JP2693590B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a washing machine having a function of automatically performing a rinsing process after performing a washing process with a detergent.

(Prior Art) In this type of washing machine, a washing machine for combined use of dehydration has conventionally been provided with a detection means for detecting the degree of rinsing during execution of the rinsing process. As this detecting means, for example, there is a light transmittance detecting means for detecting the light transmittance of the aqueous solution in the washing tub. With this configuration, in the rinsing process, for example, the rinsing degree is detected by the light transmittance detecting means each time rinsing is performed, and the rinsing process is ended depending on whether or not the detected rinsing degree reaches the reference value. Control is performed to determine whether to continue. In addition, one rinse in the rinsing process includes drainage, dehydration, water supply,
In addition, rinsing operation is performed for a set time after water supply. Further, the control of the rinsing process described above is performed by a microcomputer or the like. And, in a washing machine equipped with such a microcomputer, in general, in order to automatically perform general laundry operation,
It is provided with a water level detecting means for detecting the amount of water in the washing tub, an automatic detergent supply device for putting a detergent in the washing tub, a laundry amount detecting means for detecting the amount of laundry stored in the washing tub, and the like. .

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) In the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the light transmittance detecting means has a light projecting portion and a light receiving portion, and the light projecting surface and the light receiving surface of the light projecting portion and the light receiving portion are inside the washing tub. It is designed to be placed in an aqueous solution. However, when it is used for a long period of time, the light emitting surface and the light receiving surface may be contaminated by detergent components or the like, the light transmission amount changes with time, and there is a drawback that the rinsing degree cannot be accurately detected. In addition, the light transmittance of the aqueous solution may change depending on the type of detergent. In addition, light may be scattered due to bubbles or the like on the light projecting surface and the light receiving surface, and in this case also, the amount of light transmission changes and the rinse degree cannot be accurately detected. If the degree of rinsing cannot be accurately detected, there is a problem that the rinsing becomes excessive or the rinsing becomes insufficient. In the case of excessive rinsing, there is a problem that the water is wasted and the time required for the rinsing process, and hence the time required for washing, becomes long.

Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to rinse excessively,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine that can prevent insufficient rinsing.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problem) A washing machine of the present invention includes a water level detecting means for detecting the amount of water in the washing tub, and an automatic detergent supply for putting a detergent into the washing tub. And a laundry amount detecting means for detecting the amount of laundry stored in the washing tub,
Further, the amount of water in the washing tub detected by the water level detecting means in the washing process, the amount of detergent put into the washing tub by the automatic detergent supply device, and the amount of laundry detected by the laundry amount detecting means are set in advance. It is characterized in that it comprises a rinsing mode setting means for setting the rinsing frequency and the water level in the rinsing process based on the detergent concentration reference value as the rinsing completion reference value.

(Operation) According to the above means, the detergent concentration before rinsing can be calculated based on the amount of water in the washing tub, the amount of detergent and the amount of laundry in the washing process. The detergent concentration after rinsing can be calculated from the detergent concentration, the number of rinses in the rinsing process, and the water level. Therefore, if the number of rinses and the water level are set so that the detergent concentration after rinsing reaches the preset detergent concentration reference value as the preset rinsing completion reference value, and the rinsing step is performed, the rinsing degree after rinsing is performed. Is appropriate without excess or deficiency. In this case, the number of rinses and the water level are set based on the amount of water, the amount of detergent, and the amount of laundry in the washing tub with a small error. It is possible to surely prevent excess and deficiency of rinsing as compared with those of

(Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, referring to FIG. 2, for example, an outer case 1 of a washing machine for combined use of dehydration.
A water receiving tub, which is a washing tub, is elastically suspended therein, and a rotating tub for both washing and dehydration is arranged in the water receiving tub (none of which is shown). A container-shaped agitator (not shown) is arranged at the inner bottom of the rotary tank. This agitator is driven to rotate normally and reversely by a washing motor 2 (see FIG. 1) attached to the outer bottom of the water receiving tank during washing. At the time of spin-drying, the above-mentioned rotary tub is integrally driven in one direction by a washing motor together with an agitator. An upper cover 3 is attached to the upper part of the outer box 1, and a detergent automatic supply device 4 for introducing the detergent into the rotary tank and further the water receiving tank is provided at the rear of the upper cover 3. The automatic detergent supply device 4 has a detergent supply motor 4a (see FIG. 1),
When the detergent supply motor 4a is energized, the detergent is supplied into the rotary tank. The doorway of the laundry formed on the upper cover 3 is opened and closed by a two-foldable lid 5. An operation panel 6 is provided at the front end portion of the upper cover 3, and the operation panel 6 has an operation panel 6 as shown in FIG.
Start / pause switch 7 and "detergent amount switching",
Setting switches 8 to 13 for "water level switching", "washing", "rinsing", "dehydration", and "course switching" are provided, and the setting switches 8 to 13 have LEDs 8a to 8 as display devices, respectively.
c, 9a to 9d, 10a to 10c, 11a to 11b, 12a to 12c, 13a to 13c are provided, and display characters of respective setting states are provided corresponding to these. As shown in FIG. 2, support legs 14 are provided at the lower four corners of the outer box 1.

In FIG. 1 showing the electrical configuration, reference numeral 15 is a microcomputer, which has a function of rinsing mode setting means in addition to a function of controlling execution of the entire washing operation.
The microcomputer 15 controls the washing motor 2, the water supply valve 17, the detergent supply motor 4a, and the drainage valve 18 through a drive circuit 16 to switch on and off, respectively. Reference numeral 19 is a laundry amount sensor which is a laundry amount detecting means, which is, for example, the washing motor 2
By detecting the phase difference between the voltage applied to the motor and the current flowing in the motor, the load amount applied to the motor 2, that is, the amount of laundry stored in the rotary tub is detected, and the detection signal is used by the microcomputer. Is supposed to give to 15.
Reference numeral 20 denotes a water level sensor which is a water level detecting means, which detects the water level in the rotary tank and gives a water level detection signal corresponding to the water level to the microcomputer 15. Further, the microcomputer 15 is supplied with a switch signal from the switch input section 21 having the start / pause switch 7 and the setting switches 8 to 13. The microcomputer 15 includes the LEDs 8a to 8c, 9a to 9d, 10a to 10c, 11a,
A display drive signal is given to the display unit 22 having 11b, 12a to 12c, 13a to 13c.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. As shown in FIG. 4, the washing process consists of "water supply" into the rotary tank and "washing" in which the agitator is driven to rotate forward and backward. Further, the rinsing process includes, for example, when rinsing is performed twice, each rinsing includes "drainage" for discharging the aqueous solution in the rotary tank, "dehydration" for integrally rotating the rotary tank and the stirring body, and the rotary tank. It consists of "water supply" to the inside and "rinsing" that drives the stirring body to rotate forward and backward. Also,
In the dehydration process, "drainage" that discharges the aqueous solution in the rotating tank,
It consists of "dewatering" in which the rotating tank and the stirring body are driven to rotate integrally.

Now, FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an outline of the washing operation control program stored in the microcomputer 15. In FIG. 5, when the start / pause switch 7 is first operated to start the operation, water is supplied to the "low" water level, which is the specified water level for determining the amount of laundry, in the rotary tub, and the water level is changed to this level. An appropriate amount of detergent is added (step A1). Thereafter, the washing motor 2 is energized to detect the amount of laundry stored in the rotary tub by the laundry amount sensor 19 and the amount is stored (step A2). Subsequently, water is additionally supplied up to the water level according to the laundry amount, and detergent is additionally added until the water level is suitable for this water level (step A3). Here, the amount of detergent added to the rotary tank is stored, and the water level in the rotary tank, that is, the amount of water is stored (step
A4). Then, the "washing" operation for driving the stirring body in the forward and reverse directions is executed for the set time (step A5).

After performing such a washing process, the rinsing method, that is, the rinsing process, based on the amount of water in the washing tub, the amount of detergent and the amount of laundry in the washing process, and the detergent concentration reference value as a preset rinsing completion reference value. Determine the number of rinses and the water level (step A6). Specifically, the number of rinses and the water level are set as follows. First, assuming that the amount of water in the washing tub in the washing process is W _WW , the amount of detergent is W _DO , and the amount of laundry is W _c , the detergent concentration before rinsing is calculated, Becomes This detergent concentration is the detergent concentration of the detergent liquid contained in the laundry. Next, when the first rinse is performed to perform drainage and dehydration, the amount W _dw of the detergent remaining in the laundry after this is (1-dehydration ratio) / dehydration ratio = S, Becomes After this, since water is supplied to perform rinsing, if the water supply amount is W _wr1 , the detergent concentration of the aqueous solution in the rotary tank after the first rinsing is Becomes This concentration is ideally equal to the concentration of the aqueous solution contained in the laundry, but the concentration of the aqueous solution contained in the laundry is actually , becomes k ₁ times the detergent concentration as described above, Becomes In the same manner, perform the second rinse,
When drainage and dewatering are performed, the amount of detergent W _dw1 remaining in the laundry after this is Becomes If the water supply after this is W _wr2 and the magnification is k ₂ times,
The concentration of the aqueous solution contained in the laundry after the second rinse is Becomes Then, in the same manner, an equation for calculating the detergent concentration of the aqueous solution contained in the laundry after the completion of the third rinse is also obtained.

Therefore, from the above formulas (1) and (2) and the formula for calculating the detergent concentration after the third rinsing, the detergent concentration after the rinsing step is the detergent concentration as the preset rinsing completion reference value. The rinsing frequency and water level of the rinsing stroke are set so as to reach the standard value. In this case, for example, the number of rinses and the water level are set according to the flowchart shown in FIG. That is, the detergent concentration when the rinsing process is performed under the condition of "low" water level once for rinsing is calculated, and this calculated value is compared with the detergent concentration reference value (step B1), and the calculated value is equal to or less than the reference value. Occasionally, one rinse and one "low" water level condition are set (step B2). If the calculated value exceeds the reference value, the detergent concentration is calculated when the rinse process is performed once under the condition of "low" water level, and this calculated value is compared with the detergent concentration reference value (step B3 ), When the calculated value is less than or equal to the reference value, the condition of "low" water level is set once for rinsing (step B4). In the same manner, by changing the rinsing frequency and water level to calculate the detergent concentration,
Set the rinsing frequency and water level.

After that, the rinsing process is executed with the rinsing frequency and the water level set as described above (step A7). After the rinsing process is completed, the dehydration process is executed (step A8).

According to the present embodiment having such a configuration, the amount of water in the washing tub in the washing process, the amount of detergent and the amount of laundry, and the detergent concentration reference value as the preset rinse completion reference value Since the number of times of rinsing and the water level are set, the rinsing degree after rinsing is appropriate without excess or deficiency. In this case, since the number of rinses and the water level are set based on the amount of water in the washing tub, the amount of detergent, and the amount of laundry with a small error, the detection is inaccurate because the rinsing degree is detected by the light transmittance detecting means. It is possible to reliably prevent excess and deficiency of rinsing as compared with the conventional case. Therefore, excessive rinsing is prevented, waste of water can be prevented, and the time required for the rinsing process and the time required for washing can be shortened. In order to realize the above configuration, the automatic detergent supply device 4 and the laundry amount sensor, which are conventionally used in a washing machine equipped with a microcomputer, are used.
19. Since the water level sensor 20 can be used, the manufacturing cost does not increase.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The difference from the first embodiment is that, when setting the rinsing frequency and the water level, instead of setting the water level by prioritizing the rinsing frequency. The point is that the water level is prioritized and the number of rinses is set. Therefore, in the second embodiment, substantially the same operation and effect as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In each of the above embodiments, when rinsing is performed a plurality of times,
Although the water level of each time is made the same, it is not limited to this and the water level of each rinse may be changed appropriately.

[Effects of the Invention] As is apparent from the above description, the present invention relates to the amount of water in the washing tub detected by the water level detection means in the washing process,
Based on the amount of detergent put into the washing tub by the automatic detergent supply device and the amount of laundry detected by the laundry amount detecting means, and the detergent concentration reference value as the preset rinse completion reference value, the number of rinsing strokes Also, since the rinsing mode setting means for setting the water level is provided, it is possible to prevent an excessive rinsing or an insufficient rinsing, which is an excellent effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an electrical configuration diagram, FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the process of washing operation, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts. FIG. 7 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6 showing the second embodiment of the present invention. In the drawing, 4 is an automatic detergent supply device, 15 is a microcomputer (rinsing mode setting means), 19 is a laundry amount sensor (laundry amount detecting means), and 20 is a water level sensor (water level detecting means).

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A water level detecting means for detecting the amount of water in a washing tub, and a detergent being put into the washing tub, wherein the rinsing process is automatically performed after the washing process with the detergent. Detergent automatic supply device, laundry amount detecting means for detecting the amount of laundry stored in the washing tub, water amount in the washing tub detected by the water level detecting means in the washing process, detergent automatic supplying device According to the amount of detergent put into the washing tub and the amount of laundry detected by the laundry amount detecting means and the detergent concentration reference value as a preset rinse completion reference value, the rinsing frequency and the water level of the rinsing stroke are determined. A washing machine comprising: rinse mode setting means for setting.