JP2023156826A - washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a washing machine capable of reducing an operation time.SOLUTION: A washing machine of an embodiment has a water tank, a rotary tub, a motor, a detector, and a controller. The rotary tub is disposed in the water tank and stores clothing. The motor drives and rotates the rotary tub. The detector detects a value relating to the water tank or the rotary tub. The controller rotates the rotary tub according to a prescribed reference, subsequently stops the rotary tub, conducts a disentanglement operation, subsequently conducts a dewatering operation to rotate the rotary tub while supplying warm air into the rotary tub in a first state in which a detection result of the detector satisfies a prescribed condition during a prescribed dewatering operation. The controller conducts the dewatering operation to rotate the rotary tub while supplying the warm air into the rotary tub after the prescribed dewatering operation without stopping the rotary tub in a second state in which the detection result of the detector does not satisfy the prescribed condition during the prescribed dewatering operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to washing machines.

2. Description of the Related Art A washing machine capable of performing preheat dehydration in which dehydration is performed while supplying hot air into a rotating tub is known. Incidentally, it is expected that the operating time of washing machines will be further shortened.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-98033

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a washing machine that can reduce operating time.

The washing machine of the embodiment includes a water tank, a rotating tank, a motor, a detection section, and a control section. The rotating tank is disposed within the water tank and stores clothing therein. The motor rotates the rotating tank. The detection unit detects a value related to the water tank or the rotating tank. If the detection result of the detection unit is a first state that satisfies a predetermined condition during execution of a predetermined dehydration operation, the control unit rotates the rotation tank according to a predetermined standard and then stops the rotation tank, A loosening operation is performed, and then a dehydration operation is performed in which the rotary tank is rotated while supplying warm air into the rotary tank, and the detection result of the detection unit satisfies the predetermined condition while performing the predetermined dehydration operation. In the second state where the rotary tank is not stopped, the predetermined dewatering operation is followed by a dewatering operation in which the rotary tank is rotated while supplying warm air into the rotary tank.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the overall configuration of a washer/dryer according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a part of a drive system of a drive motor according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a control device according to an embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the flow of the washing drying operation of embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the start-up operation of the dehydration process of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the maximum rotation speed in the dehydration process of the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the flow of operations when there is an imbalance greater than or equal to a predetermined standard in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the flow of operation when there is no imbalance greater than a predetermined standard in the embodiment. 1 is a flowchart showing the process flow of the washer/dryer according to the embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the flow of the washing drying operation of the modification of embodiment.

Hereinafter, a washing machine according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals. Further, redundant explanations of these configurations may be omitted. "Based on XX" means "based on at least XX" and may include cases where it is based on another element in addition to XX. "Based on XX" is not limited to cases in which XX is used directly, but may also include cases in which calculations and processing have been performed on XX. "XX or YY" is not limited to either XX or YY, but may include both XX and YY. This also applies when there are three or more selective elements. "XX" and "YY" are arbitrary elements (for example, arbitrary information). In this application, the term "washing machine" may also include a washer/dryer having a drying function. In this application, "number of rotations" means the number of rotations per unit time. That is, "rotational speed" is used in a meaning equivalent to "rotational speed."

<1. Overall configuration of washer/dryer>
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the overall configuration of a washer/dryer 100 according to an embodiment. The washing/drying machine 100 is, for example, a vertical washing/drying machine. However, the washer/dryer 100 is not limited to a vertical type washer/dryer, but may be a drum type washer/dryer.

The washer/dryer 100 includes, for example, a housing (outer box) 1, a lid 2, a water tank (outer tank) 3, a hanging rod 4, a rotating tank (washing tank) 5, a top cover 6, a balance ring 7, an agitator 8, It includes a drive motor 9, a drive circuit 10, a clutch mechanism 11, a drain hose 12, a drain valve 13, a switching motor 14, an operation panel 16, a water supply valve 18, a water level sensor 19, a drying unit 20, a duct 21, and a control device 50. .

The housing (outer box) 1 includes a bottom wall, a top wall, a front wall, a rear wall, and left and right side walls. The housing 1 forms the appearance of the washer/dryer 100. A lid 2 is attached to the housing 1 so as to be openable and closable. The water tank 3 is placed inside the housing 1 . The bottom of the water tank 3 is closed. The water tank 3 is a cylindrical container with an open top. A drain port 3a is provided at the bottom of the water tank 3. The water tank 3 is elastically supported by being suspended via a vibration isolator mainly composed of hanging rods 4 provided at the four inner corners of the housing 1 and a coil spring (not shown). There is.

The rotating tub 5 serves both as a washing tub and a dehydration tub. The rotating tank 5 is arranged inside the water tank 3 and stores clothes (laundry). Clothes are taken in and out of the rotating tub 5 through an entrance in the top cover 6 of the housing 1. The bottom of the rotating tank 5 is closed. The rotating tank 5 has a cylindrical container shape with an open top. A plurality of dehydration holes 5a are provided in the peripheral wall of the rotating tank 5. The balance ring 7 is attached to the upper end of the rotating tank 5.

Here, the water tank 3 vibrates as the rotating tank 5 vibrates. The water tank 3 is provided with one or more (for example, a plurality of) acceleration sensors 61 that detect vibrations of the water tank 3. In this embodiment, the water tank 3 is provided with two acceleration sensors 61 (a first acceleration sensor 61A and a second acceleration sensor 61B). The first acceleration sensor 61A is provided at the upper end of the water tank 3 and detects vibrations at the upper end of the water tank 3. The second acceleration sensor 61B is provided at the lower end of the water tank 3 and detects vibrations at the lower end of the water tank 3. Note that the acceleration sensor 61 is not limited to being provided directly on the water tank 3, but may be provided on a separate member connected to the water tank 3. Further, instead of/in addition to the acceleration sensor 61, another sensor that detects vibrations of the water tank 3 or the rotating tank 5 may be provided. The acceleration sensor 61 is an example of a "sensor".

The stirring body 8 is rotatably provided at the bottom of the rotating tank 5. The stirring body 8 generates a water flow within the rotating tank 5 during a washing operation or a rinsing operation. By controlling the rotation of the agitator 8, the water flow within the rotating tank 5 can be changed.

The drive motor 9 is a motor that rotates the rotating tank 5 . The drive motor 9 is provided below the water tank 3. A drive circuit 10 that supplies current to the drive motor 9 is connected to the drive motor 9 . The drive motor 9 rotates in accordance with the current supplied from the drive circuit 10 under the control of a control device 50 which will be described later.

The clutch mechanism 11 is provided below the water tank 3. The clutch mechanism 11 is capable of switching between a state in which only the stirring body 8 is rotated by the drive motor 9 and a state in which the stirring body 8 and the rotating tank 5 are rotated integrally by the drive motor 9.

Drain hose 12 is connected to drain port 3a via drain valve 13. When the drain valve 13 is opened, the water stored in the rotary tank 5 and the water tank 3 is discharged to the outside of the washer/dryer 100 through the drain hose 12.

The switching motor 14 switches the states of the clutch mechanism 11 and the drain valve 13 in conjunction with each other. For example, when the switching motor 14 opens the drain valve 13, the switching motor 14 switches the clutch mechanism 11 to a state where the drive motor 9 rotates the stirring body 8 and the rotating tank 5 integrally. On the other hand, when the switching motor 14 closes the drain valve 13, the clutch mechanism 11 is switched to a state where only the stirring body 8 is independently rotated by the drive motor 9. Note that the washer/dryer 100 may include an electromagnetic solenoid instead of the switching motor 14, and use the electromagnetic solenoid to switch the states of the clutch mechanism 11 and the drain valve 13 in conjunction with each other.

The operation panel 16 is provided on the upper surface of the top cover 6. The operation panel 16 includes a display section 16a and an operation input section 16b. For example, the display section 16a and the operation input section 16b are a panel including buttons that can be pressed by the user and a display device, or a touch panel that can be operated by the user.

The water supply valve 18 is connected to a water supply hose (not shown) connected to a water faucet. When the water supply valve 18 is switched from a closed state to an open state, tap water is supplied into the rotary tank 5 and further into the water tank 3 through a water inlet (not shown). The water level sensor 19 is provided in the water tank 3. The water level sensor 19 detects the water level in the water tank 3.

The drying unit 20 warms the air flowing through a duct 21 provided in the housing 1 to make it dry air (warm air), and supplies the warm air into the rotating tub 5 to dry the clothes in the rotating tub 5. let The drying unit 20 includes, for example, a blower 20a and a heater 20b. The blower 20a causes air to flow into the duct 21 by rotating. The heater 20b increases the temperature of the air flowing into the duct 21. Note that the drying unit 20 may include a heat pump instead of the heater 20b.

<2. Electric circuit configuration of motor drive system>
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a part of the drive system of the drive motor 9. As shown in FIG. The inverter circuit 132 is configured by connecting six IGBTs (semiconductor switching elements) 133a to 133f in a three-phase bridge, and flywheel diodes 134a to 134f are connected between the collector and emitter of each IGBT 133a to 133f. ing. The emitters of the IGBTs 133d, 133e, and 133f on the lower arm side are connected to ground via shunt resistors 135u, 135v, and 135w. Connection points between the emitters of IGBTs 133d, 133e, and 133f and shunt resistors 135u, 135v, and 135w are connected to control circuit 111c via level shift circuits 136, respectively. In this embodiment, an example of the current flowing through the current sensor 62 (see FIG. 3) is configured by the combination of the shunt resistors 135u, 135v, and 135w and the level shift circuit 136.

The level shift circuit 136 includes an operational amplifier and the like, generates a signal by amplifying the terminal voltages of the shunt resistors 135u, 135v, and 135w, and applies a bias so that the output range of the generated signal is on the positive side. The overcurrent comparison circuit 138 detects an overcurrent when the upper and lower arms of the inverter circuit 132 are short-circuited.

A driving power supply circuit 139 is connected to the input side of the inverter circuit 132. The driving power supply circuit 139 performs voltage doubler full-wave rectification on a 100V AC power supply 140 using a full-wave rectifier circuit 141 configured with a diode bridge and two series-connected capacitors 142a and 142b, and converts the DC voltage into an inverter circuit. 132. Each phase output terminal of the inverter circuit 132 is connected to each phase winding 9u, 9v, 9w of the drive motor 9.

The control circuit 111c operates using the power supply 145 as a power supply, and performs PWM (Pulse Wide Modulation) control on the six IGBTs 133a to 133f via the drive circuit 144 and the high voltage driver circuit 146. The drive circuit 144 operates using the power supply 143 as a power supply, converts the drive signal output by the control circuit 111c into a drive signal with increased voltage, and applies the drive signal to the gates of the IGBTs 133d, 133e, and 133f on the lower arm side. The high-voltage driver circuit 146 converts the output of the drive circuit 144 into a voltage higher than the voltage doubler full-wave rectified voltage, and applies it to the gates of the IGBTs 133a, 133b, and 133c on the upper arm side. An output signal from a rotor position sensor 161 provided in the drive motor 9 is input to the control circuit 111c. The control circuit 111c generates a drive signal for driving the drive motor 9 based on the output signal of the rotor position sensor 161. The control circuit 111c is provided, for example, as a part of a motor control section 111, which will be described later.

The control circuit 111c detects three-phase currents Iau to Iaw flowing through the windings 9u to 9w of the drive motor 9 obtained via the level shift circuit 136, and adjusts the phase of the rotating magnetic field on the secondary side based on the detected current values. In addition to estimating θ and rotational angular velocity ω, the three-phase currents Iau to Iaw are transformed into orthogonal coordinates and dq (direct-quadrature) coordinates to obtain an excitation current component Id and a torque current component Iq (hereinafter referred to as "q-axis current"). Calculate. The q-axis current is a current component that increases in proportion to the motor torque acting on the drive motor 9. The q-axis current is an example of a "torque current." However, the "torque current" in this specification is not limited to the q-axis current, and may be any current that increases depending on the load of the motor.

<3. Control device configuration>
Next, the control device 50 will be explained. The control device 50 is mainly composed of a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The control device 50 comprehensively controls the entire washer/dryer 100 and executes a washing operation including a washing operation, a rinsing operation, and a spin-drying operation by the washer/dryer 100, and a subsequent drying operation (drying operation). do.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 50. In addition to the acceleration sensor 61 described above, a current sensor 62 is connected to the control device 50 . Current sensor 62 measures the current flowing through drive motor 9. In FIG. 3, for convenience of explanation, the current sensor 62 and the motor control section 111 are shown separately. However, the current sensor 62 may be included in the motor control section 111.

The control device 50 includes, for example, a vibration detection section 51, a weight determination section (cloth amount determination section) 52, a fabric quality determination section 53, a dehydration operation determination section 54, a control section 55, a motor control section 111, and a storage section 59. . All or part of these functional units are realized by a hardware processor such as a CPU executing a program (software). However, all or part of these functional units may be implemented using hardware (including circuitry) such as ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), PLD (Programmable Logic Device), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or discrete circuits. It may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The motor control section 111 may be provided as part of the control section 55. The storage unit 59 is realized by one or a combination of RAM, ROM, and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM).

<Vibration detection section>
The vibration detection unit 51 detects a value related to the vibration of the water tank 3 or the rotating tank 5 (hereinafter referred to as a "vibration index value"). The vibration index value is, for example, a vibration index value based on the magnitude of the q-axis current calculated by the control circuit 111c (hereinafter referred to as "q-axis current index value") and the acceleration detected by the first acceleration sensor 61A. A vibration index value based on the magnitude (hereinafter referred to as "first acceleration index value") and a vibration index value (hereinafter referred to as "second acceleration index value") based on the magnitude of the acceleration detected by the second acceleration sensor 61B. ) and a vibration index value based on the combination of the magnitude of the acceleration detected by the first acceleration sensor 61A and the magnitude of the acceleration detected by the second acceleration sensor 61B (hereinafter referred to as "combined acceleration index value"). Contains one or more of these. Each of the q-axis current index value, first acceleration index value, second acceleration index value, and combined acceleration index value may be the magnitude of the q-axis current or the magnitude of acceleration itself, or may be the magnitude of the q-axis current or the magnitude of acceleration. It may be a value obtained by performing a preset arithmetic process (for example, a calculation to obtain an average value or an integral value) on the value. The vibration detection unit 51 is an example of a “detection unit”. The vibration detection value is an example of a "detection result by the detection unit."

<Weight determination section>
The weight determination unit 52 determines the weight (cloth amount) of the clothes stored in the rotating tub 5 . The weight determination unit 52 determines the weight of the clothing, for example, by utilizing the fact that the amount of load on the drive motor 9 changes depending on the weight of the clothing. For example, the weight determination unit 52 rotates the stirring body 8 with the drive motor 9 with the clothes stored in the rotation tank 5 before water is supplied to the water tank 3, and determines the magnitude of the torque current flowing through the drive motor 9 (for example, q The weight of the clothing is determined based on the current value of the axial current.

<Fabric quality determination section>
The fabric quality determination unit 53 determines the fabric quality of the clothing stored in the rotating tub 5. The cloth quality determination unit 53 determines the cloth quality by utilizing, for example, the fact that the load amount of the drive motor 9 changes due to the difference in water absorbency depending on the cloth quality. The fabric quality determination unit 53 determines the fabric quality by determining whether the laundry is mainly cotton-based laundry or chemical fiber-based laundry, for example. The fabric quality determining unit 53 determines, for example, (1) the average value (or integral value) of the q-axis current while the rotating tub 5 is rotating at a constant speed during the washing operation, and (2) the average value (or integral value) of the q-axis current while the rotating tub 5 is rotating at a constant speed during the washing operation. The fabric quality is determined by a combination of two indicators, which are the average value of the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the q-axis current during one rotation.

<Dehydration operation determination section>
The dewatering operation determining section 54 makes a determination regarding how to proceed with the dehydrating operation based on the vibration index value detected by the vibration detecting section 51 and a preset threshold value. In the present embodiment, the dewatering operation determination unit 54 determines how to proceed with the dewatering operation, the number of rotations reached (maximum number of rotations allowed) of the rotary tank 5 in redoing the dehydration operation or the dehydration operation, and the method of transition to preheat dehydration. Determine about. The dehydration operation determination unit 54 is an example of a “determination unit”. The processing of the dehydration operation determining section 54 will be described in detail later.

<Control unit>
The control unit 55 controls the washer/dryer 100 as a whole. For example, the control unit 55 controls the spin-drying operation of the washer/dryer 100 based on the determination result of the spin-drying operation determining unit 54. For example, the control unit 55 controls the rotation of the rotating tank 5 by controlling the drive motor 9 via the motor control unit 111.

<Storage section>
The storage unit 59 stores threshold information 59a. The threshold information 59a includes thresholds T1 to T5, which will be described later.

<4. Rotation control of rotating tank>
<4.1 Flow of washing/drying operation>
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of washing and drying operation. In the example shown in FIG. 4, for convenience of explanation, the "final dehydration process" and the "preheat dehydration process" will be explained separately. The washing/drying operation includes, for example, "Weight Judgment 1", "Fabric Quality Judgment 1", "Washing Process", "Spinning Process 1", "Shower Rinse Process", "Spinning Process 2", "Pre-rinsing Process", " The process includes, in this order, the final dehydration process, the loosening process 1, the weight determination 2, the fabric quality determination 2, the preheat dehydration process, the loosening process 2, and the drying process. Hereinafter, the "shower rinsing process" and the "pre-rinsing process" will be collectively referred to as the "rinsing process."

"Weight determination 1" is an operation for determining the weight (cloth amount) of clothing for the washing process and the rinsing process. Weight determination 1 is performed, for example, by rotating the stirring body 8 with the drive motor 9 with clothes stored in the rotating tank 5 before water is supplied to the water tank 3, and determining the magnitude of the torque current flowing through the drive motor 9 (for example, the q-axis This is performed by the weight determination unit 52 based on the current value (current value). The amount of water supplied in the washing process and the rinsing process is determined based on the weight of the clothing determined in "Weight Determination 1".

"Cloth quality determination 1" is an operation for determining the cloth quality of clothing for the washing process and the rinsing process. “Fabric quality determination 1” is executed, for example, during the “washing process”. For example, the rotation tank 5 is rotated in a state where water is supplied to the rotation tank 5, and the fabric quality detection unit 53 performs this determination based on the average value of the q-axis current flowing through the drive motor 9. The details of control of the motor 9 in the washing process and the rinsing process are determined based on the fabric quality of the clothing determined in "fabric quality determination 1".

The "washing process" is a process including detergent injection, water supply, rotation of the agitator 8 (washing operation), and drainage. "Dehydration step 1" is a step after the "washing step" and before the "shower rinsing step" in which the rotary tub 5 is rotated to remove some water from the clothes. The "shower rinsing process" is a rinsing process in which the agitator 8 or the rotary tank 5 is rotated while simultaneously supplying and draining water (that is, while pouring water). "Dehydration step 2" is a step after the "shower rinsing step" and before the "pre-rinsing step" in which the rotary tub 5 is rotated to remove some water from the clothes. The "rinsing process" is a rinsing process in which the agitator 8 or the rotary tank 5 is rotated while water is stored in the water tank 3.

The "final dehydration step" is a step after the "pre-rinsing step" and before the "preheat dehydration step" in which the rotary tank 5 is rotated to dehydrate the clothes. "Loosening process 1" is performed after the "final dehydration process" and before the "preheat dehydration process". The "loosening process 1" is a process in which the stirring body 8 is rotated by the drive motor 9 to loosen the clothes in the rotating tub 5. The loosening operation includes, for example, rotating the agitator 8 to peel off clothing stuck to the inner surface of the rotating tub 5.

"Weight determination 2" is an operation for re-detecting the weight (cloth amount) of clothing for the drying process. Weight determination 2 is performed after the "final dehydration step" (more specifically, after the "loosening step 1") and before the "preheat dehydration step". Weight determination 2 is performed, for example, by rotating the stirring body 8 with the drive motor 9 while the clothes are housed in the rotating tank 5, and based on the magnitude of the torque current flowing through the drive motor 9 (for example, the current value of the q-axis current). This is performed by the weight determination section 52. For example, weight determination 2 differs from gravity determination 1 in the index values used for determination. The control details of the drying unit 20 and the drive motor 9 in the drying process are determined based on the weight of the clothing determined by "weight determination 2".

"Cloth quality determination 2" is an operation to re-detect the cloth quality of clothing for the drying process. Fabric quality determination 2 is performed after the "final dehydration process" (more specifically, after the "loosening process 1") and before the "preheat dehydration process". Fabric quality determination 2 is performed, for example, when the stirring body 8 or the rotating tub 5 is rotated by the drive motor 9 with clothing stored in the rotating tub 5, and the fabric quality is determined based on the average value of the q-axis current flowing through the driving motor 9. This is performed by the determination unit 53. For example, cloth quality determination 2 differs from cloth quality determination 1 in the index values used for the determination. The control details of the drying unit 20 and the drive motor 9 in the drying process are determined based on the fabric quality of the clothing determined by "fabric quality determination 2".

The "preheat dehydration process" is a dehydration process performed before the drying process. The preheat dehydration process is a dehydration process in which the drying unit 20 supplies hot air into the rotary tank 5 through the duct 21 while rotating the rotary tank 5 to remove as much water as possible from the clothes. The implementation time of the preheat dehydration step is, for example, longer than the implementation time of dehydration step 1, dehydration step 2, or final dehydration.

The "loosening process 2" is a process in which, like the "loosening process 1", the stirring body 8 is rotated by the drive motor 9 to loosen the clothes in the rotating tub 5. The "loosening process 1" is performed after the "preheat dehydration process" and before the "drying process". The "drying process" is a process in which the drying unit 20 supplies hot air into the rotating tub 5 through the duct 21 to dry the clothes in the rotating tub 5.

<4.2 Control of dehydration process>
Next, the relationship between the dehydration process and the determination regarding the detection result of the vibration detection unit 51 will be explained. The contents described below are basically the same for dehydration step 1, dehydration step 2, final dehydration, and preheat dehydration step.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the start-up operation of the dehydration process. At the start of the dehydration process, the rotation speed of the rotary tank 5 is increased in a stepwise manner, and a determination operation using a threshold value is performed at a plurality of rotation speeds (multiple speeds). For example, the control unit 55 first increases the rotation speed of the rotating tank 5 to the first rotation speed R1, and then fixes the rotation speed of the rotating tank 5 to the first rotation speed R1 for a certain period of time. After the state of the washer/dryer 100 is stabilized, the spin-drying operation determination section 54 performs the following operations based on the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection section 51 and the threshold value T1 set corresponding to the first rotation speed R1. A first determination J1 regarding how to proceed with the dehydration operation is performed.

For example, when the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection unit 51 in the first determination J1 exceeds the threshold T1, the dehydration operation determination unit 54 determines that the imbalance of the clothing is outside the permissible range. "Unbalance" means an unbalanced load state due to unbalanced clothing present in the rotating tub 5. In this case, the control unit 55 performs a retry operation to restart the dehydration process. The retry operation is an operation in which the rotation of the rotating tub 5 is stopped, water is supplied into the water tank 3, the rotating tub 5 is rotated, and the clothing is moved, thereby attempting to resolve the Allan balance of the clothing. If a retry operation is performed, the dehydration process is restarted from the beginning (ie, from the first determination J1 at a low rotation speed).

On the other hand, when the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection section 51 in the first determination J1 is equal to or less than the threshold value T1, the dehydration operation determining section 54 determines that the imbalance of the clothing is within the permissible range. In this case, the control unit 55 increases the rotation speed of the rotating tank 5 to a second rotation speed R2 higher than the first rotation speed R1, and then increases the rotation speed of the rotating tank 5 to the second rotation speed for a certain period of time. Fix it to R2. After the state of the washer/dryer 100 is stabilized, the dewatering operation determination section 54 determines the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection section 51 at the second rotation speed R2 and the vibration index value set corresponding to the second rotation speed R2. Based on the threshold value T2, a second determination J2 regarding how to proceed with the dehydration operation is performed.

The content of the second determination J2 is similar to the content of the first determination J1. That is, when the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection section 51 at the second rotation speed R2 exceeds the second threshold T2, the dehydration operation determination section 54 determines that the unbalance of the clothing is outside the permissible range. In this case, the control unit 55 performs a retry operation and starts the dehydration process from the beginning. On the other hand, when the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection section 51 at the second rotation speed R2 is less than or equal to the threshold T2, the dehydration operation determination section 54 determines that the imbalance of the clothing is within the permissible range. In this case, the control unit 55 increases the rotation speed of the rotating tank 5 to a third rotation speed R3 higher than the second rotation speed R2. Then, a third determination J3 using the third threshold T3 is performed at the third rotation speed R3.

Thereafter, similarly, if the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection unit 51 at the third rotation speed R3 is equal to or lower than the threshold T3, then the fourth threshold T4 is set at the fourth rotation speed R4, which is faster than the third rotation speed R3. A fourth determination J4 using . If the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection unit 51 at the fourth rotation speed R4 is equal to or lower than the threshold T4 in the fourth determination J4, then the fifth threshold T5 is applied at the fifth rotation speed R5, which is higher than the fourth rotation speed R4. A fifth determination J5 using .

Here, the content of the third determination J3 is, for example, a determination as to whether a retry operation is necessary, similar to the first determination J1 or the second determination J2. On the other hand, the fourth determination J4 and the fifth determination J5 are determinations for determining the rotational speed (maximum allowable rotational speed) to be achieved in the dehydration process being performed.

For example, in the fourth determination J4, if the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection unit 51 at the fourth rotation speed R4 exceeds the threshold T4, the dehydration operation determination unit 54 determines that the unbalance of the clothing is outside the allowable range. do. In this case, the control unit 55 stops increasing the rotational speed of the rotating tank 5 beyond the fourth rotational speed R4. That is, the maximum rotation speed in the dehydration process is fixed at the fourth rotation speed R4, which is lower than the target rotation speed RM. On the other hand, if the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection unit 51 at the fourth rotation speed R4 is equal to or less than the threshold T4 in the fourth determination J4, the dehydration operation determination unit 54 determines that the unbalance of the clothing is within the permissible range. do. In this case, the control unit 55 increases the rotation speed of the rotating tank 5 beyond the fourth rotation speed R4 to the fifth rotation speed R5.

Then, in the fifth determination J5, when the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection unit 51 at the fifth rotation speed R5 exceeds the threshold value T5, the dehydration operation determination unit 54 determines that the unbalance of the clothing is outside the permissible range. do. In this case, the control unit 55 stops increasing the rotation speed of the rotary tank 5 beyond the fifth rotation speed R5. That is, the maximum rotation speed in the dehydration process is fixed at the fifth rotation speed R5, which is lower than the target rotation speed RM. On the other hand, if the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection unit 51 at the fifth rotation speed R5 is equal to or less than the threshold T5 in the fifth determination J5, the dehydration operation determination unit 54 determines that the imbalance of the clothing is within the allowable range. do. In this case, the control unit 55 increases the rotation speed of the rotating tank 5 to the target rotation speed RM beyond the fifth rotation speed R5. In this case, the target rotation speed RM becomes the maximum rotation speed in the dehydration operation.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the maximum rotational speed of the rotating tank 5 in the dehydration process 1, the dehydration process 2, and the preheat dehydration process. As described above, at the start of the dehydration process, the rotational speed of the rotating tank 5 is increased in a stepwise manner. Therefore, in each dehydration process, the maximum rotation speed differs depending on the size of the imbalance within the rotating tank 5.

<4.3 Special control to reduce time>
Next, special control for time reduction will be explained.

(If there is an imbalance greater than the specified standard)
FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the flow of operations when there is an imbalance greater than a predetermined standard. In the present embodiment, the control unit 55 controls the vibration index detected by the vibration detection unit 51 in determining unbalance in the final dehydration process (for example, in the fourth or fifth determination J4 or J5). If the value exceeds a predetermined threshold (for example, thresholds T4 and T5), it is determined that the first state is present. The fact that the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection unit 51 exceeds the threshold values T4 and T5 is an example of “a case where the detection result of the detection unit satisfies a predetermined condition”.

In one example, in the final dehydration process, the third determination J3 may also be used as a determination for determining the maximum rotation speed, rather than a determination for a retry operation. In addition, in order to detect unbalance at a lower rotation speed in the step-like start-up of the dewatering operation, the threshold values T3 to T5 used in the third to fifth determinations J3 to J5 are set to It may be set smaller than the thresholds T3 to T5 used in step 2.

When determining that the first state is present, the control unit 55 sets the maximum rotation speed of the rotating tank 5 in the final dewatering process to a low value. For example, the control unit 55 fixes the maximum rotation speed of the rotating tank 5 to a rotation speed Ra lower than the rotation speed R4. The rotational speed Ra is, for example, low enough to prevent clothing from sticking to the inner surface of the rotating tub 5. The rotation speed Ra is, for example, a rotation speed lower than the lowest rotation speed R4 fixed in the dehydration process 1 or the dehydration process 2. The rotation speed Ra is, for example, a lower rotation speed than the rotation speed R3. The rotation speed Ra is an example of a "second rotation speed."

The rotation speed Ra may be a fixed value or may be changed based on the weight of the clothing determined in the weight determination 1 or the fabric quality determined in the fabric quality determination 1. The final dehydration process is an example of a "predetermined dehydration process." Performing the final dewatering process at the rotation speed Ra is an example of "rotating the rotating tank according to a predetermined standard".

Further, when determining that the first state is present, the control unit 55 performs the final dehydration process for a shorter time than the predetermined time, and ends the final dehydration process early. The "predetermined time" is, for example, "the time required to reach the dehydration rate reached at a normal rotation speed." The "normal rotation speed" may be defined as the target rotation speed RM, or may be defined as the rotation speed R5 or the rotation speed R4. Here, when performing the dehydration process at the rotation speed Ra, in order to reach the same dehydration rate as when performing the dehydration process at the "normal rotation speed", it is necessary to compare the dehydration process with the "normal rotation speed". It is necessary to carry out the dehydration process for a long time. However, in the present embodiment, when determining that the control unit 55 is in the first state, the control unit 55 does not aim for the same dehydration rate as when performing the dehydration process at the "normal rotation speed", but accelerates the dehydration rate even if the dehydration rate is low. The final dehydration process is completed. This prevents the inefficient dehydration process from being carried out over a long period of time in situations where there is an unbalance greater than a predetermined standard, and performs the loosening process 1 early to reduce the unbalance and preheat quickly. You can start the dehydration process.

Note that the "predetermined time" is not limited to the above example. For example, the "predetermined time" may be the time during which the dehydration process is performed at the target rotation speed RM when the second state is determined, or the time during which the dehydration process is performed at the rotation speed R5 or R4 when the second state is determined. It may also be the time when In this case as well, in situations where there is an unbalance exceeding a predetermined standard, the inefficient dehydration process is prevented from being performed for a long time, and the loosening process 1 is performed early to reduce the unbalance and then quickly dehydrated. You can enter the preheat dehydration process.

Further, when determining that the first state is present, the control unit 55 stops the rotating tank 5 after the final dehydration process, performs the loosening process 1, and then performs the preheat dehydration process. That is, if there is an imbalance greater than a predetermined standard, the control unit separately performs the "final dehydration process" and the "preheat dehydration process." In other words, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the control unit 55 performs the "final dehydration process", "loosening process 1", "weight determination 2", "fabric quality determination 2", "preheat dehydration process", and "loosening process". Step 2" and "drying step" are performed in this order.

Further, when determining that the control unit 55 is in the first state, after the preheat dehydration process, the control unit 55 performs a loosening operation for a first time T1 as a loosening process 2.

(If there is no imbalance greater than the specified standard)
FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the flow of operation when there is no imbalance greater than a predetermined standard. In this embodiment, the control unit 55 prevents the vibration index value detected by the vibration detection unit 51 from exceeding the threshold values T1 to T5 in all of the first to fifth determinations J1 to J5 in the final dehydration process. If not, it is determined that the second state is present.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 55 determines that the second state is present, the control unit 55 starts air drying from the middle of the final dehydration process (for example, at the time when the second state is determined). That is, the control unit 55 drives the blower 20a of the drying unit 20 during the final dewatering process, and performs the dewatering operation while supplying air from the blower 20a into the rotary tank 5.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 55 determines that it is in the second state, the preheat dehydration process is performed following the final dehydration process without stopping the rotating tank 5 after the final dehydration process. That is, the drying unit 20 starts supplying hot air into the rotary tank 5 while performing the dehydration operation of the final dehydration step, and the final dehydration step is directly transferred to the preheat dehydration step. In this case, "loosening process 1", "weight determination 2", and "fabric quality determination 2" are not performed between the "final dehydration process" and the "preheat dehydration process". The control unit _ performs a preheat dehydration process and a drying process based on the weight determined by the weight determination 1 and the fabric quality determined by the fabric quality determination 1.

When determining that it is in the second state, the control unit 55 performs the final dehydration process and the subsequent preheat dehydration process at the rotation speed RM, which is the maximum rotation speed of the dehydration operation. The rotation speed RM is an example of a "first rotation speed."

If the control unit 55 determines that it is in the second state, it performs a loosening operation for a second time T2 as a loosening step after the preheat dehydration step. The second time T2 is longer than the first time T1 described above. That is, since the loosening step 1 is omitted, the loosening step is performed for a longer time after the preheat dehydration step, so that the clothes can be moved to the drying step in a sufficiently loosened state.

<4.4 Special control when the weight of clothing is small>
In the present embodiment, when the weight of the clothes in the rotating tub 5 (for example, the weight determined by weight determination 1) is less than or equal to a preset threshold value, the controller 55 controls the rotating tub even when the clothes are in the first state. A preheat dehydration process is performed following the final dehydration process without stopping Step 5. "Even if it is in the first state" is not limited to the case where it is determined to be in the first state, it is not necessary to determine whether it is in the first state or the second state, and the weight of the clothing is not limited to the case where it is determined to be the first state. It is sufficient if it is determined that is less than or equal to the above threshold value. The threshold value is set, for example, in accordance with the weight of clothing that is so small that it does not require a loosening operation.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the weight of the clothes in the rotating tub 5 is less than or equal to a preset threshold, the control unit 55 controls the final A dehydration process is followed by a preheat dehydration process.

<5. Processing flow>
Next, the flow of processing will be explained.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the process flow of the washer/dryer 100. First, when the final dehydration process is started, the control unit 55 determines whether or not there is an imbalance greater than or equal to a predetermined standard (S101). As described above, the determination as to whether or not there is an imbalance greater than or equal to a predetermined standard can be performed using, for example, determinations J3 to J5. However, the determination as to whether or not there is an imbalance greater than or equal to a predetermined standard is not limited to the above example, and may be performed based on another determination standard.

Next, if there is an imbalance greater than or equal to a predetermined standard (S101: YES), the control unit 55 determines whether the weight of the clothing is less than or equal to the threshold value based on the weight determined in determination operation 1 ( S102). Then, when the weight of the clothing is greater than the threshold value, the control unit 55 performs the final spin-drying process at a low rotation speed according to a predetermined standard (S103). In this case, the control unit 55 performs loosening process 1, weight determination 2, and fabric quality determination 2 after the final dehydration process (S104). Next, the control unit 55 performs a preheat dehydration process (S105), then the control unit 55 performs a loosening process 2 (S106), and performs a drying process (S107).

On the other hand, the control unit 55 determines whether there is no imbalance greater than the predetermined standard (S102: NO), or if there is an imbalance greater than the predetermined criterion but the weight of the clothing is less than or equal to the threshold value (S102: YES), the final dehydration process and the preheat dehydration process are performed continuously (S111). In this case, the control unit 55 performs a long loosening operation after the preheat dehydration process (S112), and performs a drying process (S107).

<6. Advantages＞
Here, as a comparative example, we will consider a washer/dryer in which the rotary tub 5 is stopped after the final spin-drying process and a loosening process, weight determination, fabric quality determination, etc. are performed, regardless of the presence or absence of imbalance. In such a washer/dryer, even if the unbalance in the final dehydration step is below a predetermined standard, unbalance may occur in the subsequent loosening step, weight determination, fabric quality determination, etc. If an imbalance occurs in the loosening process, weight determination, fabric quality determination, etc., a retry operation may occur at the start of the preheat dehydration process, or the maximum rotation speed of the preheat dehydration process may become low. These make it difficult to shorten the operating time of washing and drying operations.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, if the detection result of the vibration detection section 51 is the first state that satisfies a predetermined condition during execution of the final dewatering process, the control section 55 rotates the rotating tank 5 according to a predetermined standard, and then rotates the rotating tank 5. The tank 5 is stopped, a loosening operation is performed, and then a preheat dehydration process is performed. On the other hand, if the detection result of the vibration detection unit 51 is in a second state in which the predetermined condition is not satisfied during the execution of the final dehydration process, the control unit 55 performs the operation following the final dehydration process without stopping the rotating tank 5. Perform preheat dehydration process. According to such a configuration, if it is determined that the unbalance is below a predetermined standard in the final dehydration process, the preheat dehydration process is performed following the final dehydration process without stopping the rotating tank 5.

According to such a configuration, the loosening process, weight determination, fabric quality determination, etc. that cause imbalance are not performed after the final dehydration process, so a retry operation may occur at the start of the preheat dehydration process, or the preheat dehydration process It is possible to prevent the maximum rotational speed of the stroke from becoming low. In addition, by making the final dehydration process and the preheat dehydration process consecutive without stopping the rotating tank 5, it is possible to perform one start-up operation, compared to the case where the start-up operation is performed in the final dehydration process and the preheat dehydration process, respectively. Operation time can be shortened. With these, it is possible to shorten the operating time of the washing and drying operation.

Note that, for example, when the washer/dryer 100 is a vertical type washer/dryer, the dewatering operation is performed with the rotary tub 5 and the agitator 8 being rotated as a unit by the clutch mechanism 11, while the loosening operation is This is carried out in a state where the stirring body 8 is independently rotatable. Therefore, if a loosening process exists between the final dehydration process and the preheat dehydration process, it is necessary to switch the clutch mechanism 11 twice before and after the loosening process. Switching of the clutch mechanism 11 is performed while detecting the meshing state of the gears, so it is an operation that takes a relatively long time. Therefore, if the loosening process between the final dehydration process and the preheat dehydration process is omitted, switching of the clutch mechanism 11 is no longer necessary. From this point of view as well, if the preheat dehydration process is performed following the final dehydration process, the operating time of the washing/drying operation can be shortened.

In the present embodiment, when determining the second state, the control unit 55 rotates the rotating tank 5 at the first rotation speed as the final dehydration process, and then performs the preheat dehydration process. On the other hand, when determining the first state, the control unit 55 rotates the rotating tank 5 at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed as the final dehydration process, then stops the rotating tank 5, and then , perform a preheat dehydration process. According to such a configuration, if there is an imbalance of more than a predetermined standard in the final spin-drying process, if the clothes stick to the inner surface of the rotating tub 5, the loosening operation cannot be performed properly. Finish dehydration early at a low rotational speed that does not cause stickiness. Then, the loosening operation can be performed properly and the preheating and dehydration process can begin. Thereby, the drying process can be performed in a state where the clothes can be easily dried, and the operating time of the washing/drying operation can be further shortened.

In the present embodiment, when determining that the first state is present, the control unit 55 performs a loosening operation for a first time T1 after the preheat dehydration process. On the other hand, when determining that the second state is present, the control unit 55 performs the loosening operation for a second time T2, which is longer than the first time T1, after the preheat dehydration process. According to such a configuration, in the second state in which the loosening operation between the final spin-drying step and the pre-heat spin-drying step is omitted, the loosening operation is sufficiently performed after the pre-heat spin-drying step, and the drying step is started in a state where the clothes can be easily dried. It can be performed. Thereby, the operating time of the washing and drying operation can be further shortened.

In this embodiment, when determining that the second state is present, the control unit 55 performs air drying by supplying air into the rotary tank 5 from the middle of the final dehydration process. According to such a configuration, the preheat dehydration process can be started in a state where the dehydration rate is further increased. Thereby, the operating time of the washing and drying operation can be further shortened.

In this embodiment, if the weight of the clothing is below the threshold value, the control unit 55 performs the preheat dehydration process following the final dehydration process without stopping the rotating tank 5 even in the first state. . According to this configuration, when the number of clothes is so small that a loosening operation is not necessary, or when the number of clothes is so small that it sticks to the inner surface of the rotating tank 5 and does not come in contact with the stirring body 8, the final dewatering process can be performed. It is possible to avoid stopping the rotating bath 5 and performing a loosening operation later. Thereby, the operating time of the washing and drying operation can be further shortened.

(Modified example)
Next, a modification of the embodiment will be described.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the flow of a washing/drying operation according to a modification of the embodiment. In this modification, weight determination 2 and fabric quality determination 2 are performed after the "pre-rinsing process" and before the "final dehydration process." According to such a configuration, even if there is no imbalance exceeding a predetermined standard and the preheat dehydration process is performed following the final dehydration process, the weight determination 2 and fabric quality determination are performed to control the preheat dehydration process and the drying process. 2 can be done. Thereby, the accuracy of control of the preheat dehydration process and the drying process can be improved.

Although the embodiment and the modified example have been described above, the embodiment and the modified example are not limited to the above-mentioned example. Each configuration, process, threshold value, etc. can be modified and applied as appropriate.

According to at least one embodiment described above, when the detection result of the detection unit is the first state that satisfies the predetermined condition during execution of the predetermined dehydration operation, the washing machine rotates the rotating tub according to the predetermined standard. After that, the rotary tank is stopped and a loosening operation is performed, and then a dehydration operation is performed by rotating the rotary tank while supplying warm air into the rotary tank, and the detection result of the detection unit is If the second state does not satisfy the predetermined conditions, the control unit includes a control unit that performs a dewatering operation that rotates the rotary tank while supplying warm air into the rotary tank after a predetermined dewatering operation without stopping the rotary tank. . According to such a configuration, the operating time can be shortened.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and gist of the invention as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Housing, 3... Water tank, 5... Rotating tank, 50... Control device, 51... Vibration detection part (detection part), 52... Weight judgment part, 53... Fabric quality judgment part, 54... Dewatering operation judgment part, 55 ...Control unit, 61...Acceleration sensor, 62...Current sensor, 100...Washing dryer (washing machine).

Claims (8)

aquarium and
a rotating tank arranged in the water tank and containing clothes;
a motor that rotationally drives the rotating tank;
a detection unit that detects a value related to the water tank or the rotating tank;
If the detection result of the detection unit is a first state that satisfies a predetermined condition during execution of a predetermined dehydration operation, after rotating the rotary tank according to a predetermined standard, the rotary tank is stopped and a loosening operation is performed; Thereafter, a dewatering operation is performed in which the rotary tank is rotated while supplying hot air into the rotary tank, and in a second state in which the detection result of the detection unit does not satisfy the predetermined condition during the execution of the predetermined dehydration operation, In some cases, a control unit that performs a dewatering operation that rotates the rotary tank while supplying warm air into the rotary tank following the predetermined dewatering operation without stopping the rotary tank;
Washing machine with. The detection unit detects a value related to vibration of the water tank or the rotating tank as the value,
The predetermined condition is satisfied when the vibration-related value exceeds a threshold;
A washing machine according to claim 1. The control unit includes:
If it is in the first state, the rotating tub is stopped, the loosening operation is performed, the weight of the clothing is determined, and then the rotating tub is rotated while supplying warm air into the rotating tub. Perform dehydration operation,
In the second state, the weight determination operation is not performed after the start of the predetermined dehydration operation, and the rotation tank is operated while supplying warm air into the rotation tank following the predetermined dehydration operation. Performs a rotating dehydration operation,
A washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2. The control unit includes:
In the case of the first state, the rotating tub is stopped, the loosening operation is performed, the fabric quality of the clothing is judged, and then the rotating tub is rotated while supplying warm air into the rotating tub. Perform dehydration operation to
In the case of the second state, after the start of the predetermined dewatering operation, the fabric quality determination operation is not performed, and the rotating tank is operated while supplying warm air into the rotary tank following the predetermined dehydrating operation. Perform dehydration operation by rotating the
A washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2. The control unit includes:
When in the second state, as the predetermined dewatering operation, the rotary tank is rotated at a first rotation speed, and then a dewatering operation is performed in which the rotary tank is rotated while supplying warm air into the rotary tank;
When in the first state, the rotating tank is rotated at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed based on the predetermined reference, and then the rotating tank is stopped.
A washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2. The control unit includes:
When in the first state, after a dehydration operation in which the rotating tank is rotated while supplying warm air into the rotating tank, a loosening operation is performed for a first time;
When in the second state, after a dehydration operation of rotating the rotating tank while supplying warm air into the rotating tank, a loosening operation is performed for a second time longer than the first time.
A washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2. When in the second state, the control unit performs air drying by supplying air into the rotating tank from the middle of the predetermined dewatering operation.
A washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2. If the weight of the clothing is less than or equal to a threshold value, the control unit may cause warm air to flow into the rotating tub following the predetermined dehydration operation without stopping the rotating tub even in the first state. performing a dewatering operation of rotating the rotating tank while supplying
A washing machine according to claim 1 or claim 2.

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