JP3894857B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly to warm air control and door lock control in a dehydration process involving warm air having a drying process in the next process in a washing machine having a laundry drying function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in order from the washing process to the rinsing process, the dehydration process, and the drying process in order, in order to prevent the laundry from sticking to the rotating drum in the next drying process, it is unbalanced at the initial stage of dehydration in the previous process. It is known that preliminary dehydration including detection operation is performed several times, hot air is sent into the rotating drum during the dehydration process, the temperature of the laundry is raised, and the time for the next drying process is shortened Yes.
[0003]
FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a final dehydration process involving a drying operation in the next process of the conventional dry washing machine, and FIG. 13 is a flowchart of each dehydration process of the conventional dry washing machine. As shown in FIG. 12, the dehydration step includes, for example, three preliminary dehydrations and a main dehydration after the preliminary dehydration. Each dehydration operation is performed while operating a drying heater and a blower fan to increase the temperature inside the device and the temperature of the laundry while supplying warm air into the drum.
[0004]
Here, the preliminary dehydration is performed in the dehydration step for the following reason. That is, if only this dehydration is applied, strong centrifugal force due to high-speed rotation will be applied to the laundry for a long time, and as a result, the laundry will bite into the drainage and dewatering small holes formed on the drum, and after rotation stops The laundry remains attached to the inner surface of the drum peripheral wall. When the process proceeds to the drying process in this state, the inside of the laundry is over-dried, and drying unevenness is generated in which the outside of the laundry stuck to the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the drum is insufficiently dried.
[0005]
Therefore, by repeating the preliminary dehydration of the rotation speed or rotation time to the extent that the laundry falls from the inner wall of the drum multiple times and gradually increasing the dehydration degree, the rotation speed is lower than the original rotation speed and rotation time. In addition, the target degree of dehydration can be reached by the main dehydration for a short time, and the laundry can fall from the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the drum in a relatively short time after the rotation is stopped.
[0006]
Further, in the conventional drying washing machine, as shown in FIG. 13, in each dewatering step, the drum is rotated at a low speed that allows the laundry to stick to the inner surface of the peripheral wall. The unbalance detection that detects the core amount is performed. If the unbalance amount is less than the judgment value, the drum is rotated at a high speed, and the centrifugal force is used to press the laundry against the inner wall of the drum. The discharged water.
[0007]
If it is determined that an imbalance is detected at the time of imbalance detection, the rotation is stopped, and the process returns to the beginning of the dehydration process to detect the imbalance. If it is determined again as unbalanced, the rotation is stopped and the process proceeds to a balance correction process involving water supply. In the balance correction step, for example, a tumbling operation is performed while supplying water for 2 minutes, and then a draining operation is performed. After the balance correction operation is executed, the process returns to the top of the dehydration process again, and unbalance detection is performed. When the dehydration process is completed, a tumbling operation for rotating the drum at a low speed is performed, and the blower fan and the drying heater are driven to perform the drying process.
[0008]
Further, in order to improve the safety of the conventional dry washing machine, a door lock switch is mounted on the door portion so that the door cannot be opened during operation.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a conventional dry washing machine, unbalance detection is performed in order to reduce body vibration during dehydration, and control for shifting to high-speed rotation is performed based on the result, but the operation of balancing the laundry ( Since the balance correction operation is technically quite advanced, a method of shifting to high speed rotation is common when the same operation is repeated to achieve a balance. Moreover, as one means of the balance correction operation for effectively changing the state of the laundry, a tumbling operation with water supply is executed and drained.
[0010]
However, the following problems have occurred with respect to the dehydration process of the conventional dry washing machine. That is,
a) When the balance correction process with water supply is executed during the preliminary dehydration process in the dehydration process with warm air, which is a drying process in the next process, the temperature of the inside of the equipment and the laundry is increased by the warm air. Nevertheless, the water supply lowered their temperature, resulting in a significant loss of energy spent for the temperature rise.
b) When the operation is paused to add laundry during the dehydration process with warm air and the door is opened, if the internal temperature is high, the user may be injured. There was a dangerous condition that would cause In addition, if the door is not allowed to be unlocked due to temperature in consideration of safety, the door cannot be opened and laundry cannot be added, resulting in poor usability.
[0011]
As conventional techniques related to the dehydration process involving warm air, there are those described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 59-010789 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-299696, both of which are means for increasing the temperature inside the apparatus in the dehydration process. However, it did not solve any of the above problems.
[0012]
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine capable of realizing energy saving and having excellent usability.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a warm air supply means for supplying warm air into the rotating drum, and a control means for sequentially performing a dehydration process and a drying process, and the control means is provided at the initial stage of the dehydration process. In the washing machine that performs preliminary dehydration including an unbalance detection operation a plurality of times, when the control means determines unbalance in the unbalance detection, a balance correction operation including a water supply operation is included in the plurality of preliminary dehydrations, This is limited to the first time, and the hot air supply means is stopped at the first preliminary dehydration, and the hot air supply means is driven at the second and subsequent preliminary dehydration .
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of a washing machine according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing another cutting part of the washing machine, and FIG. 3 is a schematic showing another cutting part of the washing machine. Sectional drawing and FIG. 4 are the external appearance perspective views of the washing machine. The basic configuration of the washing machine according to this embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is substantially the same as that of a conventional washing machine, and therefore, the following description will be focused on the main parts according to the present invention.
[0017]
As shown in the figure, the washing machine according to the present embodiment includes a water tank 2 suspended by a spring 5 inside the outer box 1 and a drum arranged to rotate around a horizontal axis inside the water tank 2. 3 and a double structure. Reference numeral 19 in FIG. 1 denotes an operation / display portion, and a control circuit 20 is attached to this back side.
[0018]
The water tank 2 is suspended from above by a spring 5 to absorb vibrations during operation, and is supported from below by an anti-vibration damper 6 and has a function of storing and discharging washing liquid and dehydrating liquid. Yes. The drum 3 is provided with a large number of small holes 4 on the entire peripheral wall in order to allow water supply during washing and drainage during dehydration to pass therethrough.
[0019]
A door 8 for taking in and out the laundry is provided on the front surface of the main body, and the door 8 is sealed with a packing 9 between the water tank 2. A door lock (not shown) that prohibits opening and closing of the door during operation is attached to the door. By opening the water supply valve 18, the tap water dissolves the detergent in the detergent case 39 and supplies the detergent liquid into the drum 3 from the water supply port 14.
[0020]
In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a motor for rotating the drum 3, and a rotor (not shown) fixed to the shaft portion of the drum and a stator (on the back wall of the water tank 2) are provided so as to surround the rotor. (Not shown). 11 is a drainage pump for discharging the washing liquid out of the machine. Reference numeral 13 denotes a lint filter provided in the middle of the drainage duct 7 connecting the lower part of the water tank 2 and the drainage pump 11, and is configured to be removable from the entire lower part of the outer box 1.
[0021]
The water level of the washing liquid is detected as a pressure change in an air trap 16 provided on the upper portion of the lint filter 13, and the pressure change is detected by a pressure guiding pipe 15 connected between the air trap 16 and the water level sensor 12. This is transmitted to the sensor 12. In the water level sensor 12, the magnetic body is moved in the coil in accordance with the pressure, and the resulting change in the coil inductance is detected as a change in the oscillation frequency to detect the water level. Reference numeral 14 denotes a water supply port for supplying a detergent solution at the time of washing and water at the time of rinsing into the drum.
[0022]
Reference numeral 103 denotes a safety switch that operates when the amplitude of the water tank is large. When the safety switch 103 is activated during the dehydration process, the dehydration operation is stopped, and the same processing as that performed when it is determined as unbalanced NG by imbalance detection is performed.
[0023]
Further, the washing machine is provided with warm air supply means including a blower fan 41 and a drying heater 40 as shown in FIG. The air heated by the drying heater 40 of the hot air supply means is turned into hot air into the water tank 2 through the air outlet 43, and passes through the small hole 4 of the drum 3, the circulation port 2a of the water tank 2, and the cooling duct 42. It passes through the blower fan 41 and the drying heater 40 and circulates again from the outlet 43 into the drum 3. Cooling means 44 is provided in the cooling duct 42, and air passing through the cooling duct 42 is dehumidified by condensation of moisture, and reaches the drying heater 40 as air having low humidity. Further, a humidity sensor or a temperature sensor (temperature detection means 102) is provided for the humidity and temperature in the drum 3.
[0024]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the display / operation unit 19 of the washing machine, and FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of the washing machine in the present embodiment. The central part of the control circuit 20 is a microcomputer 22, which comprises a CPU 23, a RAM 24, a ROM 25, a timer 26, a system bus 27, and a plurality of I / O ports 28. The microcomputer 22 operates when a constant voltage is supplied from the power supply circuit 31 to the power supply terminals Vdd and Vss, and a signal can be input from the reset circuit 32 to the RESET terminal.
[0025]
Here, the CPU 23 includes a control unit 29 and a calculation unit 30. The control unit 29 retrieves and executes an instruction stored in the ROM 25, while the arithmetic unit 30 performs various input devices and a RAM 24 based on a control signal provided from the control unit 29 at the instruction execution stage. Are subjected to operations such as binary addition, logical operation, increase / decrease, and comparison. Therefore, the ROM 25 stores in advance means for operating various devices, conditions set for various determinations, rules for processing various information, and the like.
[0026]
The microcomputer 22 also has an input key circuit 33 connected to various operation buttons (input setting means 104) via a plurality of I / O ports 28, a water level sensor 12, a safety switch 103, and an unbalance during dehydration. A signal is input from the state detection circuit 34 connected to the unbalance detection unit 100 that detects the state, the temperature detection unit 102 that detects the temperature inside the product, and the like, and the calculation is performed based on this signal, and the display device drive circuit 35. Output control of the buzzer drive circuit 36 and the load drive circuit 37 is performed.
[0027]
At this time, if the unbalance detection means 100 detects the amount of eccentricity based on variations in the number of rotations of the motor 10 driving the drum 3, for example, there is a Hall sensor, a tachometer, etc. As long as the amount is detected by the amount of change in the current value of the motor 10 driving the drum 3, there is a current transformer or the like. However, the present invention is not related to the detection method of unbalance detection, and is not particularly limited. .
[0028]
Here, the display device driving circuit 35 drives the display device 105 provided in the operation / display unit 19. The buzzer drive circuit 36 is used to sound the buzzer 106 to notify the user when the key input is completed, when the operation is completed, or when an abnormality occurs. The load drive circuit 37 is connected to the drain pump 11, the drive motor 10, the water supply valve 17, the drying heater 40, and the blower fan 41.
[0029]
Next, an outline of the control operation in the above configuration will be described. In the washing process, the laundry is put into the drum 3, the water supply valve 18 is opened, the detergent solution in which the detergent is dissolved is poured into the drum 3 from the upper water supply port via the detergent case 39, and is included in the laundry. This is done by rotating 3 at a low speed. The laundry in the drum 3 is lifted to the vicinity of the top of the drum 3 by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the drum 3 and the baffle 17 and then falls by its own weight (referred to as tumbling). By repeating this tumbling, the laundry is washed with an impact force when dropped. Then it is drained.
[0030]
In the rinsing process, the combination of the intermediate dehydration process and the rinsing process is performed a plurality of times after drainage. In the intermediate dehydration process, the drum 3 is rotated at a low speed that allows the laundry to stick to the inner surface of the peripheral wall, and the unbalance detection that detects the eccentric amount that is the magnitude of the eccentric load of the drum is performed. If it is below, the drum 3 is rotated at a high speed, and the washing liquid contained in the laundry is discharged in such a manner that the laundry is pressed against the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the drum 3 using the centrifugal force.
[0031]
At this time, the water is blown from the small holes 4 of the drum 3, led to the lower part of the water tank 2 through the inner surface, and discharged to the outside by the drain pump 11. If it is determined that an imbalance is detected at the time of imbalance detection, the rotation is stopped, and the process returns to the beginning of the dehydration process to detect the imbalance. If it is determined that the balance is unbalanced again, the rotation is stopped and the process proceeds to a balance correction process involving water supply.
[0032]
The rinsing step is performed by pouring tap water from above to be included in the laundry and rotating the drum 3 at a low speed. The laundry is rinsed with the impact force of the tumbling. Then it is drained. The water level of the washing liquid and tap water is detected by the water level sensor 12.
[0033]
As shown in FIG. 7, the dehydration process includes, for example, three times of preliminary dehydration and main dehydration after preliminary dehydration. The operation of each dehydration is basically the same as described in the intermediate dehydration. However, as will be described later, in the second and subsequent preliminary dehydration and main dehydration, the drying heater 40 and the blower fan 41 are operated to increase the temperature inside the apparatus and the temperature of the laundry, and hot air is supplied into the drum. While doing.
[0034]
When the dehydration process is completed, the drum 3 is rotated at a low speed to perform the tumbling operation, and the blower fan 41 and the drying heater 40 are driven to execute the drying process. The air in the drum 3 passes through the small hole 4 of the drum 3, the circulation port 2 a of the water tank 2, the cooling duct 42, passes through the blower fan 41 and the drying heater 40, and circulates into the drum 3 from the blowout port 43.
[0035]
The air that has absorbed the moisture of the laundry in the drum 3 is sucked into the cooling duct 42 by the blower fan 41. The air is cooled by cooling means 44 provided in the cooling duct 42 while passing through the cooling duct 42. As a result, the air in the cooling duct 42 is dehumidified due to moisture condensation, and the air becomes low humidity and reaches the drying heater 40.
[0036]
The air heated by the drying heater 40 becomes warm air and is blown into the water tank 2 through the blow-out opening 43, and again comes into contact with the laundry to absorb moisture. It is again sucked into the cooling duct 42 from the circulation port 2a, and similarly cooled by the cooler and dehumidified. By repeating this operation, the drying process is executed. Then, the humidity and temperature in the drum 3 are detected by a humidity sensor or a temperature sensor (not shown), and when the predetermined value is reached, the drying process is terminated.
[0037]
In this drying process, moisture condensed by dehumidification descends in the cooling duct 42 and is drained to the outside through the drainage duct 7 from the circulation port 2a. When the drying process is completed, the process proceeds to the blowing process in order to cool the clothes. In the blowing process, for example, the blowing fan 41 and the cooling means 44 are operated for a certain period of time while performing the tumbling operation of the drum 3.
[0038]
In the series of operations from the washing process to the drying process as described above, in the present embodiment, the following characteristic control is performed in the dehydration process, as shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 7 is a control flowchart of the dehydration process according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a control flowchart of each dehydration process.
[0039]
As shown in FIG. 8, in each dehydration step, it is first determined whether or not the first preliminary dehydration. In the case of the first preliminary dehydration, the hot air supply means is not operated. That is, the unbalance detection operation is performed while the blower fan 41 and the drying heater 40 are OFF. In the second and subsequent preliminary dehydration and main dehydration, the blower fan 41 and the drying heater 40 are turned on to perform an unbalance detection operation.
[0040]
Next, when it is determined that there is an unbalance at the time of unbalance detection, the rotation of the drum 3 is stopped, the number of detections is stored in the RAM 24 of the microcomputer 22, and the process returns to the head of unbalance detection. At this time, a tumbling operation of about 20 seconds may be performed in order to loosen the cloth at the initial stage of unbalance detection.
[0041]
If the number of unbalance NG is the second time, it is confirmed whether it is the first preliminary dehydration, and if it is the first preliminary dehydration, the process proceeds to the balance correction step. As shown in FIG. 9, in the balance correction process, for example, a tumbling operation is performed while supplying water for 2 minutes, and then a draining operation is performed. After the balance correction operation is executed, the process returns to the top of the dehydration process again, and unbalance detection is performed.
[0042]
At the time of preliminary dehydration and main dehydration other than the first time, the imbalance correction process is not performed and the process returns to the head of unbalance detection. If unbalance detection is executed again and it is determined that the balance is unbalanced, all operations are stopped and dehydration unbalance error processing is performed. In the dehydration imbalance error process, for example, an error display is displayed on the display device 105 provided in the operation / display unit 19 and a notification is given by the buzzer 106.
[0043]
At this time, in order to reduce the possibility of error notification, the number of unbalances NG for performing the dehydration unbalance error process during dehydration without performing the balance correction step may be increased to, for example, five.
[0044]
Next, FIG. 10 shows door lock release control when there is an input of the “pause” button 101 on the display / operation unit 19 in order to add laundry during the dehydration process with warm air. This will be described based on a flowchart.
[0045]
As shown in FIG. 10, when there is an input of the “pause” button 101 on the display / operation unit 19 in order to add laundry during the dehydration process with warm air, first, the dehydration operation is performed. Stop.
[0046]
At this time, for example, the detection temperature of the temperature detection means 102 (which is described as a thermistor in this embodiment, but not limited to this) installed near the outlet 43 of the hot air to the drum 3 is, for example, 60. When the temperature is below ℃, the door lock is released and the door can be opened. When the detected temperature of the temperature detecting means 102 exceeds 60 ° C., the air blowing operation is performed for a certain time (for example, 10 minutes), and the door lock is released after the operation is completed. If the “pause” button 101 is not input, after the dehydration process is performed for a set time, the process proceeds to the next process (for example, preliminary dehydration to the main dehydration process or the drying process).
[0047]
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of door lock release control. In the door lock release control in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, a “pause” button 101 on the display / operation unit 19 is input to add laundry during the dehydration process with warm air. If so, the dehydration operation is stopped. At this time, if the detected temperature of the temperature detecting means 102 exceeds 60 ° C., the air blowing operation is executed until the detected temperature becomes 60 ° C. or less, and the door lock switch is released after the air blowing operation ends. When the “pause” button 101 is not input, after the dehydration process is performed for a set time, the process proceeds to the next process (for example, from the preliminary dehydration process to the main dehydration process or the drying process) as in the control operation illustrated in FIG. .
[0048]
In addition, although the setting temperature at the time of the door lock cancellation | release in the said embodiment is 60 degreeC, it is not restricted to this but a user can select suitably. The door lock release control can be applied not only in the dehydration process but also in the drying process.
[0049]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, the following effects can be obtained in the dehydration process with warm air.
a) Since the balance correction process with water supply is limited to the first time of the above-mentioned preliminary dewatering, water is not supplied even if it is determined to be unbalanced by the imbalance detection at the second or subsequent preliminary dewatering or main dewatering. The temperature drop of the inside and the laundry can be minimized, and even when the laundry becomes unbalanced, the loss of energy can be further reduced and the drying time can be shortened.
[0050]
b) In order to stop the supply of hot air during the balance correction process with water supply, instead of contradictory control that deviates from the viewpoint of energy saving and cooling while warming, the energy loss is further minimized than in a) Can do.
[0051]
c) Since the laundry contains a large amount of washing liquid, it tends to become unbalanced (because the liquid draining speed varies depending on the type of laundry). However, there is a high probability that the balance correction process with water supply will be performed and the supply of hot air will be wasted, but in the present invention, since warm air is supplied from the second and subsequent preliminary dehydration, it is efficient. A warm air supply operation can be performed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a washing machine according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another cut portion of the embodiment of the washing machine. Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the washing machine. Fig. 4 is an external perspective view of the washing machine. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a display / operation unit of the washing machine. Fig. 6 is a block diagram of an example of a control circuit of the washing machine according to the invention. 7] Control flow chart of dehydration process according to the present invention [FIG. 8] Control flow chart of each dehydration process in the present invention [FIG. 9] Control flow chart of balance correction process in the dehydration process of the present invention [FIG. FIG. 11 is a door lock release control flow chart during the dehydration process showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a final dehydration process flow accompanying a drying operation in the next process of the conventional drying washing machine. FIG. 13 is a flowchart of each dehydration process of the conventional drying washing machine.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Outer box 2: Water tank 2a: Circulation port 3: Rotating drum 4: Small hole 5: Spring 6: Anti-vibration damper 7: Drain duct 8: Door 9: Door packing 10, Drive motor 11: Drain pump 12: Water level Sensor 13: Waste thread filter 14: Water supply port 15: Pressure guiding pipe 16: Air trap 17: Baffle 18: Water supply valve 19: Operation / display unit 20: Control circuit 22: Microcomputer 23: CPU
24: RAM
25: ROM
26: timer 27: system bus 28: I / O port 29: control unit 30: arithmetic unit 31: power supply circuit 32: reset circuit 33: input key circuit 34: state detection circuit 35: display device drive circuit 36: buzzer drive circuit 37: Load drive circuit,
39: Detergent case 40: Drying heater 41: Blower fan 42: Cooling duct 43: Air outlet 44: Cooling means 100: Unbalance detecting means 101: "Start / pause" button 102: Temperature detecting means 103: Safety switch 104: Input setting means 105: display device 106: buzzer

Claims (1)

A hot air supply means for supplying warm air into the rotating drum and a control means for sequentially performing a dehydration process and a drying process are provided, and the control means performs preliminary dehydration including an unbalance detection operation a plurality of times at the initial stage of the dehydration process. In the washing machine,
The control means performs a balance correction operation including a water supply operation only during the first preliminary dehydration during the first preliminary dehydration when the balance is determined to be unbalanced by unbalance detection. A washing machine characterized in that the air supply means is stopped and the hot air supply means is driven during the second and subsequent preliminary dehydration .

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