as “the number of rotations”, the upper drum is 900 rpm and the lower drum is 1000 rpm, and as “washing”, the upper drum is 30 minutes and the lower drum is 20 minutes. You can see at a glance the real-time operating state of the washing machine.

Another option for the configuration of the operation panel is as shown in FIG. Here, the operation panel is divided into an input control unit 4 and an output display unit 5 for each region. In this example, the corresponding output display unit 5 includes a plurality of output display elements 10 and is a common output display element. There are two sets of input control units 4, each corresponding to an upper drum and a lower drum, and each set as an input control element 9 "temperature", "rotation" respectively corresponding to the input control elements of the upper and lower drum control programs It consists of six buttons such as “number”, “laundry”, “rinse”, “reservation”, and “wash”. During operation, the corresponding upper drum or lower drum is selected by the selection of the switching unit 7, and as shown in FIG. 6, the upper drum is selected at this time. The shared output display element uniquely corresponds to the operation program of the upper drum, and the IC controller outputs the real-time operation state parameter of the upper drum via the display element. The “temperature” of the upper drum shown in the figure is 60 ° C., the “rotation speed” is 800 rpm, the “washing” time is 30 minutes, and the “rinsing” frequency is 3 times. At this time, the inputs of the upper and lower drums are input via independent control elements.

The third type of configuration of the operation panel is as shown in FIG. Here, the operation panel is divided into an input control unit 4 and an output display unit 5 for each region. In this example, the corresponding output display unit 5 includes a plurality of output display elements 10 and is a common output display element. The input control unit 4 is composed of six buttons such as “temperature”, “number of revolutions”, “washing”, “rinsing”, “reservation”, “washing” as the input control element 9 and serves as a common output display element. . During operation, the corresponding upper drum or lower drum is selected by the selection of the switching unit 7, and as shown in FIG. 7, it is the upper drum that was selected at this time. Both the shared output display element and the shared input control element uniquely correspond to the upper drum operation program, and the IC controller outputs the real-time operation state parameter of the upper drum via the display element. The “temperature” of the upper drum shown in FIG. 6 is 60 ° C., the “rotation speed” is 800 rpm, the “washing” time is 30 minutes, and the “rinsing” frequency is 2. The advantage of the solution is that if only one set of common input control elements and output display elements are used, the input and output functions required to control the upper and lower drums can be satisfied.

Another advantage of the embodiments of the present disclosure is that for two or more independent laundry drums, there is no need to make major changes to these control systems, and only one set of independent systems is maintained during maintenance. Just do it. This has real implications for late software updates of the product, for example, the ever-increasing needs of users over the Internet today.

Since there is only one set of control systems in the entire operation panel, one power switch 8 may be installed independently as a switch for controlling power sources collectively. The corresponding switching unit 7 may be configured in various shapes, and may be switched with a single button in addition to a regular double button, and as an option, selection and switching may be performed using a knob instead.

FIG. 8 shows a fourth type of possible selection that the operation panel constitutes. As shown in FIG. 8, the knob may be a selection / switching switch, the rotation direction may be an input control element, and the program menus on both sides may be output display elements. The corresponding input control element and output display element are both shared, and are directed to one washing drum for each switch for selection. As shown in the figure, this is used as the output of the lower drum. The

In actual use, there is another embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the corresponding input control element and output display element are provided on the same button, and are used for input and also used for status output. As shown in the figure, at this time, the “chemical fiber” washing program is selected, and when the “chemical fiber” washing program is selected, the corresponding “chemical fiber” button is simultaneously turned on, and the state is output.

FIG. 10 schematically shows a flow of a control method applied to the washing machine, and includes the following steps when the washing machine is operated. In S110, the washing machine acquires a corresponding washing drum selection command. In S120, the laundry drum background control program is called, and the shared input control element and / or output display element is uniquely associated with one operation program of the plurality of laundry drums, and the plurality of laundry drums One input element or output element.

Of course, as an optional form of program execution, according to the configuration of the operation panel, when the background control program for the washing drum is called, only the input control element may be set as the input element. When the background control program for the washing drum is called, only the output control element may be set as an output element.

What has been described above is merely an optional example of the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. For those skilled in the art, the present disclosure is capable of various modifications and variations in the optional embodiment.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a multi-drum washing machine and a control method thereof, achieve the integration of operation and control of a plurality of washing drums in a set of control systems, and add conventional simple hardware addition Instead, by reducing the number of input control units and output display units of the operation panel of the multi-drum washing machine, the hardware structure of the operation panel is simplified, and the cost of the washing machine hardware is reduced. It contributes to the upgrade and maintenance of the control system of the latter period.

1 Upper drum 2 Lower drum 3 Operation panel 4 Input control units 5 and 6 Output display unit 7 Switching unit 8 Power switch 9 Input control element 10 Output display element

Claims (12)

A multi-drum washing machine comprising at least two independent washing drums, one operation panel, one integrated circuit IC controller, and one drive circuit board,
The operation panel has a plurality of input control elements and a plurality of output display elements, the input control elements are used to input washing parameters, and the output display elements are used to display the status of the washing process,
The IC controller and the drive circuit board are connected to the operation panel and control the operation of the washing drum.  The plurality of laundry drums share a part or all of the input control element and the output display element, and select one of the plurality of laundry drums during operation, so that the common input control element and / or The multi-drum according to claim 1, wherein the output display element is uniquely associated with an operation program of one of the plurality of laundry drums and is used as one input element or output element of the plurality of laundry drums. Washing machine.  The multi-drum washing machine according to claim 2, wherein a switch for selection for designating one of a plurality of washing drums is provided on the operation panel.  The multi-drum washing machine according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of washing drums has an independent output display element, and only the input control element is shared.  The multi-drum washing machine according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of washing drums has an independent input control element, and only the output display element is shared.  The multi-drum washing machine according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of washing drums share the input control element and the output display element.  The multi-drum washing machine according to claim 3, wherein the switch is a button or a knob.  The multi-drum washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the operation panel includes one power switch as a switch for collectively controlling power.  The multi-drum washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the input control element and the output display element are on the same button. A control method of a multi-drum washing machine using the multi-drum washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The washing machine obtains the corresponding washing drum selection command,
The laundry drum background control program is called, and the common input control element and / or output display element is uniquely associated with one operation program of the plurality of laundry drums, and one of the plurality of laundry drums is selected. And a method for controlling a multi-drum washing machine.  The method for controlling a multi-drum washing machine according to claim 10, wherein only the input control element is used as an input element when a background control program for the washing drum is called.  The method for controlling a multi-drum washing machine according to claim 10, wherein when the background control program for the washing drum is called, only the output control element is used as an output element.