JP6823434B2 - Washing machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine.

Conventionally, a fully automatic washing machine that automatically performs each process of washing, rinsing, and dehydration has been known (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In this washing machine, when the washing / dehydrating tub rotates at high speed around the vertical axis during the dehydration process, the laundry is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the washing / dehydrating tub by centrifugal force, and the water and laundry in the washing / dehydrating tub The water contained in the washing and dehydrating tub is discharged through the drain hole.

By the way, if the laundry contains waterproof bedding, nylon covers, raincoats, and other waterproof clothing, water may remain in the waterproof clothing during the washing and rinsing processes. , Waterproof clothes may stick to the inner peripheral surface of the washing / dehydrating tub and the drain holes may be blocked, so that the water may not be completely drained during the drainage process.

When dehydration is started in such a state and the rotation speed of the washing / dehydrating tub reaches a high rotation speed such as 1000 rpm, the water remaining in the waterproof clothing suddenly moves and abnormal vibration occurs. However, there is a problem that the outer tank swings greatly.

Therefore, in the inventions of Patent Documents 1 and 2, the time required for drainage in the drainage process is measured, and when this measurement time is shorter than the predetermined time, the laundry having waterproof property is accommodated. If it is judged that the water has not drained completely and the laundry stuck to the inner peripheral surface of the washing / dehydrating tub is peeled off, or if the abnormality cannot be avoided, the operation of the washing machine is stopped. ing.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-98989 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-104680

However, as in the inventions of Patent Documents 1 and 2, there is a problem that the presence or absence of waterproof clothing cannot be accurately determined only by measuring the drainage time.

Specifically, the time required for drainage varies depending on the degree of deviation and posture of the waterproof clothes in the washing / dehydrating tub. For example, when waterproof clothing stores water, the drainage time is shortened by the amount of the stored water. On the other hand, when the waterproof clothing partially blocks the drainage hole, the drainage is not performed smoothly, and the drainage time becomes longer accordingly.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to appropriately determine the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration and to appropriately control the dehydration process so that abnormal vibration does not occur.

The present invention includes an outer tank, an inner tank rotatably arranged in the outer tank, a water supply unit that supplies water to the outer tank, a drive unit that rotationally drives the inner tank, and a water supply stroke. The following solutions have been taken for a washing machine provided with a water supply unit and a control unit for controlling the drive unit so as to perform a washing operation including at least a drainage stroke and a dehydration stroke.

That is, the first invention includes a water level detecting unit for detecting the water level in the outer tank and a water level detecting unit.
A calculation unit that calculates a water level change rate indicating the amount of change in the water level per predetermined time based on the detection result of the water level detection unit in the water supply stroke or the drainage stroke.
A determination unit for determining the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration based on the rate of change in the water level during the water supply stroke or the drainage stroke calculated by the calculation unit is provided.
The control unit is characterized in that the operation of the drive unit is controlled based on the determination result of the determination unit.

In the first invention, the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration (specifically, the presence or absence of waterproof laundry) based on the amount of change in the water level per predetermined time in the water supply stroke or the drainage stroke, that is, the water level change rate. ) Is judged. The water supply process will be described below.

Specifically, if the laundry does not contain waterproof clothing and is only general clothing, the water level rises at a substantially constant rate after starting water supply at a constant flow rate. Since the water level reaches the set water level of, the rate of change in the water level becomes substantially constant.

On the other hand, if the laundry contains waterproof clothing, the space volume of the inner tank will be reduced by being partitioned by the waterproof clothing, so water supply should be started at a constant flow rate. After the water level rises at a substantially constant rate, when the water reaches the position where the space volume of the inner tank is decreasing, the rate of change in the water level increases sharply. That is, if the laundry contains waterproof clothing, there is an inflection point in which the rate of change in water level increases sharply.

Therefore, in the present invention, in consideration of the existence of this inflection point, the first water level change rate when the water level rises at a substantially constant speed before the inflection point and after the inflection point. When the ratio to the second water level inflection point, where the water level rises sharply, becomes larger than a predetermined threshold, there is a sign of abnormal vibration, that is, when the laundry contains waterproof clothing. I am trying to judge.

Then, by appropriately controlling the operation of the drive unit based on the determination result of the determination unit, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of abnormal vibration during the dehydration stroke due to the waterproof clothing accumulating water. ..

The second invention is the first invention.
The control unit is characterized in that when it is determined by the determination unit that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, the operation of the drive unit is controlled so that the inner tank is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed or less in the dehydration stroke. Is to be.

In the second invention, the waterproof laundry is housed in the inner tub, and when it is determined that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, the inner tub is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed or less in the dehydration stroke. ing. Specifically, when the maximum rotation speed of the inner tub in the normal dehydration stroke is set to about 1000 rpm, when it is determined that the waterproof laundry is housed in the inner tub, the inside in the dehydration stroke The maximum rotation speed of the tank may be set to, for example, about 300 rpm.

As a result, the dehydration process can be completed without stopping the operation of the washing machine while preventing the occurrence of abnormal vibration during the dehydration process due to the waterproof clothing accumulating water.

The third invention is the first invention.
The control unit is characterized in that it controls so as to stop the operation of the drive unit when the determination unit determines that there is a sign of abnormal vibration.

In the third invention, the waterproof laundry is housed in the inner tub, and when it is determined that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, the subsequent washing process is stopped. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of abnormal vibration during the dehydration process due to the fact that the waterproof clothing has accumulated water.

The fourth invention is in any one of the first to third inventions.
The calculation unit is characterized in that the calculation of the water level change rate is performed at least twice or more at different timings during the water supply stroke or the drainage stroke.

In the fourth invention, the water level change rate is calculated at least twice or more at different timings during the water supply stroke or the drainage stroke.

The fifth invention is the fourth invention.
The determination unit is characterized in that it determines the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration based on the ratio of the two water level change rates calculated at different timings by the calculation unit.

In the fifth invention, the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration (specifically, the presence or absence of waterproof laundry) is determined based on the ratio of the two water level change rates calculated at different timings. There is.

The sixth invention is the fourth or fifth invention.
The calculation unit is characterized in that the calculation of the water level change rate is performed at least once when the water level is between the bottom of the outer tank and the bottom of the inner tank, or in a region adjacent thereto. It is a thing.

In the sixth invention, the water level change rate is calculated at least once when the water level is between the bottom of the outer tank and the bottom of the inner tank, or in an area adjacent thereto. As a result, the water level change rate before the inflection point and the water level change rate after the inflection point can be obtained.

The seventh invention is the invention of any one of the first to sixth inventions.
It is characterized in that it is provided with a notification unit that performs a predetermined notification operation when the determination unit determines that there is a sign of abnormal vibration.

In the seventh invention, the waterproof laundry is housed in the inner tub, and when it is determined that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, the notification unit performs a predetermined notification operation to that effect. For example, an error message may be displayed on the display panel, an LED may be turned on, or the like to visually notify the outside. In addition, the notification buzzer may be sounded to audibly notify the outside. As a result, it is possible to alert the user and provide a washing machine with high reliability for safety.

The eighth invention is the seventh invention.
The notification unit is characterized in that it is configured to transmit the determination result of the determination unit to an external terminal device having a communication function.

In the eighth invention, the determination result of the determination unit is transmitted to the external terminal device. For example, if a message indicating that waterproof laundry is contained in the inner tub is sent to a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet, the user can be alerted.

The ninth invention is the invention of any one of the first to eighth inventions.
A vibration sensor for detecting the vibration of the outer tank is provided.
The control unit
When the water supply stroke to the dehydration stroke are continuously performed, the operation of the drive unit is controlled based on the determination result of the determination unit, while the operation of the drive unit is controlled.
When the washing operation is temporarily stopped between the water supply stroke and the dehydration stroke, a sign of abnormal vibration is detected based on the vibration sensor in the dehydration stroke after the washing operation is restarted. It is characterized in that the operation of the drive unit is controlled.

In the ninth invention, whether the operation of the drive unit is controlled based on the determination result of the determination unit or the detection result of the vibration sensor depending on whether or not the washing operation is temporarily stopped between the water supply stroke and the dehydration stroke. I try to decide.

Specifically, when the water supply stroke to the dehydration stroke are continuously performed, the operation of the drive unit may be controlled based on the determination result of the determination unit. However, for example, if the water level is temporarily stopped in the middle of the water supply process, the water level change rate cannot be calculated accurately. Therefore, when the washing operation is temporarily stopped, the operation of the drive unit may be controlled based on the detection result of the vibration sensor.

The tenth invention is the third invention.
A lid that opens and closes the slot for loading and unloading laundry,
An open / close detection unit that detects the open / closed state of the lid,
It is provided with a restart switch that restarts the washing operation by being operated by the user while the washing operation is stopped.
The control unit is dehydrated when the restart switch is operated after the open / close detection unit detects that the lid is opened and then closed again while the washing operation is stopped. It is characterized in that the operation of the drive unit is controlled so that the inner tank is rotated at a normal rotation speed in the stroke.

In the tenth invention, when it is determined that the waterproof laundry is contained in the inner tub, the washing operation is stopped. Then, when the user opens the lid and then closes the lid again and operates the restart switch while the washing operation is stopped, it is determined that the user has removed the water accumulated in the waterproof clothing. In the dehydration process, the inner tank is rotated at a normal rotation speed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of abnormal vibration even if the inner tank is rotated at a normal rotation speed during the dehydration stroke.

The eleventh invention is the first invention.
A pulsator connected to the drive unit to stir the laundry is provided.
When the determination unit determines that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, the control unit causes the pulsator to rotate at a predetermined rotation speed or higher in a washing process or a rinsing process performed after the water supply process. It is characterized by controlling the operation of the drive unit.

In the eleventh invention, when the waterproof laundry is housed in the inner tub and it is determined that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, the pulsator is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed or more in the washing process or the rinsing process. I try to let you. As a result, the water accumulated in the waterproof clothing is removed by the high-speed rotation of the pulsator, and even if the inner tank is rotated at a normal rotation speed during the dehydration stroke, the occurrence of abnormal vibration can be prevented. ..

The twelfth invention is the eleventh invention.
The drive unit includes an annular stator and a first rotor and a second rotor that can rotate independently of the stator.
One of the first rotor and the second rotor is connected to the inner tank.
The first rotor or the other of the second rotor is characterized in that it is connected to the pulsator.

In the twelfth invention, the drive unit is composed of a so-called dual rotor motor provided with a first rotor and a second rotor that can rotate independently of the stator. This makes it possible to rotate and drive the inner tank and the pulsator independently, making it easier to remove the water accumulated in the waterproof clothing.

The thirteenth invention is the eleventh or twelfth invention.
A vibration sensor for detecting the vibration of the outer tank is provided.
The control unit is characterized in that, in the dehydration stroke, it detects a sign of abnormal vibration based on the vibration sensor and controls the operation of the drive unit.

In the thirteenth invention, after rotating the pulsator at a predetermined rotation speed or more in the washing stroke or the rinsing stroke, a sign of abnormal vibration is detected based on a vibration sensor in the dehydration stroke. As a result, even if the water accumulated in the waterproof clothing cannot be completely removed by simply rotating the pulsator at high speed, abnormal vibration can be controlled by appropriately controlling the operation of the drive unit based on the detection result of the vibration sensor. Can be prevented.

According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately determine the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration based on the rate of change in the water level during the water supply stroke or the drainage stroke. In addition, when waterproof laundry is housed in the inner tub and it is determined that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, the waterproof clothing has accumulated water by appropriately controlling the operation of the drive unit. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of abnormal vibration during the dehydration process due to this.

It is a perspective view which shows the whole structure of the washing machine which concerns on this Embodiment 1. It is a vertical sectional view which shows the whole structure of a washing machine. It is a block diagram explaining the control operation of a washing machine. It is schematic cross-sectional view which shows the change of the water level before exceeding the inflection point water level in a water supply process. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the change of the water level after exceeding the inflection point water level in a water supply process. It is a graph which shows the water level change rate of general clothing and the water level change rate of waterproof clothing. It is a flowchart for determining the presence or absence of waterproof clothing. It is a block diagram explaining the control operation of the washing machine which concerns on Embodiment 2. It is a flowchart for detecting a sign of abnormal vibration in a dehydration process. It is a flowchart for detecting a sign of abnormal vibration in a dehydration process. It is a side sectional view which shows the structure of the drive motor mounted on the washing machine which concerns on this Embodiment 3.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiment is essentially merely an example and is not intended to limit the present invention, its application or its use.

<< Embodiment 1 >>
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the washing machine 10 includes a rectangular box-shaped housing 11. An operation unit 12 for a user to perform an operation is provided on the upper part of the housing 11. The operation unit 12 includes an operation switch 13, a display panel 14, an LED 15, and the like (see FIG. 3). In the washing machine 10, each process of "water supply", "washing", "rinsing", and "dehydration" can be continuously and automatically performed by operating the operation switch 13.

Inside the housing 11, an outer tank 20, an inner tank 30, a drive device 40, a pulsator 45, a balancer 35, and the like are installed.

The outer tank 20 is composed of a bottomed cylindrical container that opens upward, and is arranged at the center of the housing 11. The outer tub 20 is suspended and supported by the housing 11 via a plurality of suspensions 21 so that the inside of the housing 11 can be freely swung around.

The inner tub 30 is composed of a bottomed cylindrical container that opens upward, and the laundry C can be taken in and out from the upper loading port 11a. The input port 11a is closed by a lid 11b so as to be openable and closable. The inner tank 30 is composed of a container that is one size smaller than the outer tank 20, and is rotatably arranged in the outer tank 20. Specifically, the inner tank 30 is housed inside the outer tank 20 with both centers aligned with the vertical axis J, and is vertically extended in a substantially vertical direction by being driven by the drive device 40. Rotate around the axis J.

A plurality of drain holes 31 penetrating inside and outside are formed on the peripheral wall portion of the inner tank 30 over the entire circumference.

The drive device 40 is installed in the lower part of the outer tank 20. The drive device 40 includes a drive motor 41 and a power transmission device 42. The power transmission device 42 has a first rotation shaft 43 and a second rotation shaft 44 located at the center of the outer tank 20. The first rotating shaft 43 penetrates the bottom of the outer tank 20 and is attached to the inner tank 30. The second rotating shaft 44 penetrates the bottom of the outer tank 20 and the bottom of the inner tank 30 and projects into the inner tank 30 and is attached to the pulsator 45.

The power transmission device 42 rotates the first rotating shaft 43 and the second rotating shaft 44 independently or integrally so as to be able to reverse forward and reverse while switching according to each process by driving the drive motor 41. For example, in the washing stroke and the rinsing stroke, the second rotation shaft 44 is driven, and the pulsator 45 rotates while reversing forward and reverse at regular intervals. In the dehydration stroke, the first rotating shaft 43 is driven, and the inner tank 30 rotates at high speed.

A drain hose 22 is connected to the bottom of the outer tank 20. A drainage pump 23 is connected to the drainage hose 22. An external hose 24 arranged outside the housing 11 is connected to the drainage pump 23. The drainage pump 23 performs a drainage operation corresponding to each stroke. A water supply device 25 for supplying water to the outer tank 20 is provided at a position above the outer tank 20 in response to each stroke.

Further, the outer tank 20 is integrally provided with an airtight chamber 26. The airtight chamber 26 is provided at a position below the outer peripheral wall of the outer tank 20, and communicates with the inside of the outer tank 20 through the communication hole 26a. A sub hose 27 is connected to the upper part of the airtight chamber 26. A water level sensor 28 (water level detection unit) that detects the water level in the outer tank 20 is connected to the sub hose 27. The water level sensor 28 is provided on the upper part of the housing 11.

Then, when water is supplied from the water supply device 25 into the outer tank 20, a part of the water flows into the airtight chamber 26 through the communication hole 26a. As the water level in the outer tank 20 gradually rises, the air pressure in the airtight chamber 26 communicating with the outer tank 20 also gradually rises. Since the airtight chamber 26 and the water level sensor 28 are airtightly connected via the sub hose 27, the water level sensor 28 outputs an oscillation frequency corresponding to the change in air pressure.

Here, for example, during the washing process and the rinsing process, water is supplied from the water supply device 25 to the inner tank 30 in a state where the drainage pump 23 is stopped, and water is stored in the outer tank 20 and the inner tank 30. .. By rotating the pulsator 45 in that state, the laundry C is agitated with water, and the washing process and the rinsing process are performed.

Further, during the intermediate dehydration stroke and the dehydration stroke, the inner tank 30 is rotated at high speed while operating the drainage pump 23. As a result, the water contained in the laundry C is discharged from the inner tub 30 through the drain hole 31 by the action of centrifugal force. The water discharged from the inner tub 30 is drained to the outside of the outer tub 20 and the inner tub 30 of the washing machine 10 through the drain hose 22 and the outer hose 24.

The balancer 35 is installed in the opening above the inner tank 30. The balancer 35 is an annular member, and a liquid having a high specific gravity such as salt water is sealed therein. The balancer 35 is installed to adjust the imbalance of weight balance caused by the bias of the laundry C when the inner tub 30 is rotated and to suppress the vibration. The balancer 35 is not limited to the fluid balancer, but may be a ball balancer.

The drive device 40 is controlled by a control unit 50 provided on the upper part of the housing 11. The control unit 50 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like, and the CPU reads and executes a control program stored in the ROM in advance to supply water, wash, intermediate dehydration, and rinse. , Drainage, and dehydration are performed in sequence.

By the way, since most of the water collected in the inner tank 30 is usually drained through the drain holes 31 and the like, a large amount of water does not remain in the inner tank 30 during the dehydration process. However, when waterproof bedding, nylon covers, raincoats and other water-impermeable clothes are washed, the waterproof laundry C rarely spreads, and a large amount of the waterproof laundry C spreads in the inner tub 30 after the rinsing process is completed. It may be in a state of holding water.

When such a state occurs, the fluid of the balancer 35 cannot follow the unbalanced load when the water held by the waterproof laundry C moves momentarily in the dehydration process, and the washing machine 10 vibrates abnormally. May cause.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent abnormal vibration caused by the waterproof laundry C such as waterproof bedding.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a drive motor 41, a water level sensor 28, an operation unit 12, and the like are connected to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 has various software means realized by the CPU executing a control program in response to each process input by the operation unit 12.

That is, the control unit 50 has a calculation unit 51 that calculates a water level change rate indicating the amount of change in the water level per predetermined time based on the detection result of the water level sensor 28 in the water supply stroke, and a water supply stroke calculated by the calculation unit 51. It has a determination unit 52 for determining whether or not the waterproof laundry C is housed in the inner tub 30 based on the water level change rate inside, and a motor rotation control unit 53 for controlling the rotation of the drive motor 41. ing. In addition, the control unit 50 controls the operation of the drainage pump 23, the water supply device 25, and the like in response to each stroke.

Hereinafter, how to determine whether or not there is a sign of abnormal vibration, that is, whether or not there is a waterproof laundry C, will be described based on the rate of change in the water level during the water supply process. In the following description, the non-waterproof laundry is referred to as general clothing C1, and the waterproof laundry is referred to as waterproof clothing C2.

As shown in FIG. 4, when water is supplied from the water supply device 25 toward the inner tank 30, the water is also stored in the outer tank 20 through the drain holes 31 of the inner tank 30 and the like. FIG. 4 shows a state in which the waterproof clothing C2 has a bag shape that opens upward, and the general clothing C1 is housed therein. At this time, the water supplied from the water supply device 25 hits the upper edge of the waterproof clothing C2 and flows toward the outer tank 20 as it is, and a part of the water is accumulated inside the waterproof clothing C2.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5, when the water reaches a position where the space volume of the inner tank 30 is reduced by being partitioned by the waterproof clothing C2, the water level in the outer tank 20 rises sharply thereafter. It will be. That is, when the laundry contains the waterproof clothing C2, there is an inflection point in which the water level change rate suddenly increases.

The inflection point water level will be described below. As shown in FIG. 6, when the laundry does not contain the waterproof clothing C2 and is only the general clothing C1, the water level is substantially constant after the water supply is started at a constant flow rate. As the water level rises to reach a predetermined set water level, the water level change rate becomes substantially constant.

Whether the water level change rate is substantially constant depends on whether the first water level change rate Δ1 calculated after a predetermined time from the start of water supply and the second water level change rate Δ1 calculated after the first water level change rate Δ1 in the water supply process. It can be determined whether or not the ratio with the water level change rate Δ2 is larger than a predetermined threshold value.

Here, the first water level change rate Δ1 can be calculated by the time t1 from the start of water supply until the water level S1 is reached and the time t2 until the water level S2 is reached. That is, Δ1 = (S2-S1) / (t2-t1).

Similarly, the second water level change rate Δ2 can be calculated by the time t3 until the water level S3 is reached and the time t4 until the water level S4 is reached. That is, Δ2 = (S4-S3) / (t4-t3).

As can be seen from the graph of FIG. 6, in the case of general clothing C1, the first water level change rate Δ1 and the second water level change rate Δ2 are from the start of water supply until the set water level is reached. Comparing any section of the throat shows almost the same slope. Therefore, the ratio Δ2 / Δ1 of the second water level change rate Δ2 to the first water level change rate Δ1 is approximately 1, which is smaller than a predetermined threshold value (for example, 3 to 6), so that the determination unit 52 is waterproof. It is determined that the clothing C2 is not included.

On the other hand, when the laundry contains waterproof clothing C2, the water level rises at a substantially constant speed after the water supply is started at a constant flow rate, and then the water level exceeds the inflection point water level. The rate of change in water level increases sharply.

Therefore, the first water level change rate Δ1 may be calculated by the time T1 from the start of water supply until the water level S1 lower than the inflection point water level is reached and the time T2 until the water level S2 is reached. That is, Δ1 = (S2-S1) / (T2-T1).

Further, the second water level change rate Δ2 may be calculated by the time T3 until the water level S3 higher than the inflection point water level is reached and the time T4 until the water level S4 is reached. That is, Δ2 = (S4-S3) / (T4-T3).

As can be seen from the graph of FIG. 6, in the case of the waterproof clothing C2, the water level change rate changes rapidly before and after the inflection point water level. Therefore, the ratio Δ2 / Δ1 of the second water level change rate Δ2 to the first water level change rate Δ1 is, for example, about 10, which is larger than a predetermined threshold value (for example, 3 to 6), so that the determination unit 52 It is determined that the waterproof clothing C2 is contained.

Then, when it is determined that the waterproof clothing C2 is housed in the inner tank 30, the control unit 50 rotates the inner tank 30 at a predetermined rotation speed or less in the intermediate dehydration stroke and the final dehydration stroke. , Control the rotation of the drive motor 41.

Specifically, if the maximum rotation speed of the inner tank 30 in the normal dehydration process is set to about 1000 rpm, dehydration occurs when it is determined that the waterproof clothing C2 is housed in the inner tank 30. The maximum rotation speed of the inner tank 30 in the stroke may be set to, for example, about 300 rpm.

As a result, the dehydration process can be completed without stopping the operation of the washing machine 10 while preventing the occurrence of abnormal vibration during the dehydration process due to the waterproof clothing C2 accumulating water.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a notification buzzer 16 (notification unit) is connected to the control unit 50. When the determination unit 52 determines that the waterproof clothing C2 is housed in the inner tank 30, the notification buzzer 16 can be sounded to audibly notify the outside and alert the user. .. Further, the display panel 14 or the LED 15 may be used as a notification unit to visually notify the outside by displaying an error message on the display panel 14 or turning on the LED 15.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for determining the presence or absence of waterproof clothing. As shown in FIG. 7, first, in step S101, when performing the washing process, water is supplied from the water supply device 25 into the outer tub 20 and the process proceeds to step S102.

In step S102, the elapsed time T from the start of water supply and the water level S in the outer tank 20 at the elapsed time T are acquired, and the process proceeds to step S103. The elapsed time T and the water level S shall be sequentially acquired from the start of water supply until the set water level is reached.

In step S103, the first water level change rate Δ1 is calculated based on the time T1 from the start of water supply to the arrival of the predetermined water level S1 and the time T2 until the water level S2 is reached, and the process proceeds to step S104. That is, Δ1 = (S2-S1) / (T2-T1).

In step S104, the second water level change rate Δ2 is calculated based on the time T3 until the water level S3 is higher than the water level S2 and the time T4 until the water level S4 is reached, and the process proceeds to step S105. That is, Δ2 = (S4-S3) / (T4-T3).

In step S105, it is determined whether the ratio Δ2 / Δ1 of the second water level change rate Δ2 to the first water level change rate Δ1 is larger than a predetermined threshold value. If the determination in step S105 is "YES", the process branches to step S109. If the determination in step S105 is "NO", the process branches to step S106.

In step S106, it is determined whether the water level in the outer tank 20 has reached the set water level. If the determination in step S106 is "YES", the process branches to step S107. If the determination in step S106 is "NO", the process branches to step S104 and the second water level change rate Δ2 is calculated again. At the time of this recalculation, the water levels S3 and S4 are updated to a higher water level than the previous time, and the second water level change rate Δ2 is calculated.

In step S107, since Δ2 / Δ1 did not become larger than the predetermined threshold value between the start of water supply and the arrival of the set water level, it was determined that the laundry did not contain the waterproof clothing C2. , Step S108.

In step S108, the rotation speed of the drive motor 41 is set so that the inner tank 30 is rotated at a normal rotation speed (for example, 1000 rpm) in the intermediate dehydration stroke and the final dehydration stroke, and the process is completed.

In step S109, since Δ2 / Δ1 is larger than the predetermined threshold value between the start of water supply and the arrival of the set water level, it is determined that the laundry contains waterproof clothing C2, and the step is taken. Proceed to S110.

In step 110, the rotation speed of the drive motor 41 is set so as to rotate the inner tank 30 at a predetermined rotation speed or less (for example, 300 rpm) in the intermediate dehydration stroke and the final dehydration stroke, and the process ends.

In the present embodiment, the water level change rate is calculated during the water supply stroke, but it is also possible to calculate the water level change rate during the drainage stroke. Specifically, in the drainage process, the graph is a graph in which the water level changes with the passage of time, as if the graph of FIG. 6 was inverted.

Here, if the laundry does not contain waterproof clothing C2 and only general clothing C1, drainage is started at a constant flow rate with water accumulated up to the set water level. Since the water level drops at a substantially constant rate and drainage ends, the rate of change in the water level becomes substantially constant.

On the other hand, when the laundry contains waterproof clothing C2, the water level drops at a substantially constant speed after starting drainage at a constant flow rate with the water accumulated up to the set water level. After that, when the water level falls below the turning point, the water level change rate sharply decreases.

In this way, even in the drainage process, when the laundry contains waterproof clothing C2, the water level change rate changes rapidly before and after the inflection point water level. At 52, it becomes possible to determine the presence or absence of the waterproof clothing C2.

<< Embodiment 2 >>
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a control operation of the washing machine according to the second embodiment. Hereinafter, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and only the differences will be described.

As shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 50 includes a vibration sensor 36, an open / close sensor 37 (open / close detection unit), and a communication unit 38, in addition to the drive motor 41, the water level sensor 28, the operation unit 12, and the notification buzzer 16. (Notification unit) is connected.

The vibration sensor 36 is provided in the outer tub 20 of the washing machine 10 and detects the vibration of the outer tub 20.

The open / close sensor 37 detects the open / closed state of the lid 11b, and is composed of a proximity sensor and a magnetic sensor. The open / close sensor 37 is provided on the peripheral edge of the insertion port 11a in the housing 11. A permanent magnet (not shown) is provided on the lid 11b at a position corresponding to the open / close sensor 37, and when the lid 11b is closed, the open / close sensor 37 and the permanent magnet face each other. On the other hand, when the lid 11b is opened, the permanent magnet is separated from the open / close sensor 37. As a result, the open / closed state of the lid 11b can be detected by the open / close sensor 37.

The communication unit 38 transmits a message indicating that the waterproof laundry C is housed in the inner tub 30 to the external terminal device 60 having a communication function. The terminal device 60 is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet, or the like, and an error message is displayed on the display monitor of the terminal device 60 to alert the user.

Here, the control unit 50 changes the operation of the drive motor 41 depending on whether or not the washing operation is temporarily stopped between the water supply stroke and the dehydration stroke. Specifically, when the water supply stroke to the dehydration stroke are continuously performed, when the determination unit 52 determines that the waterproof clothing C2 is housed in the inner tank 30 based on the water level change rate. In addition, the control unit 50 controls the rotation of the drive motor 41 so that the inner tank 30 is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed or less in the intermediate dehydration stroke and the final dehydration stroke.

However, for example, if the water level is temporarily stopped in the middle of the water supply process, the water level change rate cannot be calculated accurately. Therefore, when the washing operation is temporarily stopped between the water supply stroke and the dehydration stroke, a sign of abnormal vibration is predicted based on the vibration sensor 36 in the intermediate dehydration stroke and the final dehydration stroke after the washing operation is restarted. Is detected. Then, the control unit 50 controls to stop the rotation of the drive motor 41 based on the detection result of the vibration sensor 36.

Hereinafter, the detection of signs of abnormal vibration will be described. In addition to the calculation unit 51, the determination unit 52, and the motor rotation control unit 53, the control unit 50 includes a rhythm detection unit 55 and a change rate detection unit 56 used for detecting signs of abnormal vibration of the inner tank 30, and an inner tank 30. It has an unbalance detection unit 57 that detects an unbalanced state of the laundry C inside.

Here, the inventors of the present application analyzed the output of the vibration sensor 36 during the operation of the washing machine 10 and found that the output signal of the vibration sensor 36 shows a peculiar behavior immediately before the occurrence of abnormal vibration. Specifically, it has been found that the parameter derived from the rhythm component having a period longer than the rotation period of the inner tank 30 becomes particularly large in the output signal of the vibration sensor 36 before the occurrence of abnormal vibration.

The rhythm detection unit 55 is provided based on this finding, and acquires the output signal of the vibration sensor 36 during the dehydration stroke of the washing machine 10, and is longer than the rotation cycle of the inner tub 30 from this output signal. A parameter R derived from the rhythm for detecting a sign of abnormal vibration of the washing machine 10 is calculated by extracting a rhythm component of the cycle and applying a predetermined signal processing to the rhythm component, and this parameter R value is set in advance. If the first threshold value Th1 is exceeded, it is determined that there is a sign of abnormal vibration. The first threshold value Th1 is a fixed value. Here, the parameter R is obtained by decomposing the vibration component acquired by the vibration sensor 36 by FFT or the like and calculating the intensity of the vibration component having a predetermined frequency. It may be a value other than the strength.

Further, the inventors of the present application have found that the vibration amplitude of the inner tank 30 changes abruptly before the occurrence of abnormal vibration. The rate of change detection unit 56 is provided based on this finding, acquires the output signal of the vibration sensor 36, performs predetermined signal processing on the output signal, and calculates the rate of change RV of the vibration amplitude. When this rate of change RV exceeds a preset second threshold value Th2, it is determined that there is a sign of abnormal vibration.

The unbalance detection unit 57 detects the unbalanced state of the laundry in the inner tub 30 by using a mechanical switch, an infrared sensor, or the like in addition to the vibration sensor 36.

The motor rotation control unit 53 controls the rotation of the drive motor 41 based on the detection result of the unbalance detection unit 57, the determination result of the rhythm detection unit 55, and the determination result of the change rate detection unit 56.

-Detection of signs of abnormal vibration-
Next, the abnormal vibration sign detection process for detecting the sign of abnormal vibration in the dehydration process, which is executed by the control unit 50, will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is a flowchart for detecting a sign of abnormal vibration based on a rhythm component, and FIG. 10 is a flowchart for detecting a sign of abnormal vibration based on a vibration amplitude.

《Detection of signs based on rhythm》
The detection of signs of abnormal vibration based on the rhythm component will be described. The sign detection of this abnormal vibration is executed during the dehydration process after the washing process and the rinsing process.

First, in step S201, the control unit 50 acquires an output signal indicating the vibration state of the outer tank 20 transmitted from the vibration sensor 36, and proceeds to step S202.

In step S202, the acquired output signal is subjected to predetermined signal processing to extract a rhythm component having a cycle longer than the rotation cycle of the inner tank 30, and the process proceeds to step S203. Here, the control unit 50 changes the rhythm component to be extracted according to the rotation speed of the inner tank 30. That is, as a result of the present inventors conducting a simulated experiment in which a plastic bag is spread inside the inner tank 30 to generate an abnormal vibration in a state where a large tarpaulin exists and an imbalance is added, the result before the occurrence of the abnormal vibration The frequency (peak frequency) having the highest intensity among the detected rhythm components tended to increase as the rotation speed of the inner tank 30 increased. That is, there is a relationship that can be roughly expressed by a linear function between the rotation speed of the inner tank 30 and the peak frequency of the rhythm component detected immediately before the occurrence of abnormal vibration.

In step S203, the control unit 50 calculates the parameter R derived from the rhythm for detecting the sign of abnormal vibration from the extracted rhythm component, and proceeds to step S204.

In step S204, it is determined whether or not this parameter R value is larger than the preset first threshold value Th1. If the determination in step S204 is "YES", the process branches to step S205. If the determination in step S204 is "NO", the control unit 50 determines that there is no sign of abnormal vibration, and returns the process to step S201.

In step S205, the control unit 50 determines that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, stops the rotation of the drive motor 41, and ends the process. Here, as the rhythm component detected by the control unit 50, those having a period longer than the rotation period of the inner tank 30 are mainly extracted.

<< Detection of signs based on the rate of change of vibration amplitude >>
Next, the detection of signs of abnormal vibration based on the rate of change of vibration amplitude will be described. The sign detection of this abnormal vibration is also executed during the dehydration process after the washing process and the rinsing process.

First, in step S301, the control unit 50 acquires an output signal transmitted from the vibration sensor 36 and indicating the vibration state of the outer tank 20, and proceeds to step S302.

In step S302, the control unit 50 performs predetermined signal processing on the acquired output signal, calculates the rate of change RV of the vibration amplitude of the outer tank 20, and proceeds to step S303.

In step S303, it is determined whether or not the calculated rate of change RV of the vibration amplitude is larger than the preset second threshold value Th2. If the determination in step S303 is "YES", the process branches to step S304. If the determination in step S303 is "NO", the control unit 50 determines that there is no sign of abnormal vibration, and returns the process to step S301.

In step S304, the control unit 50 determines that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, stops the rotation of the drive motor 41, and ends the process.

According to the sign detection of abnormal vibration, the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration in the inner tank 30 is determined based on the output of the vibration sensor 36. Specifically, a predetermined signal process is applied to the output signal of the vibration sensor 36 to extract a rhythm component having a cycle of one-predetermined integer of the rotation cycle of the inner tank 30, and a sign of abnormal vibration is detected from this rhythm component. The parameter R for this purpose was obtained, and the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration was determined based on this parameter R, and when it was determined that there was a sign of abnormal vibration, the rotation of the inner tank 30 was stopped. As a result, abnormal vibration can be prevented.

Further, according to the detection of a sign of abnormal vibration, when the rate of change RV of the vibration amplitude of the outer tank 20 exceeds the second threshold value Th2, it is determined that it is a sign of abnormal vibration, and the rotation of the inner tank 30 is stopped. I did it. As a result, abnormal vibration can be prevented. Furthermore, since this sudden change in vibration amplitude and the rhythm component are generated separately, it is possible to detect a sign of abnormal vibration with higher accuracy by combining with the detection of this rhythm component.

By the way, in the present embodiment, the rotation of the inner tank 30 is stopped when it is determined that there is a sign of abnormal vibration. At this time, the user is alerted by sounding the notification buzzer 16 or transmitting an error message to the terminal device 60.

Then, the user who notices that the washing operation has stopped in the washing machine 10 first opens the lid 11b, removes the water accumulated in the waterproof clothing C2, and then reopens the lid in order to restart the washing operation. Close 11b. The open / closed state of the lid 11b is detected by the open / close sensor 37. Then, the user operates the restart switch 17 to restart the washing operation.

When the user opens the lid 11b and then closes the lid 11b again and operates the restart switch 17 while the washing operation is stopped, the control unit 50 removes the water accumulated in the waterproof clothing C2 by the user. It is determined that the inner tank 30 is rotated at a normal rotation speed in the dehydration stroke, and the drive of the drive motor 41 is controlled. As a result, even if the inner tank 30 is rotated at a normal rotation speed during the dehydration stroke, the occurrence of abnormal vibration can be prevented.

In the present embodiment, when the determination unit 52 determines that the waterproof laundry C is housed in the inner tub 30, the inner tub 30 is rotated at a predetermined speed in the intermediate dehydration stroke and the final dehydration stroke. The operation of the drive motor 41 is controlled so as to rotate at a number or less, but the present invention is not limited to this form.

For example, when the determination unit 52 determines that the waterproof laundry C is housed in the inner tub 30, the operation of the drive motor 41 is stopped in order to stop the subsequent washing process. You may control it. After that, when the user restarts the washing operation, the inner tub 30 is rotated at a normal rotation speed in the dehydration stroke based on the open / closed state of the lid 11b and the operation of the restart switch 17, as in the above procedure. It should be.

<< Embodiment 3 >>
In the washing machine 10 according to the third embodiment, the drive motor 41 is composed of a so-called dual rotor motor so that the inner tub 30 and the pulsator 45 can be rotationally driven independently.

As shown in FIG. 11, the drive motor 41 includes an outer rotor 46 (second rotor), an inner rotor 47 (first rotor), an inner shaft 43 (first rotating shaft), and an outer shaft 44 (second rotating shaft). It is composed of an annular stator 48 and the like. That is, the drive motor 41 is a so-called dual rotor motor provided with an outer rotor 46 and an inner rotor 47 radially outward and inward of one stator 48.

The outer rotor 46 and the inner rotor 47 are connected to the pulsator 45 and the inner tank 30 without interposing a clutch, an accelerator or a speed reducer, or the like, and are configured to directly drive them.

The outer rotor 46 and the inner rotor 47 share the coil of the stator 48, and by supplying a current to the coil, the drive motor 41 can independently rotate and drive each of the outer rotor 46 and the inner rotor 47. It has become like. The stator 48 is attached to a bearing bracket 70 provided on the bottom surface of the outer tank 20.

The outer rotor 46 is a flat bottomed cylindrical member, and includes a plurality of bottom wall portions 46a having an open central portion, a rotor yoke 46b erected on the peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 46a, and an arc-shaped permanent magnet. It has an outer magnet 46c of.

The inner rotor 47 is a flat bottomed cylindrical member having an outer diameter smaller than that of the outer rotor 46, and is an inner bottom wall portion 47a having an open central portion and an inner side erected around the inner bottom wall portion 47a. It has a peripheral wall portion 47b and a plurality of inner magnets 47c made of rectangular plate-shaped permanent magnets.

The inner shaft 43 is a columnar shaft member, and is rotatably supported by a bearing bracket 70 via an inner bearing 73, an outer shaft 44, and ball bearings 71 and 72. The lower end of the inner shaft 43 is connected to the outer rotor 46. The upper end of the inner shaft 43 is connected to the pulsator 45.

The outer shaft 44 is a cylindrical shaft member shorter than the inner shaft 43 and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the inner shaft 43, and is an upper and lower inner bearings 73, 73, an inner shaft 43, and a ball bearing 71, 72. It is rotatably supported by the bearing bracket 70 via the bearing bracket 70. The lower end of the outer shaft 44 is connected to the inner rotor 47. The upper end of the outer shaft 44 is connected to the inner tank 30.

The stator 48 is formed of an annular member having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the outer rotor 46 and an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the inner rotor 47. The stator 48 is provided with a plurality of teeth 48a, coils, and the like embedded in the resin.

In the drive motor 41 configured in this way, the inner tank 30 and the pulsator 45 can be rotationally driven independently. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when it is determined that the waterproof laundry C is housed in the inner tub 30, control is performed to remove the water accumulated in the waterproof clothing C2. ..

Specifically, when the determination unit 52 determines that the waterproof laundry C is housed in the inner tub 30, the control unit 50 performs a washing process or a rinsing process after the water supply process. The operation of the drive motor 41 is controlled so that the pulsator 45 and the inner tank 30 are driven independently (for example, reciprocal rotation by independent drive, in-phase speed difference rotation, etc.). In the subsequent dehydration stroke, the drive of the drive motor 41 is controlled so that the inner tank 30 is rotated at a normal rotation speed.

As a result, the water accumulated in the waterproof clothing C2 is removed by the independent drive of the pulsator 45 and the inner tank 30, and even if the inner tank 30 is rotated at a normal rotation speed during the dehydration stroke, abnormal vibration occurs. Occurrence can be prevented.

By the way, it may not be possible to completely remove the water accumulated in the waterproof clothing C2 only by independently driving the pulsator 45 and the inner tank 30. In this case, if the inner tank 30 is continuously rotated at a normal rotation speed in the dehydration stroke, abnormal vibration may occur.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the operation of the drive motor 41 is appropriately controlled based on the detection result of the vibration sensor 36 in the dehydration stroke. Specifically, in the dehydration stroke, the control unit 50 detects a sign of abnormal vibration based on the vibration sensor 36 and controls to stop the operation of the drive motor 41.

Since the detection of the sign of abnormal vibration is the same as that of the second embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

Further, the drive motor 41 having the outer rotor 46 and the inner rotor 47 as in the third embodiment is also applicable to the first and second embodiments.

<< Other Embodiments >>
The embodiment may have the following configuration.

In the present embodiment, the configuration in which the pressure sensor is used as the water level detection unit 28 has been described, but the present embodiment is not limited to this embodiment. For example, a capacitance sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an image sensor, an optical sensor, a radio wave sensor, a heat sensor, or the like may be used as the water level detection unit.

Further, in the present embodiment, the pressure sensor as the water level detection unit 28 is arranged outside the outer tank 20, but it may be arranged inside the outer tank 20.

As described above, the present invention can obtain a highly practical effect that it is possible to appropriately determine the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration and appropriately control so that abnormal vibration does not occur in the dehydration stroke. Therefore, it is extremely useful and has high industrial applicability.

10 Washing machine 11a Input port 11b Lid 14 Display panel (notification unit)
15 LED (notification unit)
16 Notification buzzer (notification unit)
17 Resume switch 20 Outer tank 25 Water supply device (water supply section)
28 Water level sensor (water level detector)
30 Inner tank 36 Vibration sensor 37 Open / close sensor (open / close detector)
38 Communication unit (notification unit)
41 Drive motor (drive unit)
45 Pulsator 46 Outer rotor (2nd rotor)
47 Inner rotor (1st rotor)
48 Stator 50 Control unit 51 Calculation unit 52 Judgment unit 60 Terminal device C Laundry

Claims (13)

An outer tank, an inner tank rotatably arranged in the outer tank, a water supply unit that supplies water to the outer tank, a drive unit that rotationally drives the inner tank, a water supply stroke, a drainage stroke, and A washing machine including a water supply unit and a control unit that controls the drive unit so as to perform a washing operation including at least a dehydration stroke.
A water level detection unit that detects the water level in the outer tank,
A calculation unit that calculates a water level change rate indicating the amount of change in the water level per predetermined time based on the detection result of the water level detection unit in the water supply stroke or the drainage stroke.
A determination unit for determining the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration based on the rate of change in the water level during the water supply stroke or the drainage stroke calculated by the calculation unit is provided.
The washing machine is characterized in that the control unit controls the operation of the drive unit based on the determination result of the determination unit. In claim 1,
The control unit is characterized in that when the determination unit determines that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, the control unit controls the operation of the drive unit so as to rotate the inner tank at a predetermined rotation speed or less in the dehydration stroke. Washing machine. In claim 1,
The washing machine is characterized in that the control unit controls the operation of the drive unit to be stopped when the determination unit determines that there is a sign of abnormal vibration. In any one of claims 1 to 3,
The washing machine is characterized in that the calculation unit performs the calculation of the water level change rate at least twice or more at different timings during the water supply stroke or the drainage stroke. In claim 4,
The washing machine is characterized in that the determination unit determines the presence or absence of a sign of abnormal vibration based on the ratio of the two water level change rates calculated at different timings by the calculation unit. In claim 4 or 5,
The calculation unit is characterized in that the calculation of the water level change rate is performed at least once when the water level is between the bottom of the outer tank and the bottom of the inner tank, or in a region adjacent thereto. Washing machine. In any one of claims 1 to 6,
A washing machine including a notification unit that performs a predetermined notification operation when the determination unit determines that there is a sign of abnormal vibration. In claim 7,
The washing machine is characterized in that the notification unit is configured to transmit the determination result of the determination unit to an external terminal device having a communication function. In any one of claims 1 to 8,
A vibration sensor for detecting the vibration of the outer tank is provided.
The control unit
When the water supply stroke to the dehydration stroke are continuously performed, the operation of the drive unit is controlled based on the determination result of the determination unit, while the operation of the drive unit is controlled.
When the washing operation is temporarily stopped between the water supply stroke and the dehydration stroke, a sign of abnormal vibration is detected based on the vibration sensor in the dehydration stroke after the washing operation is restarted. A washing machine characterized by controlling the operation of the drive unit. In claim 3,
A lid that opens and closes the slot for loading and unloading laundry,
An open / close detection unit that detects the open / closed state of the lid,
It is provided with a restart switch that restarts the washing operation by being operated by the user while the washing operation is stopped.
The control unit is dehydrated when the restart switch is operated after the open / close detection unit detects that the lid is opened and then closed again while the washing operation is stopped. A washing machine characterized in that the operation of the drive unit is controlled so that the inner tub is rotated at a normal rotation speed in a stroke. In claim 1,
A pulsator connected to the drive unit to stir the laundry is provided.
When the determination unit determines that there is a sign of abnormal vibration, the control unit causes the pulsator to rotate at a predetermined rotation speed or higher in a washing process or a rinsing process performed after the water supply process. A washing machine characterized by controlling the operation of a drive unit. 11.
The drive unit includes an annular stator and a first rotor and a second rotor that can rotate independently of the stator.
One of the first rotor and the second rotor is connected to the inner tank.
A washing machine characterized in that the first rotor or the other of the second rotor is connected to the pulsator. In claim 11 or 12,
A vibration sensor for detecting the vibration of the outer tank is provided.
The washing machine is characterized in that, in the dehydration stroke, the control unit detects a sign of abnormal vibration based on the vibration sensor and controls the operation of the drive unit.

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