JPH02277498A - Controller for washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To precisely indicate the degree of filth by a method wherein the degree of filth is indicated corresponding to the changes in the output signals of an optical sensor after finish of washing step or start of rinse step. CONSTITUTION:An optical sensor consists of a light emitting element 39A and a light receiving element 39B by which the degree of light transmission through the liquid in a basin is detected. A light emitting power control circuit 40 regulates the light quantity of the light emitting element 39A during water supply in rinse step or water supply before dosing of detergent, and sets the output value of the light receiving element 39B at a reference value. Then, an indicator 21 indicates the degree of filth corresponding to the changes in the output signals of the optical sensor after start-up of washing step or rise step. As a result, the degree of filth can be precisely indicated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine control device that detects the degree of light transmission of liquid in a tub using an optical sensor.

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional washing machine control device is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-16
There is one shown in Japanese Patent No. 2974. The degree of light transmission of the washing liquid or rinsing liquid in the tank is detected by an optical sensor, the washing time or rinsing time is estimated according to the output of the optical sensor, and the washing or rinsing progress is started based on the estimated time. The situation was displayed on a display device.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, conventional display devices for washing machines change the progress display of washing or rinsing according to the output of an optical sensor, that is, the degree of dirt, and do not display the degree of dirt itself. It wasn't something. In other words, dirt on the laundry may be such that the washing liquid becomes cloudy as soon as it is agitated, such as mud stains, or the washing liquid may gradually change, such as on oil-stained work clothes. Most everyday stains have rapid changes in turbidity, and many stains are highly turbid, so if the user knew the degree of stain at the beginning of washing and rinsing, how long would it take to finish washing? Even though it is possible to predict the end of washing, the conventional configuration only shows the progress, making it impossible to predict when the washing will be finished. In addition, if water containing dirt components such as leftover water from a bath is supplied into the tank, the dirt level will be judged as including both dirt from the actual clothes and dirt from the water, and the dirt level will be judged as containing both dirt from the actual clothes and dirt from the water. This had the problem of reducing detection accuracy.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems.1. The purpose is to display the degree of contamination with high accuracy.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an optical sensor consisting of a light emitting element and a light receiving element that detects the degree of light transmission of liquid in a tank, and a water supply in the rinsing process or before adding detergent. A light emission output control circuit that controls the light amount of the light emitting element and sets the output of the light receiving element to a reference value, and a dirt level is displayed according to a change in the optical sensor output signal after the washing process or the rinsing process has started. It is equipped with a display device that displays

According to the above structure, the transmittance of fresh water in the water supply is set to 100, and the degree of dirt is determined based on the change in the light transmittance from the clear water state, so the size of dirt in the washing liquid or rinsing liquid can be directly displayed. I can do it. The degree of dirt can be seen as the size of dirt on laundry when it comes to everyday dirt. In particular, clothes that are washed on a daily basis often have mud stains or stains on underwear that dissolve quickly in water, and there are few stains such as oil stains that gradually change in turbidity, so you can remove the size of the stain within a few minutes. It is possible to display the . In addition, since the output of the optical sensor is corrected to a reference value while water is being supplied, it is possible to detect dirt on actual laundry by eliminating dirt components in the water being supplied.

Example Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a washing machine according to the invention. An alternating current voltage is applied from an alternating current power supply 1 to a control device 2, which controls a washing motor 3 having a phase advance capacitor 4 that drives an agitating blade that agitates the laundry in the washing tub, and a washing motor 3 that supplies water to the tub. It controls the water supply valve 6 for draining the water in the tank and the drain valve 6 for draining the water in the tank. The control device 2 includes a signal control circuit 20 consisting of a microcomputer and a memory circuit, and displays the washing progress status and the like.

An operation display device 21 for rinsing settings and various washing courses; a power control circuit 22 consisting of switching elements such as bidirectional thyristors for controlling energization to the washing motor 3, water supply valve 5, and drain valve 6; It is composed of an optical sensor 23 that detects the transmittance of the washing liquid and rinsing liquid, and a water level sensor 24 that detects the water level in the tank.

FIG. 2 shows a specific embodiment of the optical sensor circuit 23. In the figure, 2om is a microcomputer, which has a MU/D conversion input terminal 201L and a pulse width control terminal (hereinafter referred to as PWM terminal) 20b that can control analog voltage. It is possible to control and detect the voltage of the light receiving element. 20B is a memory element. The method of controlling the optical sensor 39 is to control the light emitting diode 39B, which is a light emitting element, so that the output from the phototransistor 39B, which is a light receiving element, becomes a reference value V (for example, 3.sV) during water supply in the rinsing process. Controls the light emission output control current. A light emission output control circuit 4o is provided. This light emission output control circuit +o! The /iD/mu conversion circuit 26 converts the PWM signal of the microcomputer 20 to an analog signal, controls the pace voltage of the transistor 2e, controls the terminal voltage of the emitter resistor 27, and controls the light emitting element connected to the collector. The forward current IF of 39 μm is controlled. On the other hand, the light receiving element 39B is a phototransistor with an emitter resistor 32
Adding the terminal voltage v6 of 1L to the peak hold circuit 36,
Peak held voltage V. Mike Coco/Piyuta 2
It is added to the MU/D input terminal 201L of the OM. Light emitting element 39
The switch is controlled on and off by turning on and off the switching element 28 through a resistor 29 and a signal from the SW and terminal of the microcomputer 20, and a pulse current flows.

The switching element 28 is composed of a transistor 30 and a resistor 31 connected to the base of the transistor 3o. The peak hold circuit 35 holds the pulse signal and is composed of a transistor 36, a resistor 37 connected to the emitter side of this transistor, and a capacitor 38. A series circuit of a resistor 32b and a transistor 33 is connected in parallel with the emitter resistor 32& of the light receiving element 39B, and a signal from the SW2 terminal of the microcomputer 20 is transmitted to the transistor 33 via the resistor 34, thereby turning the transistor 33 on and off. control.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a display device that displays the degree of contamination. That is, a plurality of LICD1 to LICDs that light up depending on the degree of dirt are arranged in a part of the operation display device 21, and as the degree of dirt increases, the LED1 to LICD6 are turned on.

FIG. 4 shows the output voltage V of the optical sensor circuit 23. shows the change in That is, when washing starts, the output voltage V of the optical sensor circuit 23. decreases, and when water supply starts after draining, the output voltage vo of the optical sensor circuit 23 increases. When the stirring of the rinsing process begins, the output voltage V of the optical sensor circuit 23
. decreases.

Generally, the light transmittance is vo/va x
It is expressed in 10o. Transmittance or ΔV=V, -V
It is possible to judge the size of cloudy spots based on the oO value. For example, the degree of rinsing can be determined by the changes ΔV/, ΔV' during rinsing.

FIG. 6 shows the output voltage change B of the optical sensor circuit 23 in the case of liquid detergent and the output voltage change B of the optical sensor circuit 23 in the case of powder detergent. The transmittance during washing varies widely, being more than 50% for liquid detergents and less than 2% for powder detergents.

Next, the program operation of the washing process of the microcomputer 2om will be explained with reference to FIG.

When the water supply process in step 201 is completed, step 20
1, the motor 3 is driven to start stirring.

During water supply in step 201, the light emitting output control circuit 4° may control the output voltage of the light sensor circuit 23 to be equal to the reference value vs. It is also possible to store the current control data of the current controller in the memory element 2oB and read out the control data to obtain the reference value V. The output voltage V of the optical sensor circuit 23 after stirring in step 202. Input the voltage change ΔV−
V, -40 is detected (step 203). Step 2
In 04, the larger ΔV is, the more dirt is displayed on LICD1 to 5.
Increase the number of lights on. In step 205, after a certain period of washing time T has elapsed from the start of stirring, the transmittance is determined as V in step 206. It is determined whether /vs is larger or smaller than 0.6, and if it is a dog than 0.6, it is determined that it is a liquid detergent in step 207, and the dirt level and dirt display LX are determined in step 208.
Change the lighting conditions of D1 to D6. In step 209,
Contamination is detected by the output voltage of the optical sensor circuit 23,
In steps 21o and 211.212, the dirt transmittance v is determined. /v
The cleaning time is determined by the saturation time of the temporal change of the voltage change ΔV or the voltage change ΔV, and the number of lighted LICDs 101 to 105 for dirt display may be controlled depending on the magnitude of this saturation time. Note that although ΔV was detected in step 203, the transmittance is V. /v8 may be detected and dirt may be displayed based on this transmittance. Further, in step 206, the liquid or powder detergent was determined based on the transmittance va/vs, but the type of detergent may also be determined based on ΔV=V, -Vo.

Next, the control of the microcomputer 20m during rinsing will be explained with reference to FIG. In step 214, water supply is started, and in step 216, it is determined that the data of the water level sensor 24 has started to change.In step 216, it is determined whether the output voltage vo of the optical sensor circuit 23 is equal to the set voltage vs. The light emitting current IF of the light emitting element 39 is controlled by the light emitting output control circuit 40 so that the light emitting current IF is within the range. If the setting error is within the range in step 218, the control data for the light emitting current IF is stored in the storage element 2oB, and the control current IF is kept constant. Step 2
At step 19, when the water level reaches the set water level determined by the laundry amount sensor that detects the amount of laundry in the tub, the motor 3 is driven at step 220 to start rinsing and agitation. When this rinsing agitation is started, the transmittance V is determined in step 221. / vs or ΔV=V, -V. Dirt is displayed depending on the size of the I,
Controls lighting of XD1 to XD5. The laundry amount sensor includes, for example, a motor current detection method proportional to the load applied to the stirring motor 3, a rotation attenuation rate of the stirring blade after the motor has been rotated for a predetermined period of time (the greater the amount of laundry, the greater the attenuation); There are various types of weight detection methods.

Next, we will discuss the control of the number of dirt indicator LICDs lit in step 204 or step 221.

This will be explained with reference to FIG. That is, the reference voltage v8 is 3°6
Since V is constant, the degree of dirt can be determined based on the magnitude of the voltage V of the optical sensor circuit 23. That is,
The calculation of ΔV=Vs−Vo is omitted and the value of vo is used as it is as dirt data. Further, since liquid detergent has a higher transmittance than powder detergent, it is detected in step 205 whether it is liquid detergent or powder detergent, and in the case of liquid detergent, the lighting is controlled using a different voltage than that of powder detergent. This lighting control can be performed after detecting the type of detergent, and the degree of contamination before that can be displayed according to the powder detergent table, or by determining the output voltage v0 between liquid detergent and powder detergent. I can do it.

In addition, in the above embodiment, depending on the size of the transmittance, the dirt L
The number of lit ICDs was increased, but as the transmittance decreases, the same effect can be obtained even if the number of LICDICs is decreased, and in this case, it becomes possible to display the washing status in which dirt is removed from clothes. .

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, the optical sensor output voltage is set to the reference value during water supply during the rinsing process or before detergent is added, so that the optical sensor output voltage is set to the reference value even if the optical sensor is dirty. First, since a sensor output voltage corresponding to clean water is obtained, the degree of contamination can be accurately displayed by determining the magnitude of contamination based on the magnitude of change in the degree of light transmission from clean water. In addition, even if the water in the water supply is dirty, the output of the optical sensor is set to the standard value, so if it is detected how much the output of the optical sensor has decreased from this standard value, it is possible to It can only detect dirt from laundry, excluding dirt. In addition, there are many everyday stains whose light transmittance rapidly decreases, and it is possible to display the size of the stain within a few minutes after starting washing. Even if the washing time is long,
The user can be satisfied and his/her anxiety can be relieved. Also,
As with washing, it is also possible to display dirt during rinsing, eliminating concerns about rinsing control and gaining confidence in sensor control.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a washing machine control device showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram of a washing machine sensor circuit and its control device, and Fig. 3 is a front view of the same operation display device. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the output changes of the optical sensor circuit during each washing, rinsing, and dehydration process, and Figure 6 is a diagram showing the output changes of the optical sensor circuit during washing with the same liquid detergent and powder detergent. Figure 7 is a flowchart of soil display and soil size determination during the same washing process, Figure 7 is a control flowchart of the same rinsing process, and Figure 8
The figure is a diagram showing the relationship between the output voltage change of the optical sensor circuit from the reference value and the lighting control of the LICD for dirt display. 2o... Signal control circuit, 21... Operation display device, 23... Light sensor circuit, 39...
... Light sensor - 39 M ... Light emitting element, 39
B... Light receiving element, 40-... Light emission output control circuit. Name of agent: Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano and one other person? −
--Seishincho l ig l figure? a-S Kiagetsu system original map 5th diagram allegorical map

Claims (1)

[Claims] A light sensor consisting of a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element detects the degree of light transmission of the liquid in the tank, and the output of the light-receiving element is controlled by controlling the amount of light from the light-emitting element during water supply in the rinsing process or before adding detergent. A washing machine control device comprising: a light emission output control circuit that sets a reference value; and a display device that displays a degree of dirt according to a change in an optical sensor output signal after a washing process or a rinsing process has started.