JP4457856B2 - Drum washing machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a drum-type washing machine that performs a washing, rinsing, and dewatering process by rotationally driving a rotating drum containing laundry.

  Conventionally, this type of washing machine is configured to drive a rotating drum that stores laundry and can rotate about a horizontal axis by a motor, and the number of rotations of the motor is controlled by a control unit. When the laundry is dry at the start, the motor is energized to drive the rotating drum at the rotation speed at which the laundry sticks to the inner wall of the rotating drum, and the motor rotates by changing the inertial rotation speed of the rotating drum after the motor is de-energized. The amount of laundry in the drum is detected, and each process of washing, rinsing, and dewatering is controlled (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

That is, if the change in the inertial rotational speed of the rotating drum after the motor is de-energized is small and the time for the rotational speed to decrease is long, it is determined that the amount of laundry in the rotating drum is large and the motor is energized. When the change in the inertial rotational speed of the rotating drum after being shut off is large and the rotational speed decreases in a short time, it has been determined that the amount of laundry in the rotating drum is small.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-211387

  In such a conventional configuration, at the start of washing, the motor is energized while the laundry is dry, and the rotating drum is driven at the number of rotations at which the laundry is stuck to the inner wall of the rotating drum. Since the amount of laundry in the rotating drum is detected from the change in the inertial rotation speed of the rotating drum, when the amount of laundry is large, the laundry that sticks to the inner wall of the rotating drum and rotates with the rotating drum rotates. There is a problem that the detection accuracy of the amount of the washing part is poor because the drum rotates while rubbing against the lid that opens and closes the opening of the drum, and the change in the inertial rotation number of the rotating drum changes depending on the degree of rubbing of the laundry.

  In addition, when the inertia of the rotation direction of the rotating drum is large, the change in the inertial rotation speed of the rotating drum greatly depends on the inertia of the rotation direction of the rotating drum. Therefore, the amount of the washing portion particularly when the amount of laundry is small It had the problem that the detection accuracy of was bad.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to detect the amount of laundry with high accuracy by detecting an optimum physical quantity that varies depending on the amount of laundry.

In order to achieve the above object, a drum-type washing machine according to the present invention includes a rotating drum that accommodates laundry and is rotationally driven with a horizontal or inclined direction as a rotation axis, and the rotating drum is rotatably included. Left and right supporting the water tank from below at a position symmetrical to the rotation center of the rotating drum, which is composed of a water tank swingably supported in the washing machine casing and an oil damper mechanism in which oil is enclosed in a cylinder. Anti-vibration on one side of the two anti-vibration dampers between the left and right anti-vibration dampers between the two anti-vibration dampers, the control means for controlling the operation of the washing machine, and the base of the washing machine casing and the water tank arranged near the damper and a position detecting means for detecting the position of the tank, said control means, said rotary drum after the laundry into the rotary drum is turned, the lowest point of the rotary drum, The position detection hand The position detection means is lowered by lowering the position of the position detecting means in the water tank, in order to pass through the vibration isolating damper on the side where the position is disposed and the uppermost point of the rotating drum. After rotating for a first predetermined time so as to move the means in the compression direction, the rotary drum is moved to move the position detecting means in the extension direction by raising the position detecting means in the water tank. The position of the water tank is detected by the position detecting means, and the amount of laundry is detected by comparing with the reference position of the water tank when there is no laundry stored in advance. It is a thing.

  As a result, the position of the aquarium that changes linearly according to the amount of laundry is detected after the rotary drum is driven to rotate, so the position of the aquarium after the previous washing is corrected and the amount of laundry is accurately detected. Will be able to.

  Since the drum type washing machine of the present invention detects the position of the aquarium that changes linearly depending on the amount of laundry after the rotary drum is driven to rotate, the position of the aquarium after the previous washing is corrected and the accuracy is improved. The amount of laundry can be detected.

A first aspect of the invention is a rotary drum that accommodates laundry and is rotationally driven with a horizontal or inclined direction as a rotation axis, and rotatably supports the rotary drum within a washing machine casing. A left and right anti-vibration damper that supports the water tank from below at a position that is symmetrical with respect to the rotation center of the rotary drum , The control means for controlling the driving operation, and between the base of the washing machine casing and the water tub, and disposed in the vicinity of the vibration proof damper on one side of the two left and right vibration proof dampers, Position detecting means for detecting, and the control means is arranged such that after the laundry is put into the rotating drum, the rotating drum is placed at the lowest point of the rotating drum, on the side where the position detecting means is disposed. Anti-vibration damper above, Serial The uppermost point of the rotary drum there is intended to rotate so as to pass through in order, the said position detection means disposed side first predetermined time said position detecting means is lowered to move the compression direction in the aquarium After rotating, the rotating drum is braked for a second predetermined time so as to move the position detecting means in the extending direction by raising the side of the water tank where the position detecting means is disposed, and then the position detecting means It is a drum type washing machine that detects the amount of laundry by detecting the position of the water tank and comparing it with the reference position of the water tank when there is no laundry stored in advance, and rotates the rotating drum Since the position of the aquarium that changes linearly according to the amount of laundry is detected after driving, the position of the aquarium after the previous washing can be corrected to accurately detect the amount of laundry.

  In the second aspect of the invention, in particular, the control means of the first aspect of the invention is configured to detect the amount of laundry by the position detection means after the start and braking of the rotating drum are repeated a predetermined number of times. Since detection is performed after drum activation and braking are repeated a predetermined number of times, the position of the aquarium after the previous washing can be corrected more accurately, and the amount of laundry can be detected more accurately.

  In particular, the third invention includes input setting means for setting a driving course or the like in the first or second invention, and the control means is detected by the position detection means according to the input state of the input setting means. The position is stored as the reference position of the aquarium when there is no laundry, and in each drum type washing machine, the reference position of the aquarium when there is no laundry is different due to variations in parts, etc. In the manufacturing stage, the error can be reduced by writing the reference position of the water tub when there is no laundry of each drum-type washing machine in the control means, so that the amount of laundry can be detected more accurately. it can.

  In the fourth aspect of the invention, in particular, the control means of any one of the first to third aspects of the invention determines that a failure occurs when the detection data by the position detection means exceeds a predetermined range, and determines the amount of laundry. Since the value is fixed, the washing operation can be executed without inconvenience to the user even if a failure such as a circuit failure, a position detection means failure, or a connection connector disconnection occurs.

  In the fifth aspect of the invention, in particular, the control means of any one of the first to fourth aspects of the invention stores the number of washing operations, and changes the reference position of the water tank when there is no laundry according to the number of washing operations. Since the reference position of the water tub can be corrected when there is no laundry that changes with time, the amount of laundry can be detected with high accuracy.

  In the sixth invention, in particular, the position detecting means according to any one of the first to fifth inventions is formed by a differential transformer composed of a winding and a magnetic material, and has a simple configuration and is washed with high accuracy. The amount of an object can be detected.

  In a seventh aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, the seventh aspect includes display means for displaying the driving course, the amount of detergent, and the like, and the control means corresponds to the amount of laundry detected by the position detection means. In addition, the amount of detergent is displayed on the display means, and the user can put in an optimal amount of detergent according to the display, so that the waste of the detergent can be eliminated, which is convenient for the user. A high drum type washing machine can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a main configuration of a drum-type washing machine 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the washing machine housing 6, the rotating drum 2 is accommodated in the water tub 3, and the rotating shaft 2 a of the rotating drum 2 is pivotally supported by a bearing 68 provided on the back surface of the water tub 3 and a drum driving motor is connected to the rotating shaft 2 a. The water tank unit 7 connected to 5 is inclined to the front-up state. Since this water tank unit 7 has heavy components such as the bearing 68 and the drum drive motor 5 attached to the back side thereof, the position of the center of gravity tends to be close to the back and becomes unstable. 70 is used to support the aquarium unit 7 on the left and right sides closer to the front side than the center of gravity, and is constructed between the upper support fitting 75 fixed to the upper part of the aquarium 3 and the upper surface of the washing machine casing 6 The water tank unit 7 is urged toward the front side by the coil spring 71, and a second coil spring 72 is installed between the back surface below the support height position by the vibration damping damper 70 and the back surface of the washing machine housing 6. By doing so, it is corrected that the aquarium unit 7 supported by the anti-vibration damper 70 nearer to the front side than the position of the center of gravity falls to the back side, and is configured to have a high damping effect.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vibration damper 70 includes an oil damper mechanism 78 in which oil is sealed in a cylinder, and a coil spring mechanism 79 provided coaxially with the oil damper mechanism 78. The oil damper mechanism A piston rod 84 which is attached to the lower end of 78 and is elastically disposed and has a coil spring mechanism 79 disposed on the outer periphery thereof is attached to a support base 73 fixed to the base of the washing machine housing 6 via a rubber cushioning material 77. Fixed. Further, the support shaft 85 fixed to the upper end of the oil damper mechanism 78 is fixed to a lower support fitting 74 fixed to the lower portion of the water tank 3 via a buffer material 77.

  A rotating drum 2 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape is rotatably supported in the aquarium 3, and the rotating drum 2 is rotated by a drum drive motor 5 attached to the back surface of the aquarium 3 so that the rotation speed can be changed and the rotation direction can be switched. Driven. Further, since the rotary drum 2 is inclined so that the rotation axis direction thereof is inclined downward from the front side to the back side as shown in the drawing, the inclination formed on the front side of the washing machine casing 6 When the door body 9 that can be opened and closed on the surface is opened, there is no need to bend in the operation of putting the laundry in and out of the rotating drum 2, and there is a space on the front side of the drum type washing machine 1. Since it is not necessary to ensure, it can be comprised in the drum type washing machine 1 which can be installed also in narrow spaces, such as a washroom.

  Although not shown in the drawings, the drum type washing machine has a drying function provided with a blower fan that blows warm air in the rotating drum 2 and a heater that generates warm air, and the like, and a series of processes including washing, rinsing, dehydration, and drying. There is provided a control device for controlling the driving operation based on the instruction input from the user and the operation state monitoring of each part.

  The control device 19 is configured as shown in FIG. 3, and controls the operation of the motor 5, the drain valve 13, the water supply valve 14, the blower fan 17, the heater 18, etc., and a series of washing, rinsing, dehydration and drying. A control means 20 comprising a microcomputer for sequentially controlling the process is provided. The control means 20 inputs information from the input setting means 21 for setting a driving course and the like, displays the information on the display means 22 based on the information, notifies the user, and starts the operation by the input setting means 21. Is set, the data from the water level detection means 16 for detecting the water level in the water receiving tank 3 is input and the drain valve 13, the water supply valve 14, the blower fan 17, and the heater 18 are input via the load driving means 23. Control the operation of the washing, drying operation.

  At this time, the control means 20 controls the rotation of the motor 5 by controlling the inverter 26 via the drive circuit 25 based on the information from the position detection means 24 for detecting the position of the rotor of the motor 5. Yes. Although the motor 5 is a direct current brushless motor, although not shown, it is composed of a stator having a three-phase winding and a rotor having a two-pole permanent magnet disposed on the ring, and the stator has a three-phase winding. The first winding 5a, the second winding 5b, and the third winding 5c to be configured are wound around an iron core provided with a slot.

  The inverter 26 is constituted by a switching element composed of a parallel circuit of a power transistor (IGBT) and a reverse conducting diode. A series circuit of a first switching element 26a and a second switching element 26b, a series circuit of a third switching element 26c and a fourth switching element 26d, and a fifth switching element 26e and a sixth switching element 26f A series circuit is configured, and the series circuit of each switching element is connected in parallel.

  Here, both ends of the series circuit of the switching elements are input terminals, connected to a DC power source, and output terminals are respectively connected to connection points of two switching elements constituting the series circuit of the switching elements. The output terminal is connected to the U terminal, V terminal, and W terminal of the three-phase winding, and the U terminal, V terminal, and W terminal are connected by the combination of ON / OFF of the two switching elements constituting the series circuit of the switching element. The three states are positive voltage, zero voltage, and release, respectively.

  The on / off of the switching element is controlled by the control means 20 based on information from the three position detection means 24a, 24b, 24c made of Hall ICs. The position detection means 24a, 24b, and 24c are arranged on the stator so as to face the permanent magnet of the rotor at an electrical angle of 120 degrees.

  During one rotation of the rotor, the three position detecting means 24a, 24b, and 24c each output a pulse at an electrical angle of 120 degrees. The control means 20 detects when the signal state of any of the three position detection means 24a, 24b, 24c changes, and based on the signals of the position detection means 24a, 24b, 24c, the switching elements 26a-26f. By changing the on / off state, the U terminal, the V terminal, and the W terminal are brought into three states of positive voltage, zero voltage, and release, and the first winding 5a, the second winding 5b, and the third winding of the stator. The coil 5c is energized to create a magnetic field and rotate the rotor.

  The switching elements 26a, 26c, and 26e are each controlled by pulse width modulation (PWM). For example, the rotational speed of the rotor is controlled by controlling the energization ratio of high and low at a repetition frequency of 10 kHz. The control means 20 detects the cycle each time the signal state of any of the three position detection means 24a, 24b, 24c changes, calculates the rotor rotation speed from the cycle, and sets the rotation speed to the set rotation speed. The switching elements 26a, 26c, and 26e are PWM-controlled.

  The current detection means 27 comprises a resistor 28 connected to one input terminal of the inverter 26 and a current detection circuit 29 connected to the resistor 28, detects the input current value of the inverter 26, and outputs the output to the control means. 20 is entered. When the motor 5 is a direct current brushless motor, the torque is substantially proportional to the input current. Therefore, the torque of the motor 5 is detected by detecting the input current value of the inverter 26 by the current detection circuit 29 connected to the resistor 28. be able to.

  The commercial power supply 31 is connected to the inverter 26 via a direct current power converter comprising a diode bridge 32, a choke coil 33, and a smoothing capacitor 34. However, this is an example, and the configuration of the DC brushless motor 5, the configuration of the inverter 26, and the like are not limited thereto.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the input setting means 21 includes a washing time setting switch 21a for setting a washing time, a rinsing frequency setting switch 21b for setting the number of times of rinsing, a dehydration time setting switch 21c for setting the dehydration time, and a drying time. A drying time setting switch 21d, a start / pause switch 21e, a power-on switch 21f, a power-off switch 21g, a first course setting switch 21h, a second course setting switch 21i, a water level change input setting switch 21j, etc. ing.

  The first course setting switch 21h sets a course to be driven, a course for performing a series of steps of washing, rinsing, dehydration, and drying, a course for performing steps of washing, rinsing, and dehydration, and a drying step only. It is possible to sequentially switch and set the course to be performed.

  The second course setting switch 21i switches and sets an automatic course, a rush course, a private course, a blanket course, and the like, which are sequentially switched.

  The display means 22 includes a washing time display unit 22a, a rinse count display unit 22b, a dehydration time display unit 22c, a course setting display unit 22d for displaying the course set by the second course setting switch 21i, and a water level display unit (water level display). Means) 22e, the number display part 22f, the number display part 22f, the detergent amount display part 22g that lights when the detergent amount is displayed, and the remaining light that is turned on when the number display part 22f displays the remaining time A time display unit 22h and the like are provided.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a lower support metal fitting 74 to which two left and right vibration damping dampers 70 that support the aquarium unit 7 from below are attached, and a support base 73 fixed to the base of the washing machine housing 6. In the meantime, a position sensor (position detecting means) 36 is attached in the vicinity of the left vibration-proof damper 70.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the position sensor 36 includes a detection coil unit 40 and a displacement rod unit 41 that is configured to move forward and backward within the detection coil unit 40. In this position sensor 36, a lower mounting plate 46 having a lower universal joint 44 provided at the lower end of the detection coil portion 40 is attached to a support base 73, and an upper mounting plate 47 having an upper universal joint 45 provided at the upper end of the displacement rod portion 41. Is mounted on the lower support fitting 74 to detect the position of the water tank unit 7 following the vibration of the water tank unit 7 in the three-dimensional direction.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the detection coil unit 40 is obtained by covering a coil body 57 in which three windings 61, 62, and 63 wound around a bobbin 60 are connected to a connector 65 with a resin mold body 67, The rod body 43 of the displacement rod portion 41 is configured to be slidably fitted on the outer periphery of a cylinder body 58 into which the rod body 43 is movably fitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the coil body 57 has a primary winding 61 wound around a substantially central portion of a bobbin 60 provided with winding connection rods 59a, 59b, 59c. The second secondary winding 63 is wound so as to partially overlap, the first secondary winding 62 is wound between the winding connection rods 59a and 59b, and the ends of each winding are connected to the respective winding connection rods 59a, A three-winding coil in which three windings are wound around a bobbin 60 is obtained by soldering to six connection members 64 embedded in 59b and 59c. As shown in the position detection circuit of FIG. 10, each of the three windings of the primary winding 61, the first secondary winding 62, and the second secondary winding 63 has a ground potential and the other line end. Are individually connected to a four-terminal connector 65 so as to be pulled out independently. As shown in FIG. 7, the four connection plates 66 a, 66 b, 66 c, and 66 d, one end of which is an extended portion of the four-terminal connection blade of the connector 65, are soldered to predetermined portions of the connection member 64. Each winding is finished in a state of being connected to the connector 65 without wiring. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the coil body 57 is externally exposed at the insertion portion of the connector 65 and is covered with a resin mold body 67 to improve moisture resistance and vibration resistance.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when a push-up spring 78 is arranged on a flange 69 formed below a cylinder body 58 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shaft shape, and a coil body 57 is fitted thereon, the coil body 57 is biased upward by the push-up spring 78, so that the cylinder body 58 holds the coil body 57 by screwing the nut 79 into the threaded portion 58a formed at the upper end of the cylinder body 58. The height position of the coil body 57 inserted into the cylinder body 58 can be adjusted by the screwing position of the nut 79. Note that, as shown in FIG. 7, a slit is formed at the lower end of the bobbin 60 exposed below the resin mold body 67 of the coil body 57, and a convex portion formed at the fitting portion of the push-up spring 78 of the cylinder body 58. The coil body 57 is held on the cylinder body 58 so as not to rotate because the coil body 57 (not shown) is fitted into the notch portion of the cut.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the displacement rod portion 41 fitted into the cylinder body 58 of the detection coil portion 40 having the above-described configuration is circular in a rod body 43 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shaft shape. A ferrite (magnetic body) 42 formed in a columnar shape is inserted, a spacer 48 formed of a non-magnetic material is inserted thereon, a pressing spring 49 is disposed on the spacer 48, and a spherical shape of the upper universal joint 45 is provided at one end. By screwing the cap 50 in which the body 45a is formed into a screw portion formed at the upper end of the rod body 43, the ferrite 42 is fixed in a fixed position. Due to the structure in which the ferrite 42 is fixed at a predetermined position by this spring bias, it is possible to prevent the displacement rod body 41 from being deformed due to a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the rod body 43 and the ferrite 42 which are resin materials. Since the temperature change of the washing machine is severe, such a structure that prevents deformation due to thermal expansion is suitable for application to the washing machine.

  Further, since the ferrite 42 is obtained by pressure-molding and sintering the raw material powder, the ferrite 42 is easily broken by an impact or the like, but even if it is broken in the rod body 43, the hollow portion is pressed by the pressing spring 49. Since it is pressed on the step, no electrical influence is maintained. Accordingly, the ferrite 42 does not necessarily have a predetermined length, and a plurality of short lengths can be stacked and stored, so that it is flexible such as application of a standard size product or application of a short size that is difficult to break. Correspondence is possible. Further, it is desirable that the pressing spring 49 is made of a non-magnetic material, and the pressing spring 49 acts like an extension of the ferrite 42 that is a magnetic body, so that the effect of regulating the length of the ferrite 42 is not impaired. . Here, since the ferrite 42 is urged by the pressing spring 49 via the spacer 48 which is a nonmagnetic material, the pressing spring 49 may be either a magnetic material or a nonmagnetic material, and the range of material selection is expanded. can do. Further, by providing a space on the inner tip side of the rod body 43 and forming a drain hole 51 that opens from the space to the outside, even when condensation occurs inside the rod body 43 due to a temperature change. Condensed water can be discharged.

  The rod body 43 of the displacement rod portion 41 having the above-described configuration is inserted into the cylinder body 58 of the detection coil portion 40 so as to be movable forward and backward, and operates like a relationship between the piston and the cylinder. It is necessary to reduce the coefficient of friction with the body 58. In general, the friction coefficient can be reduced by applying a lubricant such as grease to the sliding part, but fiber powder and dust are likely to adhere to the applied lubricant, and the performance should be maintained over a long period of time. Is difficult. Here, the rod body 43 and the cylinder body 58 are constituted by a combination of materials having a small friction coefficient between them and good wear resistance. For example, by forming one side with polyacetal and the other side with polyamide, a state with less sliding friction can be obtained without using a lubricating material, and these materials are also excellent in wear resistance. It is valid. Further, when the rod body 43 suddenly advances and retracts in the cylinder body 58, the air in the cylinder body 58 is compressed or expanded, so that the resistance to the forward and backward movement applied by the displacement rod portion 41 is eliminated. In addition, it is preferable to provide an air vent hole 80 that opens from the inside of the hollow portion to the outside at the lower end side of the cylinder body 58. The air vent hole 80 is also effective for discharging moisture or condensed water that has entered the cylinder body 58.

  The position sensor 36 is disposed between the aquarium unit 7 and the base of the washing machine housing 6 as shown in FIG. 1 to detect the position of the aquarium unit 7. Since the base portion of the washing machine housing 6 is in a fixed state in a three-dimensional direction, an attachment structure that does not break or deviate from the installation position due to the shaking of the water tub unit 7 is required.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the displacement rod portion 41 has a spherical body 45 a formed at the upper end of the cap 50 screwed to the upper end of the rod body 43, and is attached to the lower support fitting 74 fixed to the water tank unit 7. The upper mounting plate 47 to be mounted is formed with a bowl-shaped body 45b having an inner diameter corresponding to the diameter of the spherical body 45a, and an upper universal joint 45 is formed by fitting the spherical body 45a into the bowl-shaped body 45b. In addition, the detection coil unit 40 forms a spherical body 44 a at the lower end of the cylinder body 58, and the bowl-shaped body 44 b is attached to the lower mounting plate 46 that is attached to the support base 73 fixed to the base of the washing machine housing 6. The lower universal joint 44 is formed by fitting the spherical body 44a into the bowl-shaped body 44b. Due to the mounting structure of the position sensor 36 with the upper and lower universal joints, the position sensor 36 flexibly follows the shake of the water tank unit 7 and moves forward and backward with respect to the detection coil 40 of the displacement rod 41 corresponding to the shake amount. A quantity is obtained.

  As described above, the detection coil unit 40 is provided with the connector 65, and lead connection is made to the connector 65. Therefore, when the detection coil unit 40 rotates, the lead connected to the connector 65 may be disconnected or disconnected. Therefore, the lower universal joint 44 is formed with a rotation blocking structure that blocks the rotation of the detection coil unit 40 while maintaining a free movement.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the spherical body 44a constituting the lower universal joint 44 is formed with a pair of cylindrical projections 52a and 52b projecting from the spherical surface to both sides in the diameter direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rod body 43. Has been. Engagement grooves 53a and 53b are formed in positions corresponding to the cylindrical protrusions 52a and 52b in the bowl-shaped body 44b corresponding to the spherical body 44a. As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 9, the engagement grooves 53a and 53b are formed on the cylindrical protrusions 52a and 52b with the shaft-like inner peripheral surface of the rod body 43 having the axis C as the center of rotation of the spherical body 44a. It forms on the locus | trajectory of the cylindrical protrusion 52a, 52b when it falls in the position direction. Since the cylindrical protrusions 52a and 52b are formed in the diameter direction of the spherical body 44a, the cylindrical protrusions 52a and 52b are held in the engaging grooves 53a and 53b even if the axis C of the rod body 43 is tilted in the 360 degree direction. can do. Accordingly, although the universal joint 44 maintains the free movement due to the engagement of the spherical body 44a and the bowl-shaped body 44b with respect to the swing of the detection coil section 40 in the 360 degree direction, the detection coil section 40 is rotated around its axis. The rotation is prevented from the cylindrical protrusions 52a and 52b being fitted in the engaging grooves 53a and 53b. Further, the cylindrical protrusions 52a and 52b protruding from the spherical body 44a on both sides are formed so as to have different diameters, and the engagement grooves 53a and 53b corresponding to the respective cylindrical protrusions 52a and 52b are also formed to have different widths. Thus, the mounting direction of the detection coil unit 40 can be restricted, and the wiring connection to the connector 65 can be kept constant.

  The spherical body 44a and the bowl-shaped body 44b constituting the lower universal joint 44 and the spherical body 45a and the bowl-shaped body 45b constituting the upper universal joint 45 also have the sliding relationship between the rod body 43 and the cylinder body 58 described above. Similarly, the spherical bodies 44a and 45a and the bowl-shaped bodies 44b and 45b are formed of a combination of materials with a small friction coefficient so that the friction coefficient becomes small. In this configuration, since the spherical body 44a is integrally formed at one end of the cylinder body 58, the lower mounting plate 46 and the cylinder body 58, which are integrally formed with the bowl-shaped body 44b, are formed of different types with different friction coefficients. By configuring in combination, an engagement relationship with good slidability can be obtained without applying a lubricant such as grease to the sliding portion. Similarly, in the upper universal joint 45, the upper mounting plate 47 formed integrally with the flange 45b and the cap 50 formed integrally with the spherical body 45a are configured in a combination of different forming materials. For example, it is preferable that one of the combinations of the forming materials having a small friction coefficient is polyacetal and the other is polyamide.

  As described above, in order to configure the opposing member of the sliding contact portion to be a combination of materials having a small coefficient of friction, the constituent materials of the position sensor 36 as a whole are formed as described below. It is preferable to select the material. The sliding contact portions are the upper and lower universal joints 44 and 45 as described above, and are sliding portions between the rod body 43 and the cylinder body 58.

  Engagement grooves 53a and 53b are formed in the hook-shaped body 44b provided on the lower mounting plate 46 to prevent the detection coil portion 40 from rotating, but the hook-shaped body 45b provided on the upper mounting plate 47 is engaged. Even if the joint grooves 53a and 53b are formed, there is no hindrance to the free movement of the spherical body 45a. Therefore, the upper mounting plate 47 and the lower mounting plate 46 can be common parts. Assuming that the material section for forming the upper mounting plate 47 and the lower mounting plate 46 by resin molding is (B), a cylinder body 58 and a cap integrally formed with spherical bodies 44a and 45a facing the bowl-shaped bodies 44b and 45b, respectively. The material classification for forming 50 by resin molding is (C). Further, since the forming material for resin-molding the rod body 43 slidingly moving in the cylinder body 58 is different from the forming material for the cylinder body 58, the material classification is (B). Since the rod body 43 is provided with the cap 50 and the spherical body 45a is integrally formed on the cap 50, such a material division is possible, and the sliding contact portion is made of a material (B) (C) having a small friction coefficient. It becomes possible to face each other. The material section (B) can be selected as, for example, polyacetal, and the material section (C) can be selected as, for example, polyamide.

Moreover, since the position sensor 36 can detect the position in the substantially same direction as the axial center direction of the vibration damping damper 70, the position of the water tank unit 7 can be detected accurately. Further, since the mounting of the position sensor 36 can share a metal fitting for mounting the vibration isolating damper 70, there is no waste of providing a separate mounting member for mounting the position sensor 36, and a reliable mounting is possible. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the position sensor 36 is attached to the lower support bracket 74 and the support base 73, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. It is possible to carry out by a simple operation of simply inserting the stop protrusion 55 into the mounting hole formed in the lower support fitting 74 or the support base 73. That is, the engagement piece 54 formed in a bent shape is inserted into the hole formed in the lower support bracket 74 or the support base 73 from an oblique direction, and the locking projection 55 is lowered so that the mounting surface and the mounting surface are parallel to each other. When pushed into the hole formed in the support fitting 74 or the support base 73, the detent formed on the locking projection 5 is locked to the edge of the hole, so that it can be mounted without using fastening means such as screws. it can.

  Like the drum-type washing machine according to the present embodiment, the aquarium unit 7 is arranged in an obliquely upward direction, and a position closer to the front side than the center of gravity is supported by the anti-vibration damper 70 from below. In the case where the vibration damping structure in which the water tank unit 7 is elastically held at a predetermined position by the two coil springs 71 and 72 is applied, the action of the vibration damping damper 70 is particularly noticeable. By mounting the position sensor 36 in substantially the same direction as the vibration control direction, the position of the water tank unit 7 can be detected more reliably.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the position sensor 36 detects the position of the water tank unit 7 by connecting an oscillation circuit 81 and a detection circuit 82 to a connector 65 provided in the detection coil unit 40. When the aquarium unit 7 is in a predetermined position, the ferrite 42 is located at a reference position where the amount of forward / backward movement of the displacement rod portion 41 relative to the detection coil portion 40 does not change. When a signal is applied, the signal output excited by the first secondary winding 62 and the signal output excited by the second secondary winding 63 are in a constant state. The oscillating circuit 81 applies a sine wave or triangular wave having a predetermined frequency as an excitation signal to the primary winding 61, and thereby detects signal outputs excited by the first secondary winding 62 and the second secondary winding 63, respectively. By rectifying and smoothing at 82, a voltage output corresponding to the position is obtained. This voltage output is input to the control means 20.

  Here, since the reference position is an empty state in which the laundry is not stored in the rotary drum 2 and the lower end of the ferrite 42 is substantially in the same position as the lower end of the primary winding 61, the reference position is set. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, if the nut 79 is rotated and the height position of the detection coil portion 40 biased upward by the push-up spring 78 with respect to the displacement rod portion 41 is adjusted, Can be adjusted. Since the ferrite 42 is not visible, the output signal of each of the first secondary winding 62 and the second secondary winding 63 is output from the detection circuit 82 as a voltage corresponding to the reference position when the rotary drum 2 is empty in the setting operation. It can be easily adjusted by rotating the nut 79 as described above.

  As shown in FIG. 11, when the displacement rod portion 41 moves forward and backward in the detection coil portion 40 as the water tank unit 7 is displaced, the position of the ferrite 42 changes, so that the first secondary winding 62 is excited. The voltage obtained from the output signal by the detection circuit 82 becomes a change curve as shown in A1 in the figure. In the illustrated example, the change is almost linear within a range of 10 mm on the extension side and 15 mm on the compression side with respect to the reference position. Since the expansion / contraction range is within a range in which the laundry can be stored in the rotary drum 2, the sinking position of the water tank unit 7 is displaced depending on the amount of the laundry put into the rotary drum 2. The output voltage of the obtained detection circuit 82 is used as the cloth amount detection means 30.

On the other hand, the output voltage obtained by the detection circuit 82 from the output signal excited by the second secondary winding 63 changes as shown in A2 in the figure. In the range of 10 mm on the extension side and 40 mm on the compression side from the reference position, there is a substantially linear change. This is the maximum in which the laundry is stored in the rotating drum 2 and water enters the water tank 3 in the washing process. Since the load can be covered, the change in the output voltage obtained by the detection circuit 82 from the output signal of the second secondary winding 63 is suitable for displacement detection accompanying the vibration of the water tank unit 7, and during the dehydration process. It can be used to detect abnormal dehydration vibration.

  Here, the cloth amount detection using the position sensor will be described.

  FIG. 12 shows the relationship between the amount of displacement in the compression direction and the output voltage value Vn obtained by the detection circuit 82 from the output signal excited by the first secondary winding 62. When a voltage of 2 V is detected, it is determined that the position of the water tank is the reference position of the water tank 3 when there is no laundry. If the water tank is displaced by 2 mm in the compression direction with respect to the reference position of the water tank 3 when there is no laundry, a voltage of 3 V is detected if the water tank is displaced by 2.5 mm and 4 mm. FIG. 13 shows the output voltage value Vn of the detection circuit 82 obtained from the first secondary winding 62 and the output voltage value Vo of the detection circuit 82 at the reference position of the water tub 3 when there is no laundry (hereinafter referred to as the reference position). The relationship between the difference from the voltage value Vo) and the amount of laundry (cloth amount) is shown. That is, if the reference position voltage value Vo is 2V and the output voltage value Vn is 2V, the difference is 0V, so it is determined that the laundry is not put in. If the difference between the output voltage value Vn and the reference position voltage value Vo is 0.5V, it is determined that 4 kg of laundry has been put in. If the difference between the output voltage value Vn and the reference position voltage value Vo is 1V, the laundry is It is determined that 8 kg has been introduced. The relationship between the amount of displacement, the voltage value, and the amount of laundry varies depending on the spring constant of the coil spring mechanism 79 of the vibration damping damper 70, the hardness of the cushioning material 77, and the like, and is calculated by experiment. Thus, the relationship is not limited to the above.

  The drum-type washing machine 1 configured as described above opens the door body 9, puts the laundry into the rotating drum 2, and selects the operation course from the input setting means 21 provided at the upper front side of the washing machine casing 6. By performing the input or the operation start input, the operation course or the like is displayed on the display means 22, the operation operation corresponding to the instructed operation course is started, and the required operation is executed under the control of the control means 20. The amount of laundry put into the rotary drum 2 is the number of washings detected by the above-mentioned cloth amount detection means 30, and then the detergent amount display part 22 g of the display means 22 is turned on and the number is displayed. The detergent amount is displayed on the display unit 22f. After a predetermined time, the control means 20 controls the opening and closing of the water supply valve 14 so that a water supply amount corresponding to the amount of laundry is obtained, and the water level detection means 16 monitors the water supply amount into the water tank 3.

  When the washing process for a predetermined time is performed after the water supply is completed, the opening and closing of the drain valve 13 is controlled, and drainage is performed. Then, after performing the rinsing process, finally, in order to dehydrate the laundry, a dehydration process is performed in which the rotating drum 2 is rotated for a predetermined time at a rotation speed at which dewatering is possible. After the dehydration process is completed, the rotation of the rotary drum 2 is stopped, and the washing, rinsing, and dehydration processes are completed. Thereafter, the user opens the door body 9, takes out the laundry that has been washed from the rotating drum, closes the door body 9 again, and finishes.

  Here, a method for detecting the amount of laundry detected by the cloth amount detection means 30 will be described.

  At the start of operation, due to the influence of the laundry in the rotating drum 2 at the end of the previous washing, it is positioned in the compression direction with respect to the reference position of the water tub 3 when there is no laundry. As shown in FIG. 14, even if the laundry is taken out at the end of washing, the position of the water tank 3 is the reference position of the water tank 3 when there is no laundry due to the characteristic of the oil damper mechanism 78 of the vibration damping damper 70. This is because there is a shift of the dimension a in the compression direction with respect to the reference position of the water tub 3 when there is no laundry. In this state, the accurate amount of laundry cannot be determined even if the displacement amount is detected during the next washing.

  Here, the operation | movement in the detection process of the quantity of the laundry is demonstrated, referring FIGS. 15-17. As shown in FIG. 16, when the laundry amount detection process starts in step 100, in step 101, the rotating drum 2 is moved in the A direction (clockwise direction) for a first predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds), It is rotated at a first predetermined rotation speed (for example, 60 r / min). At that time, since the water tank unit 7 tries to rotate in the B direction (counterclockwise direction) due to the reaction of the rotation of the rotating drum 2, the left side is lowered and the right side is raised. As shown in FIG. 17, the position sensor 36 in the vicinity of is changed in the compression direction.

  Thereafter, in step 102, an electromagnetic brake is applied to the rotating drum 2 for a second predetermined time (for example, 1 second). At this time, since the water tank unit 7 tries to rotate in the A direction (clockwise direction) due to the reaction of the electromagnetic brake to the rotary drum 2, the left side is raised and the right side is lowered. After changing in the stretching direction, it is located at a normal position corresponding to the amount of laundry. This is because, due to the characteristics of the oil damper mechanism 78 of the vibration proof damper 70, the normal position is restored from the extension direction. After that, the rotation of the rotating drum 2 is stopped for a third predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds) in Step 103 and the position of the water tank unit 7 is stabilized. Then, in Step 104, the first position detection is performed. The output voltage value V1 of the detection circuit 82 obtained from the secondary winding 62 is detected.

  Thereafter, in step 105, the rotating drum 2 is rotated in the B direction for a first predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds) at a first predetermined rotation speed (for example, 60 r / min). At that time, the position sensor 36 changes in the extending direction due to the reaction of the rotation of the rotary drum 2.

  Thereafter, in step 106, an electromagnetic brake is applied to the rotating drum 2 for a second predetermined time (for example, 1 second). At this time, the position sensor 36 changes in the compression direction due to the reaction of the electromagnetic brake to the rotary drum 2 and then is located at a position shifted in the compression direction with respect to the normal position. This is because, as described above, due to the characteristics of the oil damper mechanism 78 of the vibration damping damper 70, it is difficult to smoothly return to the normal position from the compression direction. Thereafter, in step 107, the rotation of the rotary drum 2 is stopped for a third predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds), but at this time, the position sensor 36 does not detect the position.

  Further, in steps 108 to 110, the same operation as in steps 101 to 103 is executed, and in step 111, the output voltage value V2 of the detection circuit 82 is detected as the second position detection.

  In step 112, an average value Va between the first output voltage value V1 in step 104 and the second output voltage value V2 in step 111 is calculated. In step 113, whether the average value Va is 1.3 V or more. If it is 1.3 V or more, the routine proceeds to step 114, where the amount of laundry is determined from the difference between the average value Va and the reference position voltage value Vo as shown in FIG. In step 115, as shown in Table 1, the detergent amount is determined in accordance with the determined amount of laundry, the detergent amount display portion 22g of the display means 22 is turned on, and the determined detergent amount is displayed on the number display portion 22f. Is displayed, and the process proceeds to the next step in step 116. As a result, the user can put in an optimum amount of detergent according to the display, so that the waste of detergent can be eliminated and the convenience to the user can be increased.

  If it is determined in step 113 whether or not the average value is 1.3 V or more, if it is not 1.3 V or more, the process proceeds to step 117 and a circuit failure, a position sensor 36 failure, a connection connector disconnection, etc. It is determined that there is a problem, and the laundry is assumed to be a predetermined amount (for example, 5 kg), and the process proceeds to step 115. As a result, the washing operation can be executed without inconvenience to the user even if a failure such as a circuit failure, a position detection means failure, or a connection connector disconnection occurs. The output voltage value Vn of less than 2V is an output voltage value in the extending direction of the position sensor 36, and 1.3V used here is the output voltage value Vn of the position sensor 36 even though the laundry is contained. Is less than 2V, which is the direction of elongation, so there is a margin of 0.7V, and less than 1.3V is determined to be a failure. This value can be appropriately set according to the aircraft.

  In addition, the reference position of the water tub 3 when there is no laundry differs depending on the machine due to variations in the spring constant of the coil spring mechanism 79 of the vibration damping damper 70 and the hardness of the cushioning material 77, etc. It is necessary to set in advance. Hereinafter, a method for setting the reference position voltage value Vo in the manufacturing stage will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step 200, the manufacturer starts setting the reference position voltage value Vo in the manufacturing stage. In step 201, a special operation that is not performed in normal washing is performed on the input setting means 21. For example, while pressing the dehydration time setting switch 21c and the drying time setting switch 21d at the same time, the power-on switch 21f is pressed to turn on the power. Thereafter, in step 202, “000” is displayed on the number display portion 22f. Thereafter, in step 203, when the washing time setting switch 21a is pressed to start the next process, in step 204, the above-described laundry amount detection process (steps 110 to 113 in FIG. 16) is executed. The output voltage value Vn in the state is detected.

  Next, in step 205, the output voltage value Vn detected in step 204 is displayed as a voltage value on the number display unit 22f, and in step 206, the output voltage value Vn is stored as the reference position voltage value Vo. Thereafter, in step 207, the power-off switch 21g is pressed to turn off the power, and the process ends in step 208. Here, in step 204, by performing the same operation as the operation of the actual laundry amount detection process, the water tank unit 7 is brought into the same state as the actual laundry amount detection process, The reference position voltage value Vo can be set. In this way, by setting the reference position voltage value Vo in advance for each machine, it is possible to detect an accurate amount of laundry corresponding to the machine.

  The reference position voltage value Vo can be set by a service person after installing the aircraft, and the reference position voltage value Vo corresponding to the installation conditions can be set.

Further, when the user uses the drum type washing machine of the present embodiment for many years, the coil spring mechanism 79 of the vibration damping damper 70 and the rubber cushioning material 77 are deteriorated due to a change with time. Thereby, the position of the water tank 3 when there is no actual laundry is shifted in the compression direction (downward) with respect to the reference position of the water tank 3 when there is no laundry determined in the manufacturing stage. Therefore, as shown in Table 2, correction is performed by adding a predetermined voltage value to the reference position voltage value Vo determined in the manufacturing stage according to the number of washing operations.

  At this time, the reference position voltage value Vo determined in the manufacturing stage is set as the reference position voltage value Vo as it is until the number of washing operations is 1000 times, and the reference position voltage value Vo determined in the manufacturing stage is used from 1001 to 2000 times. 0.125 V is added (corresponding to a deviation of 0.5 mm) to obtain a reference position voltage value Vo, and until 2001 to 3000 times, 0.25 V is added to the reference position voltage value Vo determined in the manufacturing stage (1 (Corresponding to a deviation of 0. 0 mm) The reference position voltage value Vo is used, and after 3001, the reference position voltage value Vo is determined by adding 0.375 V to the reference position voltage value Vo determined in the manufacturing stage (equivalent to a deviation of 1.5 mm) Let it be Vo. As a result, the amount of laundry can be accurately detected regardless of changes over time in the coil spring mechanism 79 of the vibration damping damper 70 and the rubber cushioning material 77.

  Since the correction value varies depending on the weight of the water tank unit 7 and the characteristics of the coil spring mechanism 79 of the vibration damping damper 70 and the rubber cushioning material 77, it goes without saying that an optimal correction corresponding to this is made. .

  As described above, the drum-type washing machine according to the present invention detects the position of the water tank that linearly changes depending on the amount of laundry after the rotary drum is driven to rotate, so the position of the water tank after the previous washing is determined. Since the amount of laundry can be detected with high accuracy, it is useful as a drum-type washing machine that performs washing, rinsing, and dewatering processes.

Sectional drawing which shows the principal part structure of the drum type washing machine which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. Front view showing the configuration of the vibration damper of the drum type washing machine The circuit diagram which shows the structure of the control apparatus of the drum type washing machine Enlarged front view of input setting means and display means of the drum type washing machine The perspective view which shows the structure of the position sensor of the drum type washing machine Sectional drawing which shows the structure of the position sensor of the drum type washing machine The perspective view which shows the structure of the coil body which comprises the position sensor of the drum type washing machine. The perspective view which shows the structure of the downward universal joint of the drum type washing machine Sectional drawing of the bowl-shaped body which comprises the downward universal joint of the drum type washing machine The circuit diagram which shows the structure of the position detection circuit using the position sensor of the drum type washing machine The graph which shows the change of the output voltage obtained from the position detection circuit of the drum type washing machine The graph which shows the relationship between the voltage from the position detection circuit of the drum type washing machine, and the amount of displacement A graph showing the relationship between the voltage from the position detection circuit of the drum type washing machine and the amount of laundry Time chart showing change in voltage from position detection circuit after completion of dehydration of the drum type washing machine Simplified internal front view of the drum type washing machine Flowchart of laundry quantity detection process of the drum type washing machine Time chart of the process of detecting the amount of laundry in the drum type washing machine Flow chart of setting method of water tank reference position when there is no laundry of the drum type washing machine

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Drum-type washing machine 2 Rotating drum 3 Water tank 5 Drum drive motor 6 Washing machine housing | casing 20 Control means 36 Position sensor (position detection means)

Claims (7)

A rotating drum that accommodates the laundry and is driven to rotate about a horizontal direction or an inclined direction as a rotation axis, a water tank that rotatably includes the rotating drum and is supported in a swingable manner in the washing machine casing, and a cylinder Two vibration-isolating dampers that support the aquarium from below at a position that is symmetrical with respect to the rotation center of the rotating drum, and that controls the operation of the washing machine. And a position detecting means for detecting the position of the water tank between the base part of the washing machine casing and the water tank and disposed in the vicinity of one of the left and right vibration isolation dampers. And the control means includes the rotating drum after the laundry is put into the rotating drum, the lowermost point of the rotating drum, the upper side of the vibration damping damper on the side where the position detecting means is disposed, The rotating drum A is intended to rotate so as to pass through the uppermost point in the order, after the first driven a predetermined time rotating said position detecting means lowers the disposed side of the position detecting means in the water tank to move in the compression direction The position of the water tank is adjusted by the position detecting means after the rotating drum is braked for a second predetermined time so as to move the position detecting means in the water tank upward and move the position detecting means in the extending direction. A drum-type washing machine that detects the amount of laundry in comparison with the reference position of the aquarium when there is no laundry stored in advance. The drum type washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control means detects the amount of laundry by the position detection means after repeating the activation and braking of the rotating drum a predetermined number of times. An input setting means for setting an operation course or the like is provided, and the control means stores the position detected by the position detection means as a reference position of the water tub when there is no laundry according to the input state of the input setting means. The drum type washing machine according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein when the detection data by the position detection unit exceeds a predetermined range, the control unit determines that a failure has occurred and fixes the amount of laundry to a predetermined value. Drum-type washing machine. The drum-type washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control means stores the number of washing operations, and changes the reference position of the water tub when there is no laundry according to the number of washing operations. . The drum type washing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the position detecting means is formed of a differential transformer made of a winding and a magnetic material. The display means which displays a driving course, the amount of detergent, etc. is provided, and the control means displays the amount of detergent on the display means according to the amount of laundry detected by the position detection means. The drum type washing machine according to any one of the above.

Images