JPH03215293A - Controller for washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To control washing process with less influence of detergent and foam by a method wherein the output of a light emitting element is regulated under a clean water condition during rinse water supply or during water supply before detergent is dosed so that the output of a light receiving element becomes a specified value, and washing process is controlled based on the regulated data. CONSTITUTION:A transition detector 7 consisting of a light emitting element 7a and a light receiving element 7b is installed on a drain path 20. A controller 10 inputs the output signal of the light receiving element 7b to an A/D input terminal through a voltage conversion circuit 12 during water supply in the last rinse process or during water supply at this time before detergent is dosed, and determines the control current of the light emitting element 7a so that the input voltage becomes a specified value. The regulated data are stored in a memory 13. At the start of washing at this time, the current of the light emitting element is controlled according to the regulated data, and the controlled current is used as a reference value. The transparency of clean water and the degree of changes in the transparency are detected according to the degree of changes in the difference between the output signals of the light receiving element 7b and the reference value, so that the degree of fouling is detected and the completion of washing and rinsing process is detected. Therefore, washing can be controlled with less influence of detergent and foam.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine control device that controls washing operations by detecting the permeability of liquid in a tub.

Conventional technology Traditionally, washing machines control washing by detecting the permeability of liquid in the washing tub. A necessary washing machine for washing particularly heavily soiled laundry is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-16158.

That is, the output voltage after water supply at the beginning of the current washing cycle (detergent is also added at the same time) is used as a reference value, and the degree of dirt is determined based on the difference between the output voltage and the voltage at the end of washing, and washing control is performed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, such conventional washing machines had the following problems.

(1) Changes in the permeability of the washing liquid after the start of washing varied greatly depending on the type and amount of detergent, and did not form a constant pattern, making it impossible to accurately detect the degree of staining.

(2) When the transmittance detector mounting part becomes heavily soiled, the transmittance changes due to detergent, or there are many bubbles, the output of the light receiving element becomes extremely small.

In view of the above problems, the present invention eliminates as much as possible the influence of the type and amount of detergent or the dirt on the mounting part of the transmittance detector.
The purpose of this is to detect the size of dirt during washing, and if the dirt is large, drain the water and then re-supply water and detergent to carry out the washing process.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a transmittance detector that detects the transmittance of liquid in a tank using a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and a series of sequential operations such as washing and rinsing. The size of the dirt is detected based on the permeability or the rate of change in the permeability from when the water was clean, and if the dirt is large, the washing is performed twice.

Function: With this configuration, the output of the light emitting element is controlled so that the output of the light receiving element becomes a predetermined value in fresh water when rinsing water is supplied or water is supplied before detergent is added, and the output of the light emitting element is adjusted from the predetermined value during washing. Washing is controlled by detecting the size of dirt based on the transmittance and the rate of change in the transmittance, so it is almost unaffected by detergents and foam, and it is easier to control the current of the light-emitting element, allowing it to detect changes in the transmittance from clean water. This means that you can control the washing process.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the figure, 1 is the main body of the washing machine, and 2 is an outer tub, which is suspended and supported within the main body 1 of the washing machine by four rods 3, and has a vibration-proof structure. Reference numeral 4 denotes a washing tub that also serves as a spin-drying tub and has a large number of holes in the wall. Reference numeral 5 denotes a balster which rotates forward and reverse, and is used to wash the clothes in the washing tub 4. AC power supply 21 and switching devices 14, 15, 17, 18 are connected in series, motor 6, drain valve 8 and water supply valve 19.
to supply power. The switching device 14, 15,
Reference numerals 17 and 18 are semiconductor switching devices such as bidirectional cyrisk, and switching devices 14 and 15 are motor 6.
The switching device 17 controls the water supply valve 19 and the switching device 18 controls the drain valve 8.

9 is a drainage hose. 16 is a phase advance capacitor. Further, the detergent charging means 18 is for charging detergent into the washing tub 4 when water is supplied for washing. Further, the transmittance detector 7 is provided in the middle of the drainage path 20, and is composed of a light emitting element 7a and a light receiving element 7b, which are provided facing each other. The drainage path 20 is interposed between both elements 7a and Tb.

The control means 10 is composed of a microcomputer and controls a series of sequential operations such as adding detergent, water supply, washing, rinsing, and draining water, and the current control circuit 11 linearly controls the control current to the light emitting element 7a by the control means 10. It is intended to change the situation. The voltage conversion circuit 12 is for voltage conversion of the output signal of the light emitting element 7b, and its output voltage is input to the A/D input terminal of the control means 10.

The storage means 13 is RA-1 of a microcomputer or an external memory element (non-volatile memory) for storing output level control data of the light emitting element 7a. The notification means 23 is composed of a buzzer, an LED, or the like.

Here, the control means 10 inputs the output signal of the light receiving element 7b of the transmittance detector 7 to an A/D input via the voltage conversion circuit 12 during the water supply for the previous rinsing process or during the water supply before adding the detergent this time. terminal, and this input voltage Vo becomes a predetermined value (
This value is set as the reference value Vs (see FIG. 3). ), the control data is stored in the storage means 13, and when the current washing starts, the light emitting element current is controlled based on the previously stored control data, and this is set as the reference value. , the light receiving element 7b from that value
From the degree of change in the output signal, the transmittance from fresh water and the rate of change in transmittance can be determined, and control is performed so that the completion of washing and rinsing is determined by detecting the size of dirt.

Here, Fig. 3 shows a transmittance detector 7 for all processes of a fully automatic washing machine.
It shows the change in the output of the light receiving element 7b, that is, the change after controlling the current of the light emitting element 7a so that the light receiving element 7b outputs the reference value in the case of fresh water, and shows the change in the output of the light receiving element 7b when the washing liquid is in the fresh water state during washing control by the control means 10. When the voltage change ΔvO from the reference value Vs is large, that is, when the output voltage level of the light-receiving element 7b becomes equal to or lower than the constant value VK, or when the transmittance of the cleaning liquid is saturated after the start of washing (when the rate of change in transmittance is If the time ΔtH until the water becomes within the specified value is longer than a certain time, the water is drained. That is, this washing step is referred to as a pre-washing step. Then, water and detergent are automatically added again to carry out the washing process under clean water.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained using a flowchart. FIG. 4 shows the control current IF of the light emitting element 7a so that the output of the transmittance detector 7 becomes the reference value during water supply during the previous rinsing.
This is a flowchart when . The control means 10 first inputs the light emitting element output level control data from the storage means 13 (step 30), and sets the output of the light receiving element 7b to a reference value (step 31). Then, detergent is automatically added (step 32) and water is supplied (step 33). Then, the stirring operation starts (step 34).
The output of the light receiving element 7b is input (step 35). Then, the rate of change in the sequentially input transmittance is calculated (step 36). If the rate of change is determined to be within a predetermined value (step 37), the liquid permeability is considered to be saturated, and the permeability at that time (output/reference value x 100%) and saturation time (
The remaining washing time is determined based on (time from the start of washing) (step 38). If it is determined that the washing time has ended (step 39), the voltage at that time is input, and the permeability from the reference value in fresh water is calculated (step 40). If the transparency is less than a certain value (step 41) or if the time until saturation is more than a certain value (step 42), the user is notified by the notification means 23 consisting of a buzzer or LED (step 43). ,
Drain automatically (step 44). After that, detergent is added again, water is supplied, and washing is performed again.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for setting the control current IF of the light emitting element 7a so that the output of the light receiving element 7b of the transmittance detector 7 becomes a predetermined value. First, it is determined whether the IF has already been set (step 50), and if the IF has been set, the IF setting control data is stored in the storage means 13 (step 53). If the IF has not been set yet, determine whether the water in the tank is above a predetermined water level (step 51),
If the water level is above the predetermined level, the output of the light receiving element 7b is the predetermined value Vs.
The current of the light emitting element 7a is controlled so that (
Step 52).

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart when the IF setting is performed at the time of water supply before adding detergent. First, water is supplied to a predetermined water level (step 55), then Ip setting is performed as shown in FIG. 5 (step 56), and detergent is automatically added (step 57). Thereafter, the remaining water is supplied to the set water level (step 58), and the process proceeds to the stirring process as shown in FIG.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, the output of the light emitting element is controlled so that the output of the light receiving element becomes a predetermined value in the clean water state when water is supplied for rinsing or when water is supplied before detergent is added. Based on the control data obtained during washing, the size of dirt is detected and the rate of change in transmittance from the standard value during washing, and the washing is controlled, so the current of the light emitting element is almost unaffected by detergent or foam. It is easy to control, and washing can be controlled by easily detecting changes in permeability even when water is fresh.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control device for a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the washing machine, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing changes in the output voltage of a light-receiving element by the control device. Fourth
5 and 6 are flowcharts showing the contents of control in the control device. 1...Washing machine body, 2...Outer tub, 3.
...Rod, 4...Washing tank that doubles as a spin-drying tank, 5...Pulse evening, 6...Soichita,
7...Turbidity detector, 8...Drain valve, 9
... Drainage hose, 10 ... Control means,
11...Current control circuit, 12...Voltage conversion circuit, 13...Storage means, 14, 15, 1
7.18...Switching device, 16...
... Road phase capacitor, 19 ... Water supply valve, 20
... Drainage route, 21 ... AC power supply, 2
2...Detergent injection means, 23...Notification means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] It is equipped with a transmittance detector that detects the transmittance of the liquid in the tank using a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, and a control means that controls a series of sequential operations such as washing and rinsing. A washing machine control device that detects the size of dirt based on the rate of change in the amount of dirt, and if the dirt is large, washes twice.