JPH02277495A - Control method of washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out the operation at an adequate water level by a method wherein a water level and contents of washing operation suitable for the amount of laundry are automatically set at the initial stage after start-up of washing operation on the basis of the detected results of a water level detector and a load judging device. CONSTITUTION:A water level detector 18 and a load judging device are provided, and the load judging device makes a control circuit 28 count the inertia pulses generated by a tachometer generator 16 after power supply to a motor 10 is cut off and detect the amount of laundry. A water level and contents of washing operation suitable for the amount of laundry is automatically set at the initial stage after start-up of washing operation on the basis of the detected results of said water level detector and load judging device. That is, as the water level is detected at the same time of detecting the amount of laundry (amount of load), the amount of load is corrected according to the water level, and a correct amount of load at a specified water level can be calculated regardless of the actual water level. Therefore, operation can be carried out at an adequate water level without wasting an excess amount of water in the succeeding steps starting from rinse step.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of a washing machine, and particularly to a method for detecting the amount of laundry and setting an appropriate water level in accordance with the amount of laundry.

[Conventional technology]

To explain the entire washing machine using a single-tank fully automatic washing machine as an example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, a fixed water tank (2) is provided inside the outer box (1), and this water tank (2) A washing and dehydrating tank (4) with a stirring blade (3) in the center is installed inside the outer box (1), and a lid (5) equipped with a switch mechanism is attached to the top surface of the outer box (1). An operation switch section (6) was formed on the.

In the figure, (7) shows a power cord, (8) shows a ground wire, and (9) shows a drain hose that communicates with a drain port provided in the water receiving tank (2).

Then, a motor (10) is installed below the water tank (2), and the motor (lO) is connected to the small pulley (11), V bell)
(12) and a large pulley (13), which are connected to the rotation transmission section (14) via a deceleration transmission mechanism. This rotation transmission part (
14) has a double drive shaft (15a) (15b) that is switched by a spring clutch mechanism, and the outer drive shaft (15a)
is connected to the washing and dewatering tank (4), and the inner drive shaft (15b) is connected to the stirring blade (3).

A speed generator (16) is attached to the motor (10) as a detection means for detecting its rotation speed, and a water receiving tank (
A pressure impulse pipe (17) is connected to 2), and the pressure impulse pipe (17)
A water level sensor (18) is installed at the top of the tank. The water level sensor (18) uses, for example, a cam-type mechanical pressure switch with bimetallic contacts.

As shown in FIG. 5, the operation switch section (6) is a push-button type operation switch, and includes an on switch (19) for turning on and off the power, an off switch (20), and a water level switch (20) for setting the water level for use. 21), a wash switch (22) for the user to set the washing time, number of rinses, and dehydration time, respectively, a rinse switch (23), a dehydration switch (24), a course selection switch (33), and a start switch (27). The water level set by the water level switch (21) is "high" as an indicator (25).
Indicator lamps (25a) (25b) (25
c) and the display lamp (25d) (25e) that displays the course selected with the course selection switch (33): "Automatic", "Speedy", or "Standard".
) (25f), and a numeric display (26) that digitally displays the washing contents set by the wash switch (22), rinse switch (23), and dehydration switch (24).

A control circuit (28) using a microcomputer or the like is disposed in the operation switch section (16), and as shown in the electrical circuit diagram of FIG.
It is connected to the power cord (7) via the large switch (19), off switch (20), and water level switch (29).
1), wash switch (22), rinse switch (23)
), dehydration switch (24), course selection switch (
33), start switch (27), speed generator (16)
) and the water level sensor (18), and the control signal from the control circuit (28) is transmitted to each indicator lamp (25a) (25b) (25c) of the indicator (25) and the numeric indicator (26). and the motor (10), water supply valve (31) and drain valve (32) via each triac (30).
will be introduced in

Next, usage and operation will be explained.

To do laundry, put the laundry into the washing/spinner tub (4), close the lid (5), press the on switch (19) on the operation switch section (6), and then press the wash switch if manual operation is being performed. (22), the rinse switch (23), and the spin-drying switch (24) allow the user to individually set washing details such as wash time, number of rinses, spin-drying time, etc., and these settings are displayed on the numerical display (26). Ru. In addition, if the water level to be used is set using the water level switch (21) according to the amount of laundry, the indicator lamp (25) in the display (25)
25a), (25b), and (25c) are lit.

Next, if you press the start switch (27) to start washing, the washing process, rinsing process, and dehydration process will automatically proceed according to the program set in the control circuit (28).
Washing operation ends.

By the way, in the case of fully automatic operation in which a desired one is selected from among a plurality of washing operation courses that are preset in the control circuit (28), the amount of laundry (load) is automatically detected. When you use the course selection switch (33) to select the automatic (sensor) course that automatically sets the water level and washing content according to this load, the water level is divided into three levels: "high,""medium," and "low." Water is automatically supplied up to the "low" water level.As shown in Figure 11, this water supply receives water pressure from the water tank (2) and reaches the water level sensor (1).
The oscillation frequency f output from 8) varies depending on the water level,
It uses the characteristic that the oscillation frequency becomes higher as the water pressure is lower (the smaller the amount of water is), and detection is based on this oscillation frequency r.When the water level is low, the water level sensor (18) detects the oscillation frequency f, When there is an output, it is determined that the water level has reached low level and the system stops.

Then, in the control circuit (28), a motor control process is started in which the motor (10) is energized to perform a forward and reverse operation, and the forward and reverse operation of the motor (10) is controlled by the small pulley (
11), V-belt (12), large pulley (13)
The rotation is transmitted to the stirring blade (3) via the rotation transmission section (14), and the laundry is stirred and washed.

When the motor (10) rotates, the speed generator (16) also rotates, and the speed generator generated voltage, which is a sine waveform outputted from its coil, is converted into a waveform-shaped voltage that is a 5V rectangular wave. ) will be introduced.

Figure 9 shows the relationship between the movement of the motor (IO) and the pulses generated by the speed generator (16). There is an energization pause time during (counterclockwise rotation), and the energization time is 80 pulses in the speed generator (16).

Figure 7 shows the motor control stroke, and as mentioned above, when the speed generator (16) reaches 80 pulses, the control circuit (28
) turns off the power to the motor (10) [stepwa,
Power, yo].

Even after turning off the power to the motor (10), the dehydration tank (4)
), the motor (10) continues to rotate due to inertia, and as a result, the speed generator (16) also produces pulses due to this inertia.

The control circuit (28) starts counting pulses due to this inertia on the condition that the power supply to the motor (10) is turned off [Stella Play], but the inertial force eventually disappears and no inertial pulses are generated.

If there is no inertial pulse for 200 m sec or more [STERA PR], the motor (10) and stirring blade (3) are assumed to have stopped, and the pulse count is stopped [STERA PR], and the motor (10) is rotated in the opposite direction from the previous time. [Stepne, u, two].

The control circuit (28) integrates the inertial pulses several times (
5 times), and the values of the inertia pulses when the motor (10) is energized five times are integrated, and the load is determined based on the sum.

By the way, in the case of the automatic (sensor) course, as shown in the flowchart in Fig. 8, after the motor (10) has been energized five times (step-y) as described above, when the motor (10) is energized for the sixth time (step-y), ), the amount of laundry is detected based on the number of inertial pulses counted during inertial operation. This is because, as shown in Fig. 10, the larger the amount of laundry, the greater the resistance of the laundry acting on the stirring blades (3), which reduces the inertial rotation of the stirring blade (3).
This method takes advantage of the special advantage that the inertial rotation due to inertia of 0) is reduced and the number of inertial pulses is also reduced. By keeping the water level constant and the number of times of energization to the motor (10), the total number of inertial pulses and the number of inertial pulses are reduced. By obtaining in advance the value of the relative relationship with the amount of objects (load amount), it becomes possible to obtain the load amount from the number of inertial pulses.

If the number of inertial pulses np obtained by energizing the motor five times is greater than or equal to n1 (stepped), the load is considered small and should be set to 7 minutes of washing, 1 rinse, 3 minutes of dehydration, and a low water level. If the number of inertia pulses np is nt or more, the load amount is assumed to be medium and the content should be set to 11 minutes of washing, 2 rinses, 4 minutes of dehydration, and a medium water level. If is less than n2 (step 1), the load amount is considered to be large and the contents are set to 15 minutes of washing, 2 rinses, 5 minutes of dehydration, and a high water level (Sterapuri).

In this way, the amount of laundry is detected based on the number of inertial pulses at the initial stage of the start of the washing operation, and the appropriate washing content corresponding to this amount is automatically set.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) Since the amount of laundry loaded varies depending on the amount of water, conventional detection methods require setting the water level at a constant level (low water level in the above example) in order to detect the amount of laundry. (If it is necessary and for some reason the water is supplied to a high water level, the resistance of the clothes applied to the stirring blades will be reduced compared to when the water level is low, and the load amount will be calculated to be less than the normal amount.) There was a risk that the load amount would not be detected accurately.

Therefore, either the water is discarded and the water level reaches the specified level, and then the load is detected again, or the load is assumed to be the maximum load and operation continues at the maximum amount of water used, even though the actual load is small. You end up wasting water.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the conventional example, and to accurately detect the amount of clothing loaded even when the water level is higher than the initial setting value for detection, and to avoid waste of water. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling the operation of a washing machine that can prevent the use of washing machines.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a washing machine having a water level detection means and a load determination means for detecting the amount of laundry, in which a washing machine is operated based on the detection results from the water level detection means and the load determination means. The gist of this method is to automatically set an appropriate water level and washing content in accordance with the amount of laundry to be washed in the first step after the start of the process.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, in the first step after the start of the washing operation, the water level is detected at the same time as the load amount of laundry.For example, if this water level is equal to or higher than the initial setting value for measuring the load amount
The correct load amount of the laundry is calculated by correcting the actually detected load amount by the amount of water that exceeds the specified value. Then, during the subsequent washing process, an appropriate water level is corrected to match the load amount.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the washing machine operation control method of the present invention. The washing machine used in the method of the present invention is the same as that already explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. A detailed explanation will be omitted.

In the operation control method of the present invention, when the automatic (sensor) course of fully automatic operation is selected, after water is supplied to a low water level as in the past, the motor (10) is energized (step-by) and the washing operation starts. . Then, when the motor (10) is energized five times (Step C), the number of inertial pulses is counted and the water level is detected based on the oscillation frequency f from the water level sensor (18) (Step C).

As shown in Figure 2, the number of inertial pulses np at this time is approximately 50
The count will increase, and if the water level is high, it will increase by about 50 more counts, and when the load is constant, as the amount of water increases, the number of inertial pulses will increase in proportion to this increase.

Therefore, the water level sensor actually detected by the following formula (1
Based on the oscillation frequency f from 8), the actually detected number np of inertial pulses is corrected to obtain the number nP° of inertial pulses at the set water level (Step E).

r, -f "p'-np 100 r+ -f2np,
Number of inertial pulses nPl, correction value of the number of inertial pulses 100, difference f in the number of inertial pulses between low water level and high water level,
Water level sensor frequency r1 according to current water level.
Based on the frequency fz of the water level sensor due to low water level, the frequency of the water level sensor due to high water level, and this corrected number of inertial pulses npf, if this number of inertial pulses np is greater than or equal to the number of inertial pulses n1 at the time of a small load (stepped)
, Assuming that the load amount is small, set it to 7 minutes of washing, 1 rinse, 3 minutes of dehydration, and low water level (Stella Pulse), and if the number of inertial pulses np is less than n1 and more than n2 (Step 1), it is considered a medium load. 11 minutes of washing, 2 rinses, 4 minutes of spin, set to medium water level).Also, if the number of inertia pulses np° is less than n2, set it as a heavy load: 15 minutes of washing, 2 rinses, 5 minutes of spin. After that, the washing operation proceeds according to the set washing details by the output from the control circuit (28).

At this time, if the current water level is higher than the set water level, the washing process that is already in progress will continue at this high water level.
When moving from the washing process to the rinsing process, after draining water, water is supplied to the set water level at the time of water supply in the next rinsing process.

Furthermore, if the current water level is lower than the set water level, water is supplied again until the set water level is reached at the time of this washing process, and thereafter, the washing operation proceeds at the set water level.

In this embodiment, the number of inertial pulses is counted as a means for detecting the load amount of laundry, but the present invention is not limited to this and other means may be used.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the washing machine operation control method of the present invention, when detecting the amount of laundry (load amount), the water level is also detected at the same time, so the load amount can be corrected based on the water amount, and the actual water level is high or low. Regardless of the water level, the appropriate load amount can be calculated at the specified water level value. Therefore, from the next rinsing step onwards, the operation can proceed at an appropriate water level without wasting water.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an operation flowchart showing an embodiment of the washing machine operation control method of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a characteristic curve diagram showing the relationship between the number of inertia pulses and the load amount, and Fig. 3 is an overall perspective view of the washing machine. , Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the same as the above, Fig. 5 is a front view of the operation switch section, Fig. 6 is a control electric circuit diagram, Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the motor control operation, and Fig. 8 is an operation control method. A flowchart showing a conventional example, Fig. 9 is a correlation diagram of motor energization and pulse waveform from a speed generator, Fig. 10 is a characteristic curve diagram of load amount, and Fig. 11 is a characteristic curve diagram of oscillation frequency from a water level sensor. be. (1)...Outer box (2)...Water tank (3)
... Stirring blade (4) ... Washing/dehydration tank 5 ・
... Lid (6... Operation switch part 7
...Power cord (8...Earth wire 9...Drain hose (10...Motor 11...Small pulley (12...V belt 13...Large boob IJ -
(14... Rotation transmission part (15a) (15b) - Drive shaft (25a... Speed generator... Impulse pipe (18)... Water level sensor...
・On switch (20)...Off switch...Water level switch (22)...Wash switch...Rinse switch (24)...Dehydration switch...Display) (25b) (25c) ( 25d) (25e) (25f
)...Indication lamp

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a washing machine having a water level detection means and a load determination means for detecting the amount of laundry, the amount of laundry is determined in the first process after the start of the washing operation based on the detection results from the water level detection means and the load determination means. A washing machine operation control method characterized by automatically setting an appropriate water level and washing contents according to the amount of cloth.