JPH01268598A - Electric washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control a necessary time dynamically and cancel the overshortage of rinsing, by detecting a rinsing degree from the transparency of washing water, to compare the degree with a set rinsing degree, and by setting a means for completing rinsing action under the condition that the former exceeds the latter. CONSTITUTION:From a rinsing degree setting section 2, the output of a voltage value according to a set rinsing degree is directed to a processor 1. A transparency sensor 3 is fitted on the internal wall of a washing tank by a fitting member 3a, and is composed of a light emitting diode 3b and a light receiving diode 3c. During rinsing action, from the light emitting diode 3b, the light of a specified light quantity is radiated, and by the light receiving diode 3c, a light receiving quantity is detected, and the light receiving quantity is increased as the quantity of detergent in rinsing water is reduced and transparency is enhanced, and by the processor 1, from the detected result of the light receiving quantity with the transparency sensor 3, the promoted degree of rinsing can be detected. By the processor 1, according to command from an operating section 4, a driving section 5 is started in a rinsing mode. By the processor 1, the action of the driving section 5 is stopped and rinsing action is completed when the detected rinsing degree exceeds the set rinsing degree.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an electric washing machine used at home and the like.

(Prior Art) In electric washing machines used at home, the rinsing time is set in advance by a timer or the like.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional electric washing machine described above, the rinsing time is set in advance by a timer or the like. However, since the actual time required for rinsing varies depending on the amount of water supplied during rinsing, the type of fabric to be rinsed, etc., there is a problem that rinsing may be too much or too little.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The electric washing machine of the present invention includes a rinsing degree setting means for setting a desired rinsing degree, and a rinsing degree detection device for detecting a rinsing degree indicating the progress of rinsing from the transparency of washing water. and means for comparing the detected rinsing degree with the set rinsing degree and terminating the rinsing operation on the condition that the former exceeds the latter, and the rinsing degree is actually detected as the desired rinsing degree. The time required for rinsing is dynamically controlled based on the degree of rinsing.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be explained in detail together with examples.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control section built into an electric washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

This control section includes a processor 1, a rinsing degree setting section 2, a transparency sensor 3, an operation section 4, and a drive section 5.

The rinsing degree setting unit 2 is composed of a potentiometer and a D/A converter that converts an analog voltage value set by operating the potentiometer into a digital voltage value,
A voltage value corresponding to the degree of rinsing set by the user of this electric washing machine is output to the processor l.

As shown in FIG. 2, the transparency sensor 3 is mounted on the inner wall of the washing tub using a member 3a that includes a pair of light emitting diodes 3a and light receiving diodes 3b which are placed facing each other while maintaining a predetermined distance in the washing tub. It consists of

During the rinsing operation, a predetermined amount of light is emitted from the light emitting diode 3a, and the amount of light received by the light receiving diode 3C is detected. The amount of light received by the light receiving diode 3c increases as the amount of detergent contained in the rinsing water decreases and the transparency of the rinsing water increases as rinsing progresses. Therefore, the processor 1 can detect the progress of rinsing from the detection result of the amount of light received by the transparency sensor 3.

The operation command for rinsing and removing the skin is given to the processor via the operation switch of the operation section 4, and the processor 1
A motor, etc. (not shown) is driven via the .

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the control procedure for the rinsing operation by the electric washing machine of the present invention.

When the processor 1 starts the rinsing operation in response to a command from the operation unit 4, the processor 1 reads the setting value of the rinsing degree from the rinsing degree setting unit 2 and sets it in the register (step 11), and the drive unit 5
is activated in rinse mode (step 12). The processor 1 reads the transparency from the transparency sensor 3 (step 1
3), this is converted into a rinsing degree indicating the progress of the rinsing operation (step 14), and this detected and converted rinsing degree is compared with the rinsing degree set by the rinsing degree setting section 2 (step 1).
5) If the detected rinsing degree is less than the set rinsing degree, the processor 1 returns to step 13 and repeats the above-described detection and comparison operations. When the detected rinsing degree exceeds the set rinsing degree, the processor 13 proceeds to step 16, stops the operation of the drive unit 5, and ends the rinsing operation.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above in detail, the electric washing machine of the present invention detects the rinsing degree indicating the progress of rinsing from the transparency of the washing water, and compares this with a preset rinsing degree. Since the configuration includes means for terminating the rinsing operation on the condition that the former exceeds the latter, the time required for rinsing can be dynamically controlled based on the desired rinsing degree and the actually detected rinsing degree, This has the effect that over-rinsing and under-rinsing can be resolved as the user gets used to it.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control section of an electric washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the transparency sensor 3 of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the rinsing operation by the processor 1 of FIG. l...processor, 2...rinsing degree setting section, 3...
Transparency sensor, 4... Operating unit, 5... Drive unit, 3b
... Light emitting diode, 3c... Light receiving diode. Patent applicant: NEC Home Electronics Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A rinsing degree setting means for setting a desired rinsing degree; a rinsing degree detecting means for detecting a rinsing degree indicating the progress of rinsing from the transparency of the washing water; An electric washing machine characterized by comprising means for comparing a set rinsing degree and terminating the rinsing operation on the condition that the former exceeds the latter.