JPH01178225A - Dish washer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To announce a warning that an element in a filter is clogged by the method wherein a water level sensor detects it and outputs the signal, when the water level rises above unusual level pre-set during washing process, due to clogging of the filter furnished at the inlet of a pump. CONSTITUTION:A control circuit 23 judges whether a state of an unusual water level continuous over 5min or not, during washing process, when the water level in a washing vessel 2 reaches an unusual level. The control circuit 23 then opens a circuit to a motor 9 when it continues over 5min; at the same time, the control circuit 23 operates a buzzer 22 and drives a light emitting diode 29 by intermittent energization. A pump 8 is thus stopped and washing operation is stopped, at the same time, it is announced that a filter 12 is clogged, according to intermittent buzzing of the buzzer 22 and to intermittent lighting of the light emitting device 29. If washing operation is restarted, after the filter 12 is cleaned on account of the announcement, increase in electric power consumption, and wasteful use of cleansers and water will be prevented.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a dish washing process in which a predetermined amount of water is supplied into a washing tank and the water is circulated by a pump during the washing process. The present invention relates to a dishwasher that is provided with a filter on the suction port side of a pump in order to prevent residue generated during washing of dishes from adhering to the dishes again.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as an example of a dishwasher, a washing tank for storing dishes to be washed is provided, and a pump that sucks water in the washing tank and then sprays water onto the dishes through an injection arm; A structure in which a heater for drying tableware is provided is known. In such a dishwasher,
After executing the detergent washing process in which the pump is driven with a predetermined amount of water and detergent supplied into the washing tank, the rinsing process is performed multiple times in which the pump is driven with a predetermined amount of clean water supplied in the washing tank. The structure is such that a drying process is executed repeatedly, and then a drying process is executed in which the heater is energized while the water is drained from the tank. Each of the above processes is sequentially executed as a series of processes by a control circuit equipped with a timer function. will be executed automatically as

However, in each washing step as described above, since the water in the washing tank is circulated, it is necessary to prevent the residue generated from washing the dishes from adhering to the dishes again. For this reason, conventionally a filter was installed on the suction port side of the pump.
Therefore, the pump is designed to prevent the above-mentioned residue from being sucked into the pump.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) When using a dishwasher with the above configuration, if the amount of residue generated from washing dishes is abnormally large, or if the filter is not cleaned regularly. , the filter becomes clogged and the amount of water circulated by the pump decreases, making it impossible to wash the dishes thoroughly and detergent washing process.

A series of cleaning operations including a rinsing process and a drying process are performed in vain. Therefore, when such a situation occurs, it is desirable to promptly eliminate the clogging of the filter, which is the cause of the decrease in the amount of circulating water as described above. However, since the dishwasher with the conventional structure does not have a function to notify when the filter is clogged, the washing operation often continues unnecessarily, resulting in an increase in power consumption. Moreover, this poses a serious problem of wasting detergent and water.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to notify that a filter provided on the suction port side of a pump for circulating water in a cleaning tank has become clogged. To provide a dishwasher capable of preventing unnecessary washing of dishes.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention is configured such that a washing process is performed while a predetermined amount of water is supplied into a washing tank and the water is circulated by a pump. In a dishwasher comprising a filter provided on the suction port side of a pump, a water level sensor detects the water level in the washing tank, and during the washing process, the water level detected by the water level sensor rises above a preset abnormal water level. The present invention is configured to include a signal generating means for outputting a detection signal when the detection signal is detected, and a notification means for notifying an abnormality when the detection signal is output.

(Function) During the washing process, the water in the washing tank is circulated by the pump to wash the dishes, and the residue generated during this process is carried by the flow of water sucked into the pump and passed through the filter. Becomes captured. Therefore,
Residues generated when washing dishes will not adhere to the dishes again. However, if the amount of residue captured by the filter increases beyond the limit amount and the filter becomes clogged, the amount of water sucked into the pump (and thus the water m> discharged from the pump decreases). The water level in the cleaning tank rises above a preset abnormal water level.Then, the signal generating means outputs a detection signal, and
When the water level sensor detects this, the notification means will issue an abnormality notification in response to the detection, so the user can know that the filter has become clogged based on such notification.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, in FIG. 3 showing the overall vertical cross-sectional structure, 1 is an outer box, inside of which a cleaning tank 2 is provided, and a door 3 for opening and closing the front opening of the cleaning tank 2. It is provided. In this case, the bottom of the cleaning tank 2 is a water storage section 2 for storing water for detergent washing and rinsing.
It is configured as a. Further, in the washing tank 2, for example, two injection arms 4 and 5 are provided at the lower part thereof, and dish baskets 6 and 7 are provided in upper and lower stages above the injection arm 4.5. There is. 8 is a pump disposed at the bottom of the cleaning tank 2, and its pump blade 8a is connected to the motor 9.
The belt is rotated in forward and reverse directions via the belt transmission mechanism 10. In the lower part of the pump case 8b that forms the outer shell of the pump 8,
A water passage port 8C serving as a suction port is formed to communicate with the water storage portion 2a. In such a pump 8, when the pump blade JM8a is rotated in the forward direction, the storage portion 2
The water in a is sucked in through the water inlet 8c and is injected from the injection arms 4 and 5 toward the dish baskets 6 and 7, and
When the pump blade 8a is rotated in the opposite direction, the water in the reservoir 2a is discharged to the outside via a drain pipe (not shown). On the other hand, a cover 11 is provided at the bottom of the water storage section 2a to cover the lower part of the pump case 8b (and thus the water inlet 8c). A filter 12 is removably provided. As a result, the filter 12 is attached to the water inlet 8C side of the pump 8. Incidentally, reference numeral 12a is a knob that serves as a clue when attaching and detaching the filter 12. Further, 13 is a sheathed heater placed in the lower part of the washing tank 2, which has the function of heating the water in the water storage part 2a in order to perform the washing process with warm water.
Washing tank 2 during the tableware drying process that is carried out after the washing process.
It is provided so that it also has the function of heating the air inside. Furthermore, 14 is a water supply solenoid valve provided on the side wall of the cleaning tank 2, and when the water supply solenoid valve 14 is energized, water from a water supply source (not shown) flows into the cleaning tank 2.
(especially inside the water storage section 2a).

Now, 15 is an air trap connected to the bottom of the water storage section 2a, and 16 is a tube 15 inside this air trap 15.
This is a water level sensor communicated via a, and its specific structure will be explained below with reference to FIG. In other words, this water level sensor 16 uses a diaphragm container 18 which is divided into two parts by a diaphragm 17, and one chamber of this diaphragm container 18 is communicated with the air trap 15 via the tube 15a. Therefore, the amount of displacement of the diaphragm 17 depends on the pressure of the air trap 15, in other words, the water level in the cleaning tank 2. Further, a core 19 made of a magnetic material is connected to the diaphragm 17, and a coil 20 is arranged around this core 19, so that the inductance L of the coil 20 varies depending on the position of the core 19. It is designed to change.

In this case, the core 19 is configured such that when the displacement amount of the diaphragm 17 is large, the amount of penetration into the coil 20 increases, and as a result, the water level in the cleaning tank 2 increases due to the above-mentioned inductance. Based on such inductance, cleaning tl! i
The water level within 2 can be detected.

On the other hand, in FIG. 3, reference numeral 21 denotes an operation box disposed at the lower part of the front side of the outer box 1, and inside this is a buzzer 22 as a notification means and a control circuit 23 as a signal generation means.
is stored. Further, an operation panel 21a as shown in FIG. 4 is provided on the front surface of the operation box 21. That is, in FIG. 4, 24 is a course setting switch for selecting a desired one from, for example, five types of washing operation courses, and 25 is a course setting switch for selecting a desired one from, for example, three stages of drying process durations. A drying time setting switch 26 is used to select a drying time, and a start/stop switch 26 is operated to start and stop the washing operation, and these are labeled with letters indicating their respective functions. Also, 2
7a to 27e are light emitting diodes 28a for displaying the washing course selected by the course setting switch 24;
~28c is a light emitting diode for displaying the drying process duration selected by the drying time setting switch 25;
Each of these light emitting diodes 27a to 27e and 28a to 2
At the position corresponding to 8c, characters corresponding to the respective display contents are placed. Furthermore, 29 is a light emitting diode serving as a notification means, and the text ``filter clogged'' is placed at a position corresponding to the light emitting diode, thereby indicating (notifying) that the filter 12 is clogged. . still,
The light emitting color of this light emitting diode 29 is set to a different light emitting color from each of the light emitting diodes 27a to 27e and 28a to 28c.

The electrical configuration is shown in a block diagram in FIG.
This will be explained below. 30 is the water level sensor 16
This LC oscillation circuit 30 is constructed so that the coil 20 and a capacitor 31 connected in parallel with the coil 20 form five oscillation lines.

Therefore, the frequency f of the oscillation signal So output from the LC oscillation circuit 30 decreases as the inductance L of the coil 20 increases. At this time, since the above-mentioned inductance has the property of increasing as the water level in the cleaning tank 2 rises as described above, as a result, the frequency f of the oscillation signal So becomes as shown in FIG. The water level changes inversely to the water level in the cleaning tank 2. On the other hand, 32
is the above oscillation signal S.

is a frequency counter for converting into a numerical signal Sn which is a digital signal, and the numerical signal Sn (that is, a signal indicating the water level in the cleaning tank 2) is supplied to the control circuit 23. This control circuit 23 is mainly composed of a microcomputer, and in addition to the numerical signal Sn, the course selection switch 24. Drying time setting switch 25
．． It is configured to receive ON signals output in response to each ON of the start/stop switch 26, and to control the motor 9 based on each of these input signals and a pre-stored program. Sheathed heater 13. Water supply solenoid valve 14 and buzzer 221 light emitting diodes 27a to 27e, 28a
28c and 29 are controlled through drive circuits 33 and 34, thereby allowing the washing process, drying process, etc. to proceed automatically.

The flowchart in FIG. 2 shows a portion of the control by the control circuit 23 that corresponds to the washing process and is related to the gist of the present invention, and will be described below along with the overall operation. However, although this FIG. 2 corresponds to the detergent washing process which is the first washing process, the subsequent rinsing process is also executed using the same algorithm.

That is, in FIG. 2, the start/stop switch 2
When an operation start command is given by turning on 6, the control circuit 23 first energizes the water supply solenoid valve 14 (step a), thereby starting water supply into the cleaning tank 2 (particularly into the water storage section 2a). At the same time, it is determined whether or not the inside of the cleaning tank 2 has reached a specified water level based on the numerical signal Sn (step b).

When the water is supplied to the specified water level (rYESJ in step b), the control circuit 23 supplies current to the motor 9 to rotate the pump blade 8a in the forward direction (step C). When the pump 8 is driven in this way, the water in the water storage section 2a is transferred to the filter 129 through the water inlet 8.
After being sucked into the pump 8 via C, the injection arm 4,
5, and now the dish baskets 6 and 7
The dishes inside will be washed. This washing operation is carried out continuously by circulating the water in the water storage part 2a by the pump 8, and at this time, the residue generated from the dishes is absorbed into the flow of water sucked into the pump 8. Then, the filter 12 captures the particles.

After the pump 8 starts driving as described above, the control circuit 23 determines whether or not the inside of the cleaning tank 2 has reached an abnormal water level based on the numerical signal Sn (step d), and here it determines that rNOJ. In a state where the cleaning tank 2 has not reached an abnormal water level, it is determined whether a predetermined operation duration M has elapsed after the start of the washing operation (step e).
. Then, the control circuit 23 continues the washing operation by forming a loop that repeatedly executes steps c and d until the washing operation continuation time M has elapsed.
When elapses (rYEsJ in step e), the process moves to the next drainage process.

The control circuit 23 controls rY when the inside of the cleaning tank 2 reaches an abnormal water level during the above-mentioned washing operation, that is, in step d.
When it is determined that EsJ, it is determined whether the abnormal water level state has continued for 5 minutes or more (step f). When the control circuit 23 determines rNOJ in step f, that is, when the abnormal water level state as described above is temporary due to waves generated by driving the pump 8, the control circuit 23 performs the step f. Steps d and e are executed, and when the washing continuation time M has elapsed as described above, the next draining step is started. On the other hand, when the abnormal water level state in the cleaning tank 2 continues for 5 minutes or more ("YESJ" in step r),
The control circuit 23 receives a motor power-off command signal $1. A ringing command signal S2 and a lighting command signal S3 are output, thereby turning off the motor 9 and driving the buzzer 22 and the light emitting diode 29 intermittently (step g). As a result, the pump 8 is stopped and the washing operation is stopped, and a notification that the filter 12 is clogged is notified by the intermittent sounding of the buzzer 22 and the intermittent lighting of the light emitting diode 29. That is, the filter 12
The amount of residue captured by filter 1 increases to the limit amount
2 becomes clogged, the amount of water sucked into the pump 8 (as a result, the amount of water discharged from the pump 8) will decrease, causing the water level in the cleaning tank 2 to rise abnormally. However, when such an abnormal water level condition occurs, the buzzer 22 and light emitting diode 2
The notification will be made by lighting up the number 9. The buzzer 22 is also used, for example, to notify the end of the drying process, and is driven to sound for 0.3 seconds and pause for 0.2 seconds when an abnormal water level is notified, and also,
When notifying the end of the drying process, it is driven to emit a sound for 1.5 seconds and pause for 0.5 seconds, for example.

Then, the control circuit 23 maintains the driving stop of the pump 8 and the abnormality notification state as described above until the start/stop switch 26 is turned on (step h), and when the start/stop switch 26 is turned on (step h). In h and rYEsJ), the process returns to step C to reenergize the motor 9, thereby restarting the washing operation.

In short, according to the above configuration, during washing operation,
Since the residue generated as the dishes are washed is captured by the filter 12, the residue will not adhere to the dishes again. Further, during the washing process, if the amount of residue captured by the filter 12 increases beyond the limit amount and the filter 12 becomes clogged, the drive of the pump 8 is stopped, the washing process is temporarily stopped, and a buzzer is activated. The fact that the filter 12 is clogged is notified by the intermittent ringing of the filter 22 and the intermittent lighting of the light emitting diode 29. Therefore, based on such notification, the filter 12
After cleaning the start/stop switch 2
If the washing operation is restarted by step 6, the washing process and drying process will not be carried out in vain as in the past, and there is a risk that power consumption will increase and detergent and water will be wasted. It is something that will disappear. In this case, the clogging of the filter 12 as described above is detected by utilizing the phenomenon in which the water level in the cleaning tank 2 rises abnormally as the clogging occurs. The control circuit 23 for
A signal S1.min indicates that the filter 12 is clogged for the first time. S2. Since the configuration is configured to output S3, there is an advantage that there is no possibility of false detection due to the influence of waves generated when the pump 8 is driven.

In the above embodiment, the pump 8 is stopped when the filter 12 becomes clogged, but this structure may be adopted as necessary.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and may be modified in various ways without departing from the gist, such as using a water level sensor with other structures. It can be implemented.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, the present invention has a structure in which a predetermined amount of water is supplied into the washing tank and the washing process is performed while circulating the water using a pump. In a dishwasher comprising a filter on the suction port side of the pump, a water level sensor detects the water level in the washing tank, and a water level detected by the water level sensor during the washing process is set in advance. Since the structure is provided with a signal generating means that outputs a detection signal when the water level rises above the abnormal water level, and an alarm means that notifies the abnormality when the detection signal is output, the residue generated from the dishes to be washed is captured. It is possible to notify that the filter installed in such a manner has become clogged, and this has a very beneficial effect of preventing unnecessary washing of dishes. It is.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the electrical configuration, Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the main part of the control contents by the control circuit which is the signal generating means, and Fig. 3 is an overall diagram. Vertical side view, Figure 4 is a front view of the operation panel,
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the water level sensor, and FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the water level in the cleaning tank and the output of an oscillation circuit whose oscillation element is the output of the water level sensor. In the figure, 1 is the outer box, 2 is the cleaning tank, 2a is the water storage part, 4.5 is the injection arm, 8 is the pump, 8C is the water inlet (suction port), 9
is a motor, 12 is a filter, 13 is a heater, 14 is a water supply solenoid valve, 15 is an air trap, 16 is a water level sensor, 2
0 is a coil, 21 is an operation box, 21a is an operation panel, 22
23 is a control circuit (signal generating means), 29 is a light emitting diode (notifying means), 30 is an oscillation circuit, and 31 is a capacitor. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a dishwasher that performs a washing process while supplying a predetermined amount of water into a washing tank and circulating the water by a pump, the dishwasher is provided with a filter on the suction port side of the pump. a water level sensor provided to detect the water level in the cleaning tank; and a signal generating means for outputting a detection signal when the water level detected by the water level sensor rises above a preset abnormal water level during the washing process. A dishwasher comprising: a notification means for notifying an abnormality when the detection signal is output.