JP2778841B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[Object of the Invention]

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine provided with a manual driving course in addition to an automatic driving course as a driving course.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, washing machines have been provided which are capable of executing a washing operation on an automatic operation course and also capable of executing a washing operation on a manual operation course. That is, this type of washing machine is provided with a laundry amount detecting means and a water level sensor. When an automatic operation course is selected and set, the amount of laundry is detected and the water level is automatically set, and the operation time is set. Is also set automatically. Then, the operation is performed in accordance with each set content.

On the other hand, in the manual operation course, a user sets desired values for setting items such as a water level, an operation time, and a strength of a water flow (time period of forward / reverse rotation of the stirring body), and sets the desired values in accordance with the set contents. Execute the operation. Note that, among the setting items, for items not set by the user, standard values used in the automatic driving course are automatically set uniformly.

[0005]

By the way, in a washing machine, any type of washing machine is manufactured with the aim of always preventing splash and damage to the cloth. However, in the above-mentioned washing machine,
When driving is performed in a manual driving course, the splash and cloth damage may occur.

For example, when the user starts the operation after setting the operation time and the strength of the water flow, the water level is automatically set to the above-mentioned standard value uniformly. The water level may be too high or too low for the appropriate quantity of water. In other words, when the amount of laundry is small, even if the appropriate water level is low, the above-mentioned standard water level is actually set higher, and as a result, a small amount of laundry is There is a risk that the object will float and water will splash (splash) due to the forward / reverse rotation of the stirrer and water will jump out of the tank. Conversely, when there is a lot of laundry, the standard water level is lower than the appropriate water level for this amount, and in this case, cloth damage occurs.

In a manual driving course, when the user sets the driving time and water level and then starts driving, the standard values for the strength of the water flow are automatically set uniformly. In a typical water flow, when the amount of laundry is small and the water level is high, splash occurs or cloth damage occurs.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine that does not cause splash or cloth damage when a manual driving course is executed. It is in.

[Structure of the Invention]

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A washing machine according to the present invention includes a washing machine motor for rotating a stirrer provided in a tub forward and backward, and a laundry amount detecting means for detecting an amount of laundry. A manual driving course provided in addition to an automatic driving course as a driving course, provided with a manual driving control means for automatically determining a water level according to a detection result by the laundry amount detecting means when the manual driving course is set. However, it has a feature (the invention of claim 1).

A washing machine according to the present invention includes a washing machine motor for rotating a stirrer provided in a tub in forward and reverse directions, and a laundry amount detecting means for detecting the amount of laundry. Manual operation control in which a manual operation course is provided in addition to the course, and when the manual operation course is set, the time limit of the forward / reverse rotation of the stirrer is automatically determined according to the set water level and the detection result by the laundry amount detecting means. It is characterized by the provision of the means (the invention of claim 2).

[0012]

In the washing machine according to the first aspect, when the manual operation course is set, the water level is automatically determined according to the detection result by the laundry amount detection means. The proper water level is determined, which can eliminate the occurrence of splash and fabric damage.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the manual operation course is set, the time limit of the forward / reverse rotation of the stirrer is determined according to the set water level and the detection result by the laundry amount detecting means. Therefore, a proper vortex water flow can be obtained even in a manual operation course, and as a result, splash and cloth damage can be eliminated.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 shows a washing machine for both dehydration. A water receiving tank 2 is provided inside the outer box 1, and a rotating tank 3 is provided inside the water receiving tank 2. A stirring body 4 is provided on the inner bottom of the rotating tank 3. At the outer bottom of the water receiving tub 2, a washing machine motor 5 also serving as a spin-drying motor composed of, for example, a three-phase DC brushless motor is provided, and a mechanism 6 having a speed reduction mechanism and the like is provided. I have. The rotation of the washing machine motor 5 is reduced by the speed reduction mechanism 6 during the washing operation and transmitted to the agitator 4. During this washing operation, the washing machine motor 5 is intermittently rotated forward and backward.

A drain valve 7 is provided in a drain from the water receiving tank 2. An air trap 8 is formed at the bottom of the water receiving tank 2, and a water level sensor 10 (see FIG. 1) is connected to the air trap 8 via an air tube 9.

FIG. 1 shows an electrical configuration. The control circuit 11 includes a microcomputer,
The control circuit 11 controls an automatic driving course and a manual driving course by a software configuration based on an internal program, and functions as a manual driving control unit and a laundry amount detecting unit. Further, it also has a function as a laundry amount detecting means. The washing machine motor 5 includes:
As shown in FIG. 1, a position detecting element 5a composed of, for example, a Hall element is provided, and a position detecting signal from the position detecting element 5a is used to adjust the power supply timing to each phase armature coil of the washing machine motor 5. The control signal is supplied to the drive control device 15 and also to the control circuit 11 as a rotation speed detection signal of the washing machine motor 5.

The control circuit 11 is supplied with switch signals from various switches 13 and a detection signal from a water level sensor 10. Based on the various inputs described above, the drive of the washing machine motor 5, the drain valve 7 and the water supply valve 14 is controlled via a motor drive control device 15, a drive circuit 16 and a drive circuit 17, respectively, and the display 18 is controlled. Drive control. The motor drive control device 15 is configured to include an inverter circuit. The motor drive control device 15 controls the power to cut off the washing machine motor 5 by a control signal from the control circuit 11 and changes the rotation speed of the washing machine motor 5. It has become.

The various switches 13 include an operation course selection switch for selectively setting an automatic operation course and a manual operation course, an operation time setting switch for manual operation, a same water level setting switch, a same water flow setting switch, and a cancel switch. And a start switch.

The operation of the above configuration will be described together with the control contents of the control circuit 11. Now, the case where the manual driving course is set and the driving is started will be described.
Before the manual operation is started, various switches for the manual operation (the operation time setting switch, the same water level setting switch, and the same water flow setting switch) are operated as necessary to make various settings.

When the manual operation is started, FIG.
As shown in (2), it is determined whether or not the water level has been manually set (step S1). If there is a manual setting for the water level, the manually set water level and
The washing operation is executed according to the set operation time and water flow (step S2). If there is no manual setting for the water level, the laundry amount is detected (step S3). This laundry detection method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-85733 filed by the present applicant. That is, this will be outlined. After supplying water to the above detection water level,
A preset voltage is applied to the washing machine motor 5. Then, the rotation speed of the washing machine motor 5 is detected. If the rotation speed is low, the laundry amount is large, and if it is high, the laundry amount is small.

[0021]

[Table 1]

The water level is determined according to the laundry amount detection result (step S4). That is, the control circuit 11 stores in advance the water level determination data shown in Table 1, and determines the water level from the water level determination data and the amount of laundry. As an example, when the laundry amount is “7.0 to 5.5 kg”, the water level is “high water level” (320 m from the reference shown in FIG. 2).
m). Thereafter, the washing operation is executed based on the automatically determined water level and the operation time and water flow set so far (step S5).

As a result, according to this embodiment, when the manual driving course is set, the amount of laundry is detected and the water level is automatically determined according to the detection result. Is determined appropriately. Therefore,
Unlike the conventional method, no splash occurs even when the amount of laundry is small, and no damage to the cloth occurs even when the amount of laundry is large.

The reason for giving priority to the manually set water level only when the water level is manually set is that the intention of the user is to be respected as much as possible.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the manual operation control means in the control circuit 11 is different. That is, a case will be described in which the manual driving course is set and the driving is started. Before this manual operation is started,
As necessary, various switches for the manual operation (operation time setting switch, same water level setting switch, same water flow setting switch) are operated to perform various settings.

When the manual operation is started, as shown in the figure, it is determined whether or not the water flow (that is, the time limit of the forward / reverse rotation of the stirring body 4) has been manually set (step P1). If there is a setting, the washing operation is executed based on the manually set water flow and the operation time and water level set so far (step P2). If there is no manual setting for the water flow, the laundry amount is detected (step P3). This laundry detection method is the same as the above-described case. The control circuit 11 previously stores time limit determination data for determining the time limit of the forward / reverse rotation of the stirrer 4 as shown in Table 2, and determines the water flow based on the water flow determination data, the laundry amount, and the set water level. That is, the time limit of the forward / reverse rotation of the stirrer 4 (on-off time of forward / reverse rotation) is determined.

[0027]

[Table 2]

Thereafter, it is determined whether the set water level is appropriate for the laundry amount detection result. That is, when the laundry amount is "7.0 to 7.0"
5.5 kg "and the set water level is" high "(step P4); the laundry amount is" 5.5-4.0 kg "and the water level is" medium "or higher (step P5); Is "4.0 to 2.5 kg" and the water level is "low" or higher (step P6), or is the laundry amount "less than 2.5 kg" and the water level is "low" or higher (step P7)? Judge. When these conditions are satisfied (the laundry amount and the water level corresponding to the “A” column in Table 2 correspond thereto), the time limit is automatically determined from the A column in Table 2 according to the laundry amount result and the set water level. (Step P8). For example, when the laundry amount is “7.0 to 5.5 kg” and the set water level is “high water level”, the ON time of the normal rotation and the reversal of the stirring body 4 is 1.7 seconds. To set the off time to 0.8 seconds.

If the above condition is not satisfied (the laundry amount and the water level corresponding to the "B" column in Table 2 correspond to this), it is determined that the set water level is relatively lower than the laundry amount. . In this case, a water level lamp (not shown) blinks (step P9). The purpose of this is to prompt the user to change the setting of the water level properly because the set water level relative to the laundry amount is relatively low.

Thereafter, when changing the setting, the user operates the cancel switch (determined in step P9), and in this case, the user starts over from the beginning. Also,
Regardless of the setting change notification by blinking of the water level lamp, the water level setting switch is operated again to keep the set water level as it is (determined in step P11). Then, even if the above condition is not satisfied, the energization time for normal rotation and reversal of the stirring body 4 is automatically determined from the column B in Table 2 based on the set water level and the amount of laundry as shown in Step P12. The intent is to respect the will of the user. Thereafter, the washing operation is executed based on the automatically determined water flow and the operation time and water level set so far (step P13).

As a result, according to the second embodiment, when the manual driving course is set, the laundry amount is detected, and the water flow is automatically determined according to the detection result and the set water level. And the water flow is appropriately determined relative to the water level. Therefore, unlike the related art, even when the amount of laundry is small and the water level is high, neither splash nor damage to the cloth occurs.

[0032]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the manual operation course is set, the water level is automatically determined according to the detection result of the laundry amount detecting means, so that the water level can be prevented from being inappropriate. Thus, there is an effect that generation of splash or damage to cloth can be prevented.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the manual operation course is set, the time limit of the forward / reverse rotation of the stirrer is automatically determined in accordance with the set water level and the detection result by the laundry amount detecting means. It is possible to eliminate improperness and to prevent the occurrence of splash and damage to the cloth.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electrical configuration showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of the washing machine.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing control contents.

FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3, showing a second embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 3 denotes a rotating tub, 4 denotes a stirring body, 5 denotes a washing motor, 5a denotes a position detecting element, 11 denotes a control circuit (laundry amount detecting means, manual operation control means), and 15 denotes a motor drive control device.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A washing machine motor for rotating a stirrer provided in a tub in forward and reverse directions, and a laundry amount detecting means for detecting an amount of laundry. A washing machine provided with an operation course, further comprising a manual operation control means for automatically determining a water level according to a detection result by the laundry amount detection means when a manual operation course is set. 2. A washing machine motor for rotating a stirrer provided in a tub in forward and reverse directions, and a laundry amount detecting means for detecting an amount of laundry. In a vehicle equipped with an operation course, manual operation control means for automatically determining the time limit of the forward / reverse rotation of the stirrer according to the set water level and the detection result by the laundry amount detection means when the manual operation course is set is provided. A washing machine characterized by the following.