JPH01107796A - System for controlling water stream in washer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To require only one thyristor, to make usable an inexpensive motor- driven machine and to reduce the cost in washing by obtaining a prescribed on/off time of the thyristor based on data with 0-360 degrees in an AC power source as a unit. CONSTITUTION: Varius kinds of data corresponding to the strength of a water stream are previously stored in ROM 8 and the data are constituted of one wave length of 0-360 degrees in the voltage waveform of the AC power source 2 as a unit. When the water stream is set to be strong, a controller 7 reads data by which a level is made to be the 'H' level during the two wave lengths in the voltage waveform of the AC power source and data by which the 'L' level is adopted during the succeeding two lengths from ROM 8 by the timing of a synchronizing signal which is outputted from a zero-cross detecting circuit 6 and outputs a rectangular wave signal based on the data. Then, the thyristor 5a of a photo-thyristor 5 is turned on only in case of the 'H' level in the signal so that the AC power source of the voltage waveform is impressed on the motor-driven machine 4 for the washing machine and also the number of rotation in the motor-driven machine 4 is controlled by the AC power source.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a water flow control method for controlling the strength of water flow in a washing machine, and more specifically to a water flow control method for a washing machine that makes the washing machine inexpensive. It is related to.

[Conventional Example] Conventionally, in this type of water flow control method, photothyristors A and B are turned on and off by a control signal from a control circuit (microcomputer) 1, as shown in FIG. AC power (commercial) 2 is applied to the washing machine electric motor 3 by turning on and off A and B, and the rotation speed of the washing machine electric motor 3 is controlled to control the strength of the water flow.

What is the ON/OFF status of these photothyristors A and H?

"'H" level, "L" of the control signal input to the gate
Operates at level. Here, from the control circuit 1,
), (b), when the control signal is at 11HI+ level, each photothyristor A and B is turned on, and for a long period of time at IIHII level, AC is applied to the washing machine motor 3. Since the power source 2 is applied, the rotational speed of the washing machine electric motor 3 increases and the water flow of the washing machine becomes strong. on the other hand.

When the control signals shown in (d) and (e) of the figure are output, the AC power supply 2 is applied to the washing machine motor 3 for a short period of It H1 level, so the rotation speed of the washing machine motor 3 increases. becomes low and the water flow of the washing machine becomes weak. Also,
There are two types of control signals mentioned above, and as is clear from the figure, “
Since the "H" level is outputted alternately, the washing machine electric motor 3 is configured to be rotated in forward and reverse directions.By this forward and reverse rotation, the flow of water in the washing machine is also switched between forward and reverse directions.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in the water flow control method described above, a washing machine electric motor 3 with different windings etc. for forward and reverse rotation is used, and two electric motors are used for the control. Photothyristors A and B had to be used, which inevitably increased the cost of the washing machine. Furthermore, since the control signal output from the control circuit 1 is asynchronous with the frequency of the AC power source 2, the AC power waveform applied to the washing machine motor 3 becomes distorted.

Therefore, if the "H," level period of the control signal is long (when the water flow is made strong), there will not be much interference, but if it is short (when the water flow is made weak), the washing machine electric motor 3' In some cases, rotation control became uneven, making it impossible to obtain a stable water flow.

This invention was made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a water flow control system for a washing machine that can reduce the cost of the washing machine and also provide a stable water flow.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention applies AC power to a washing machine motor through a photothyristor, and turns on the photothyristor for a predetermined period of time.

This is a water flow control method for washing machines that controls the rotation speed of the washing machine electric motor by turning it off and obtains the strength or weakness of the water flow. Data in units of one wavelength of 360 degrees is stored in memory in advance, and data corresponding to the rotation speed of the washing machine motor is stored in the memory at the timing of a signal synchronized with the AC power supply. is read out and the photothyristor is turned on for a predetermined period of time based on this data.
.

OF F L, this photothyristor controls the rotation of the electric motor for the washing machine in one direction at 08 o'clock, and controls the strength of the water flow.

[Example] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIG. 1.

In addition, in the figure, the same parts as in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanation will be omitted.

In the figure, an AC power source 2 is applied to a washing machine motor 4 and a photothyristor 5 connected in series with the washing machine motor 4, and is also applied to a zero cross detection circuit 6 that detects zero crosses of the voltage waveform of the AC power source. It has been entered. Incidentally, since the washing machine electric motor 4 rotates in only one direction, it is cheaper than the conventional washing machine electric motor 3 (shown in FIG. 3). The above zero cross detection circuit 6
includes a photocoupler 6a for taking out the positive side part of the voltage waveform of the AC power supply 2, a photocoupler 6b for taking out the negative side part of the voltage waveform, and these photocouplers 6.
2 NAND (N
AND) circuit 6c. In this case, since the photocouplers 6a and 6b are composed of a photodiode and an npn type transistor, the outputs of the photocouplers 6a and 6b simultaneously become "H" level near zero of the voltage waveform of the AC power supply 2 for a predetermined period of time. Therefore, from the 2 NAND circuit 6c, '
A pulse signal (a signal synchronized with the AC power supply 2) that becomes L" level is output. The control device 7 has an R memory that stores data for controlling the strength and weakness of the water flow of the washing machine.
An OMg is provided, and this control device 7 reads data for the water flow set in the washing machine from the ROM 8 at the timing of the synchronization signal, and controls to turn the Cyrisk 5a ON and OFF for a predetermined period of time based on this data. It is designed to output a signal. This control signal is at 1gH'' level when turning on the thyristor 5a.

When it is turned off, it is at the 1'L It level. Therefore, a current is caused to flow through the photodiode 5b to radiate the optical energy necessary to turn on the thyristor 5a with the (IH'' level signal).

Next, the operation of the washing machine water flow control method applied to the water flow control circuit will be explained based on the time chart of FIG. 2.

First, various data corresponding to the strength of the water flow are stored in advance in the ROM 8, and these data are configured in units of one wavelength of 360 degrees from O of the voltage waveform of the AC power source 2.

Here, when the water flow of the washing machine is set to be strong, the control device 7 controls the ROM 8 at the timing of the synchronization signal output from the zero-cross detection circuit 6 (shown in FIG.
The “H” level between two wavelengths of the voltage waveform of the AC power source and the next two
Data that is set to the "L" level during the wavelength is read out, and a rectangular wave signal shown in FIG. 2(c) is output based on the data. Then, since the thyristor 5a of the photothyristor 5 is turned on only when the signal is at the 14 HI+ level, an AC power source with a voltage waveform shown in FIG. The rotation speed of the machine electric motor 4 is controlled6. Furthermore, when the water flow of the washing machine is set to be medium, the control device 7 controls the timing of the synchronization signal (shown in (b) of the same figure) as described above. At ROM 8, the AC voltage waveform is set to nH'' level during one wavelength and to L level during the next wavelength.
Outputs the rectangular wave signal shown in . Then, since the thyristor 5a of the photothyristor 5 is turned on only when the signal is at "H" level, the washing machine motor 3 has the same ri! I(f
) is applied, and the rotation speed of the washing machine motor 4 is controlled by the AC power.

Also, if the washing machine is set to have a weak water flow,
Similarly to the above, the control device 7 inputs data from the ROM 8 at the timing of the synchronization signal (shown in FIG. 2(b)) to set the AC voltage waveform to aH'' level for one wavelength and to set the L I+ level for the next two wavelengths. The same figure (g) is read based on that data.
) Outputs the rectangular wave signal shown in (). Then, since the thyristor 5a of the photothyristor 5 is turned ON only when the signal is at the tgH'' level, the washing machine motor 3 is
An AC power source having a voltage waveform shown in is applied, and the rotation speed of the washing machine motor 4 is controlled by the AC power source.

In this way, by changing the AC power applied to the washing machine motor 3 as shown in (d), (f), and (h) in the same figure,
The rotation speed of the electric motor 3 for the washing machine is changed, and the speed of the water flow can be controlled to be strong, medium, or weak.

Furthermore, the voltage of the AC power supply applied to the washing machine motor 3 is not limited to that in the above embodiment, and by storing data in various combinations of the 11 HlP level and the 11 L'7 level in the ROM 8, the voltage of the AC power supply applied to the washing machine motor 3 can be changed to By controlling the rotation of the machine electric motor 3 in various ways, the speed of the water flow can be varied to best remove stains from clothes, etc.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, a signal synchronized with the AC power source is obtained by detecting the zero crossing of the voltage waveform of the AC power source applied to the motor for a washing machine rotating in one direction.
At the timing of this synchronization signal, the thyristor that applies the AC power to the washing machine motor is turned on and off for a predetermined period of time, and the predetermined ON and OFF times of the thyristor are converted into data in units of 360 degrees from 0 of the AC power source. Since the washing machine is obtained based on the washing machine, only one thyristor is required and an inexpensive electric motor can be used, thereby reducing the cost of the washing machine. Further, according to the present invention, since the ON/OFF control of the thyristor is performed in synchronization with the AC power supply, the phase of the AC power supply applied to the washing machine motor becomes zero start, and the voltage waveform of the applied AC power supply is Even when the washing machine's water flow is controlled weakly, the washing machine motor can be rotated accurately and the water flow can be stable.Furthermore, there is no noise when switching the thyristor, and the system is It also has the effect of preventing electromagnetic noise from occurring in the washing machine motor.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a circuit block diagram of a water flow control circuit to which a washing machine water flow control method is applied.
The figure is an operation time chart of the water flow control circuit for explaining the water flow control method of the washing machine, FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of the water flow control circuit for explaining the water flow control method of the conventional washing machine, and FIG. The figure is an operation time chart of the water flow control circuit of FIG. 3. In the figure, 1 is the control circuit (CPU), 2 is the AC power supply (commercial)
, 3 is a washing machine electric motor (for forward/reverse rotation), 4 is a washing machine electric motor (for one-way rotation), 5 is a photothyristor, 5a
is a photodiode, 5b is a thyristor, 6 is a zero-cross detection circuit, 6a and 6b are photo couplers, 6c is a 2 NAND (NAND) circuit, 7 is a control device (CPU), 8 is R
OM (memory), A, and B are photothyristors. Figure 1 6,

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Apply AC power to the washing machine electric motor via a photothyristor, and turn the photothyristor ON and OFF for a predetermined period of time.
A water flow control method for a washing machine that controls the rotation speed of the washing machine electric motor by FF to obtain the strength or weakness of the water flow, the method comprising Data in units of one wavelength from 0 to 360 degrees is stored in a memory in advance, and at the timing of a signal synchronized with the AC power source, data is stored in the memory in accordance with the rotation speed of the washing machine motor. The photothyristor is turned on and off for a predetermined period of time based on the data, and when the photothyristor is turned on, the washing machine electric motor is controlled to rotate in one direction, and the water flow is controlled to be strong or weak. A washing machine water flow control system characterized by: (2) A water flow control method for a washing machine according to claim (1), wherein the synchronization signal is obtained by detecting a zero-crossing point of a voltage waveform of the AC power source.