JP3113113B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called fully automatic washing machine, and more particularly to a washing machine with improved control of closing a drain valve at the end of a final dehydration process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a so-called fully automatic washing machine, a series of steps from washing to final dehydration are automatically performed. Further, at the end of the final dehydration step, the drain valve is closed after a predetermined period of time after the power supply to the motor that has rotated the dehydration tub is stopped.
In this case, a brake mechanism that brakes the dewatering tub is often linked to the drain valve, and thus the dewatering tub receives a braking force at the same time as the drain valve is closed.

[0003]

In the case of the above, the spin-drying tub continues to rotate by inertia for a while after receiving the braking force. At this time, water is centrifugally applied to the inner peripheral surface of the spin-drying tub. After the rotation of the dewatering tub has sufficiently fallen, the water flows down, reaches the already closed drain valve portion, and accumulates there. In addition, the accumulated water freezes in a cold region, causing a problem that the operation of the drain valve is hindered.

In this case, there is a brake mechanism in which a drain valve and a drain valve are operated by separate driving means.
However, even in this case, if the brake mechanism is operated simultaneously with the drain valve, there is the same problem as described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine capable of discharging water to be dehydrated during a final dehydration step without leaving the drain valve portion. is there.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, a washing machine according to the present invention comprises a brake mechanism for braking a dehydration tub and a drive means for simultaneously driving a drain valve. A speed detecting means for detecting a rotation speed of the spin-drying tub, and the drive means when the rotation speed of the spin-drying tub is determined to be equal to or less than a predetermined value based on a detection result by the speed detecting means at the end of the final spin-drying process. It is characterized in that the brake mechanism is operated and the drain valve is closed.

Further, the washing machine of the present invention is provided with a brake mechanism driving means for driving a brake mechanism for braking the dewatering tub and a drain valve driving means for driving a drain valve separately. A speed detecting means for detecting a rotation speed of the water tank is provided, and a brake mechanism is operated by a brake mechanism driving means at the end of the final dehydration step. Thereafter, the rotation speed of the dehydration tank is determined to be a predetermined value based on a detection result by the speed detecting means. When it is determined that the following has occurred, the drain valve driving means is controlled to close the drain valve.

[0008]

According to the above means, in any case, at the end of the final dehydration step, the drain valve is closed after the rotation speed of the dehydration tub has fallen below a predetermined value, so that the dewatered water is drained and then drained. The valve will be closed.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 2 shows an outer box 1 of the entire washing machine, in which an outer tub 2 which is both a water tub and a dewatering tub is elastically supported by a well-known hanging rod mechanism or the like (not shown). ing. A porous inner tub 3 that is both a washing tub and a dehydrating tub is provided in the outer tub 2, and a washing agitator 4 is provided at the bottom of the inner tub 3.

[0010] An outer lower part of the outer tank 2 is provided inside the outer tank 2 (inner tank 3).
A drain valve 5 and a drain hose 6 for draining water from the inside) are arranged, and a drive unit 7 is arranged. Drive unit 7
Are a motor 8, a belt transmission mechanism 9 for transmitting the power of the motor 8, a clutch mechanism 10 that is switched to selectively transmit the power transmitted to the belt transmission mechanism 9 to the agitator 4 and the inner tank 3, and a clutch mechanism. A brake mechanism 11 that brakes the inner tank 3 in conjunction with 10 and a reduction mechanism 13 that is provided in the housing 12 and transmits the power transmitted through the belt transmission mechanism 9 to the agitator 4 at a reduced speed (see FIG. 3). ).

Here, the case 14 of the speed reduction mechanism 13 is made to function as a brake drum, and the brake band 15 of the brake mechanism 11 is wound around the outer periphery thereof. The brake band 15 is the brake lever 1
6, the brake lever 16 is connected to a motor 18 with a speed reducer via a connector 17 not shown in FIG.
Thus, the drain valve 5 is connected to the motor 18 so that the motor 18 functions as driving means for simultaneously driving the brake mechanism 11 and the drain valve 5.

On the other hand, a top cover 19 is provided on the outer box 1, and a microcomputer 20 is provided inside a front portion of the top cover 19. This microcomputer 20 functions as a control means.
As shown in FIG. 5, various operation signals are input from an operation unit 21 composed of various operation switches, and a water level detection signal is input from a water level sensor 22 provided to detect a water level in the outer tub 2. A rotation detection signal is input from a rotation sensor 23 provided in the motor 8 of the unit 7.

The rotation sensor 23 detects the rotation of the motor 8 and generates a rotation detection signal. The microcomputer 20 counts the number of rotations of the motor 8 in response to the signal, and uses the number to decelerate the belt transmission mechanism 9. The rotation speed of the inner tub 3 is detected by dividing by the ratio and the required time. Therefore, the microcomputer 20 functions as a speed detecting means for detecting the rotation speed of the inner tub 3 together with the rotation sensor 23. It has become.

Thus, based on the above-mentioned inputs and the control program stored in advance, the microcomputer 20 has a display section 24 composed of various display elements, a buzzer 25, and an inner tank 3 (in the outer tank 2). A drive control signal is supplied to a water supply valve 26, a motor 8, and a drive circuit 27 for driving the motor 18 provided to supply water.

Therefore, an operation based on the function of the microcomputer 20 will be described below. First, the microcomputer 20 automatically performs a series of steps from washing to final dehydration. When the final dehydration step is reached, the motor 18 is energized as shown in FIG. 1 (step A1). Then, the drain valve 5 is opened, the brake mechanism 11 is operated so as to release the braking force applied to the inner tank 3, and the clutch mechanism 10 further controls the power of the motor 8 together with the agitator 4. 3 is actuated to communicate. In this state, the microcomputer 20 energizes the motor 8 (step A2).
The inner tank 3 is rotated together with the stirring body 4, and dehydration is performed by the centrifugal force.

Thereafter, the microcomputer 20 determines whether or not the spin-drying time has ended (step A3).
When it is determined that the operation is completed, the energization of the motor 8 is stopped (step A4). Then, the inner tank 3 then rotates by inertia and gradually reduces its rotation speed.

In this situation, the microcomputer 20 determines whether or not the rotation speed of the inner tub 3 has fallen below a predetermined value based on the rotation detection signal from the rotation sensor 23 (step A5). In this case, the centrifugal force decreases with a decrease in the rotation speed of the inner tank 3, and the remaining water adheres to the inner peripheral surface of the inner tank 3 and flows down. The above-mentioned predetermined value is set for the decrease to the rotation speed.

If it is determined that the rotation speed of the inner tub 3 has become lower than the predetermined value, the microcomputer 20 cuts off the power supply to the motor 18 (step A6). Then, the drain valve 5 is closed thereby, and the brake mechanism 11 is operated to apply a braking force to the inner tank 3.

Thereafter, the microcomputer 20 operates the buzzer 25 to notify the end of the operation (step A).
7) End the operation (END).

As described above, according to the present configuration, when the rotation speed of the inner tub 3 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value at the end of the final dehydration process, the motor 18 is turned off to activate the brake mechanism 11 and to operate the drain valve 5. Is to be closed,
When the rotation speed of the inner tank 3 falls below a predetermined value,
All or almost all of the dewatered water has been drained, and therefore, the drain valve 5
Will be closed, and the drain valve 5 will be
Since no water is left in the portion, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a problem that the operation of the drain valve 5 is hindered by freezing.

5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention. Only the differences from the first embodiment will be described. If the brake mechanism 11 functions as a brake mechanism driving means. And the drain valve 5 is driven by a second motor 32 with a speed reducer functioning as a separate drain valve driving means, at the start of the final dewatering process. Those motors 32,
31 (step B1), the drain valve 5 is opened, the brake mechanism 11 is operated to release the braking force applied to the inner tub 3, and at the end of the final dehydration process, the motor 8 is turned off. After the power (step B4), the first motor with speed reducer 31 is turned off (step B5), and the brake mechanism 11 is operated to apply a braking force to the inner tank 3,
Thereafter, when it is determined that the rotation speed of the inner tub 3 has become equal to or less than the predetermined value (step B6), the control is performed to cut off the power of the second motor with reduction gear 32 (step B7) and close the drain valve 5. Is to do.

In this case as well, the drain valve 5 can be closed after draining the dewatered water as described above, so that the same effect as described above can be obtained. By operating the mechanism 11, the rotation speed of the inner tub 3 can be rapidly reduced, water can be quickly discharged, and a further effect of shortening the time until the end of operation can be obtained.

[0023]

The washing machine of the present invention is as described above, and has the following effects. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a driving mechanism for simultaneously driving the drainage valve and a brake mechanism for braking the dewatering tub, comprising a speed detecting means for detecting a rotation speed of the dewatering tub, At the end of the dewatering process, when it is determined from the detection result by the speed detecting means that the rotation speed of the dewatering tub has become a predetermined value or less, the drive means activates the brake mechanism and controls the drain valve to be closed. By doing so, it is possible to discharge water that is dehydrated during the final dehydration step without leaving the drain valve portion, and it is possible to prevent occurrence of a problem that hinders operation of the drain valve due to freezing of water. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a washing machine including a brake mechanism driving means for driving a brake mechanism for braking the dewatering tub, and a drain valve driving means for driving the drain valve. Speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the dewatering tank, the brake mechanism is operated by the brake mechanism driving means at the end of the final dehydration stroke, and then the rotation speed of the dehydration tank is equal to or less than a predetermined value from the detection result by the speed detection means By controlling the drain valve to be closed by the drain valve driving means when it is determined that the water has become the same, the same effect as described above can be obtained. It is possible to obtain the effect that the time until the time can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall cutaway side view.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a driving unit.

FIG. 4 is a schematic electrical configuration diagram.

FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2, showing a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

3 is an inner tank (dehydration tank), 5 is a drain valve, 11 is a brake mechanism, 18 is a motor (drive means), 20 is a microcomputer (speed detection means, control means), 23 is a rotation sensor (speed detection means), Reference numeral 31 denotes a motor (brake mechanism driving means), and 32 denotes a motor (drain valve driving means).

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for automatically performing a series of steps from washing to final dehydration, comprising a driving mechanism for simultaneously driving a brake mechanism for braking the dehydration tub and a drain valve, and a rotating speed of the dehydration tub. And a brake by the driving means when it is determined that the rotation speed of the dewatering tub has become equal to or less than a predetermined value based on a detection result by the speed detection means at the end of the final dehydration step. A washing machine comprising control means for operating a mechanism and for closing a drain valve. 2. A device for automatically performing a series of steps from washing to final dehydration, comprising: a brake mechanism driving means for driving a brake mechanism for braking a dehydration tank; and a drainage device for separately driving a drainage valve. A valve driving means, and a speed detecting means for detecting a rotation speed of the dewatering tub, and a brake mechanism is operated by a brake mechanism driving means at the end of the final dehydration step, and thereafter, the speed detecting means A washing machine, comprising: control means for controlling the closing of the drain valve by the drain valve driving means when it is determined from the detection result that the rotation speed of the dewatering tub has become a predetermined value or less.