JPH03155896A - Controller for laundry machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To judge and display residual washing time with high accuracy by detecting the light transmission degree of liquid in a tub, and detecting the saturation of the light transmission degree of the liquid in the tub in a washing process with a saturation detecting means. CONSTITUTION:The controller 2 is comprised of a signal control circuit 20, an operation display device 21 which sets the display, washing, rinsing, etc., of a washing progressive state, etc., and sets every kind of washing course, a power control circuit 22 consisting of a switching element such as a bidirectional thyristor, etc., to control the energizing of a washing motor 3, a water supply valve 5, and a drain valve 6, and a light transmission degree detecting means 23 to detect the light transmission factor of the washing liquid in the tub. Also, the signal control circuit 20 is comprised of the saturation detecting means which detects the saturation of a signal by receiving the signal from the light transmission degree detecting means 23, and a control means which controls the operation display device 21 by receiving the signal of the saturation detecting means. Plural LEDs lit corresponding to the residual washing time after stain saturation are arranged at part of the operation display device 21, and the LEDs 1-6 are lit according to the extension of the washing time.

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.

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. That is, the degree of light transmission of the washing liquid in the tub was detected by an optical sensor, the washing time was estimated according to the output of the optical sensor, and the washing progress was displayed on a display device based on the estimated time. .

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, although conventional washing machines estimate the washing time, they do not display the actual number of minutes, but display progress based on the estimated washing time. The problem was that the user could not know how many minutes remained in the washing time because the washing time only changed.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to accurately determine and display washing time.

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a light transmission degree detection means for detecting the degree of light transmission of the liquid in the tank, and a saturation detection means for detecting the saturation of the output signal of the light transmission degree detection means. a detection means, a control means for controlling the light transmission degree detection means, the saturation detection means, and the display means, and after the saturation detection means detects the saturation of the light transmission degree of the liquid in the tank during the washing process, The washing time is determined and displayed on the display means.

Effects According to the above configuration, after detecting the saturation of the light transmittance of the liquid in the tank during the washing process, the remaining washing time can be determined and displayed with high accuracy.

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

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of essential parts of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a washing machine according to the invention. From AC power supply 1,
A phase advance capacitor 4 applies an alternating current voltage to the control device 2, and the control device 2 drives the agitation blades that agitate the laundry in the tub.
a washing motor 3 having a water supply valve 5 for supplying water into the tank;
, controls a drain valve 6 that drains water in the tank. The control device 2 includes a signal control circuit 20, an operation display device 21 that displays the washing progress status, settings for washing, rinsing, etc., and sets various washing courses, and energizes the washing motor 3, water supply valve 5, and drain valve 6. It is composed of a power control circuit 22 consisting of a switching element such as a bidirectional Sailisk for controlling, and a light transmittance degree detection means 23 for detecting the light transmittance of the washing liquid in the tub. The signal control circuit 20 also includes a saturation detection means 2 that receives a signal from a light transmission degree detection means 23 and detects saturation of the signal.
0A, and a control means 20B that receives a signal from the saturation detection means 2OA and controls the operation display device 21. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a display device that displays the remaining washing time after stain saturation during the washing process. That is, a plurality of LEDs 1 to 6 are arranged in a part of the operation display device 21 to light up according to the remaining washing time after stain saturation, and the LEDs 1 to 6 are turned on as the washing time becomes longer. FIG. 4 shows the output voltage V of the light transmission degree detection means 23 during the washing process. shows the change in When washing starts after water supply ends, the output voltage v0 of the light transmission degree detection means 23 decreases.

Generally, the light transmittance is determined by the reference voltage VS set during water supply.
It is expressed as v0/vs×100%. The degree of turbidity can be determined based on the transmittance or the value of ΔV=VS−Vo.

FIG. 5 shows the difference in the output voltage v0 of the light transmission degree detection means 23 depending on the degree of dirt on the laundry in the washing process. Generally, the more dirty the laundry is, the more rapidly the output voltage of the light transmission degree detection means 23 decreases to a low value and becomes saturated in a short time.

On the other hand, when the laundry is lightly soiled, the output voltage V of the light transmission degree detection means 23. gradually decreases and saturates at a slightly higher value, taking a longer time than in the case of heavy dirt. Output voltage V of the light transmission degree detection means 23. The degree of soiling of the laundry can be determined based on the voltage V5□ of the saturation date and time and the washing time TSQt required from the start of washing to saturation, and the remaining washing time required after saturation is detected. be able to.

Next, the program operation of the washing process of the signal control circuit 20 will be explained with reference to FIG. In the water supply process of step 201, the output voltage v0 of the light transmission degree detection means 23 is controlled to be the reference value Vs, and when the water supply process is completed, step 202
Drive the motor 3 to start stirring. Step 203
Now input the output voltage v0 of the light transmission degree detection means 23,
Detect a voltage change ΔV=vg−v0. Step 204
Then, the larger ΔV is, the more the number of LEDs 1 to 6 lit to indicate dirt is increased. In step 205, the output voltage V of the light transmission degree detection means 23 is determined. Contamination detection is performed by step 206, and it is determined whether the output voltage v0 is saturated. If it is saturated, the output voltage V s is determined in step 207.
a t and the washing time required to reach saturation T sa
The degree of soiling of the laundry is determined by t, and the remaining washing time required after saturation detection is determined from the degree of soiling. In steps 208, 209, 210, and 211, the LEDs 1 to 6 are turned on according to the determined remaining washing time, and the LEDs that are turned on are turned off one after another according to the elapse of time after turning on. For example, if the remaining washing time is set to 7 levels of 12.10.8.6°4.2.0, if the remaining washing time is 12 minutes, all LEDs 1 to 6 will light up as shown in Figure 7. , the lights go out one by one from LDE6 every 2 minutes. If the remaining washing time is 0 minutes, a balance control operation is performed in which the washing motor 3 is reversed in smaller increments than normal washing for 10 seconds in order to prevent the laundry from shifting to one side and to facilitate spin-drying. During this time, turn on the LEDI. In addition,
This balance control operation is performed during the final 10 seconds of the washing time even if the remaining washing time is other than 0 minutes.

If the output voltage V0 is not saturated in step 206,
The process advances to step 212, and if the washing time has not ended in step 212, the process returns to step 202 and repeats this series of operations.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, after detecting the saturation of the light transmittance of the liquid in the tank during the washing process, the remaining washing time required for the subsequent washing process is determined. death,
It can be displayed with high accuracy.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of main parts of a control device of a washing machine showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a control device of the washing machine, and Fig. 3 is a front view of the operation display device. Fig. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing the change in the output of the light transmission degree detection means during the same washing process, and Fig. 5 is a characteristic diagram showing the difference in the output change of the light transmission degree detection means depending on the degree of dirt on the laundry during the same washing process. 6th
The figure is a flowchart showing dirt display and wash time display during the same wash, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the remaining wash time after saturation detection and the lit LED during the same wash. 20...Signal control circuit, 21...Operation display device, 23...Light transmission degree detection means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a light transmission degree detection means for detecting the degree of light transmission of the liquid in the tank; a saturation detection means for detecting saturation of an output signal of the light transmission degree detection means; and a display means for displaying the washing time;
comprising a control means for controlling the light transmission degree detection means, the saturation detection means, and the display means, and after the saturation detection means detects the saturation of the light transmission degree of the liquid in the tank during the washing process,
A washing machine control device that determines the remaining washing time and displays it on the display means.