JPH0420380A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To appropriately execute the rinsing process by detecting the quantity of the washing, based on a rotating speed of a dehydrating tank at the time when damping of a controller is released in the washing or rinsing process of the washing. CONSTITUTION:The washing machine is provided with a revolution speed detecting means 16a for detecting a rotating speed of a dehydrating tank at the time when damping of a controller is released in the washing or rinsing process of the washing, and a cloth quantity detecting means 17 for detecting the quantity of the washing, based on the rotating speed of the dehydrating tank detected by this revolution speed detecting means. Therefore, since energy of a rotational motion given to the dehydrating tank 3, that is, the rotating speed of the dehydrating tank 3 becomes large in proportion to the quantity of the washing, the cloth quantity can be detected exactly in the washing or rinsing process. In such a way, by omitting a cloth quantity detecting process before the washing process, the whole washing time is shortened.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Invention 1"] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention detects the amount of laundry in the washing or rinsing process, and performs optimal washing with the amount of water commensurate with the amount of laundry. Regarding washing machines that can perform

(Prior art) In order to wash laundry efficiently and reliably in a washing machine, the amount of water, amount of detergent, washing time, number of washings, water flow, etc. must be adjusted appropriately depending on the amount of laundry and how dirty it is. It is necessary to set it to .

Conventionally, setting the amount of water is left to the user's discretion, or a cloth amount detection process is provided to detect the amount of cloth (M of laundry) and automatically set the water level according to the amount of cloth. things are being done.

This method of detecting the amount of cloth in conventional washing machines involves temporarily stopping the water supply when the amount of water in the washing tub becomes small before the washing process, and rotating the pulsator for a predetermined period of time to maintain a constant relationship with the amount of cloth. The current value of a certain pulsator driving motor, the phase difference between current and voltage, etc. are detected using a current sensor and a phase sensor to detect the amount of cloth. After detecting the amount of cloth, a microcomputer determines the water level according to the amount of cloth, and water supply is resumed until the set water level is reached. The water level setting according to the amount of cloth is performed in about four stages. However, this method of detecting the amount of laundry may malfunction when it detects that there is a large amount of laundry even if there is only one handkerchief and sets the water level to a high level, or it may malfunction when it detects that there is only a small amount of laundry even when a large amount of laundry is loaded. This may cause a malfunction due to setting the water level to a low level. Further, after the amount of cloth is detected once in the cloth amount detection step and the water level is set according to the amount of cloth, the placement is not detected again.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The conventional method for detecting the amount of cloth in a washing machine has a problem that the total washing time becomes longer because a cloth amount detection step is specially provided before the washing step. Once the amount of cloth is detected in the cloth amount detection process, the amount of cloth is not detected again, so if there is an error in the amount of cloth detected, the water level will not be set properly and the washing or rinsing process will be delayed. There was a problem that there were cases where this was not done properly.

Therefore, the present invention provides a washing machine that can accurately detect the amount of cloth in the washing or rinsing process, and can easily omit the cloth amount detection step before the washing process or re-detect the amount of cloth. The purpose is to

[Structure of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method of rotatably installing a dehydration tank in a fixed outer tank, and braking the rotation of the dehydration tank when necessary. A washing machine having a braking device, the washing machine comprising: a rotation speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the dehydration tank when the braking of the braking device is released during the laundry washing or rinsing process, and the rotation speed detection means The present invention further comprises a cloth amount detection means for detecting the amount of laundry based on the detected rotational speed of the dehydration tank.

(Function) With the above configuration, during the washing or rinsing process of the laundry, the rotation of the pulsator gives rotational energy to the laundry, washing liquid, and rinsing liquid (hereinafter referred to as washing liquid). When the dehydration tank brake is released, this energy is transferred to the dehydration tank, giving it a tendency to rotate. The rotational tendency imparted to the dewatering tank is mainly due to the rotational energy of the laundry, and is hardly affected by the rotational energy of the washing liquid. This is because the coefficient of friction between the washing liquid and the dehydration tank is small.

Therefore, the energy of the rotational motion imparted to the spinner is determined by the energy of the spinner of the laundry, i.e. the rotational speed, the amount of laundry material, how much the laundry is in contact with the spinner, and the distance between the laundry and the spinner. Determined by the coefficient of friction. Among these parameters, the amount of laundry material and how much of the laundry is in contact with the spinner are determined by the amount of laundry. The greater the amount of laundry, the greater the amount of laundry material and the amount that comes into contact with the dehydration tank. Other parameters are less dependent on the amount of laundry. For these reasons, as the amount of laundry increases, the rotational energy applied to the dehydration tank increases, and the rotation speed of the dehydration tank increases. The rotation speed of the dehydration tank during the washing or rinsing process is detected by the rotation speed detection means, and the amount of laundry is accurately detected by the cloth amount detection means based on the detected rotation speed of the dehydration tank.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 shows the overall schematic structure of a washing machine. In the figure, 1 is the main body of the washing machine, 2 is a washing tub (hereinafter also referred to as an outer tub) elastically suspended by a suspension 4, and 3 is a washing tub. This is a dehydration tank (hereinafter also referred to as an inner tank) that also serves as a washing tank for washing and dehydrating clothes, and there are many drainage holes 6 on the side of the surrounding wall.
is drilled. A pulsator 5 for stirring clothes and water is provided at the inner bottom of the inner tank 3. The mechanism unit that drives the pulsator 5 is composed of a drive motor 8, a brake device, a clutch mechanism, etc., and a mechanical case 7. A water supply mechanism 11 including a water supply hose 9 and a water supply valve is installed at the top of the washing machine main body 1, and a drainage hose 13 having a drainage valve 12 is installed at the bottom of the outer tub 2. The drain valve 12 is closed during the washing process, water supply process, and rinsing process.

A translucent material is used for a part of the bottom side part of the outer tank 2,
An optical sensor consisting of a light emitting element 14 and a light receiving element 15 is arranged in this part. 16 is a stirring blade of the detergent dissolving device, which is attached to the outer surface of the bottom of the dehydration tank 3. and,
As the dehydration tank 3 rotates, the light shielding part 6a protruding from the stirring blade 6 passes between the light emitting element 4 and the light receiving element 15, and the light sensor 14. Light shielding part 1
, 6a constitute a rotation speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the dehydration tank 3. Also, on the top of the washing machine main body 1,
An electronic circuit unit]-7 containing a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as microcomputer) serving as a cloth amount detection means is installed.

FIG. 2 shows a braking device 18 that brakes the rotation of the dehydration tank 3. As shown in FIG. The braking device 18 is constructed on a portion of the dehydration shaft 19 that is arranged concentrically with the pulsator shirt I.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, a suitable hole 18a is bored in the disk portion of the brake device 8, and the rotation speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the dehydration tank 3 is formed by the hole 18a and the optical sensor 21. It is configured. In this way, the rotation speed detection means of the dehydration tank 3 may be configured using a part of the braking device 18, or may be configured using the stirring blade 16 as described above.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the pulsator 5 is rotated during the washing or rinsing process of the laundry 22, an agitation force is applied to the laundry 22 due to its rotational force. The laundry 22 moves in the stirring direction E in the washing liquid, but due to the centrifugal force applied thereto, it comes into contact with the inner wall of the dehydration tank 3. Here, dehydration tank 3
When the braking device 1-8 is released, rotational motion F is applied to the dehydration tank 3, causing the dehydration tank 3 to rotate. As shown in Figure 4,
The larger the amount of laundry 22, the greater the amount of laundry material and the amount that touches the inner wall of the spin-drying tank 3, the greater the energy of the rotational motion given to the spin-sink tank 3, and the greater the rotational speed of the spin-drying tank 3. Become. The rotation speed of the dehydration tank 3 is detected by a rotation speed detection means, and the amount of laundry 22 is detected by a microcomputer based on the detected rotation speed of the dehydration tank 3.

Note that the rotation speed detection means shown in FIG. 1 may be washed and used in combination as a turbidity detection device for a rinse sensor.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, there is provided a rotation speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the spin-drying tank when the brake of the brake device is released during the laundry washing or rinsing process, and Since it is equipped with a laundry amount detection means that detects the amount of laundry based on the rotation speed of the spin-drying tank detected by the number detection means, the energy of the rotational motion given to the spin-drying tank, that is, the rotation speed of the spin-drying tank, is Since the size increases in proportion to the amount of items, the amount of cloth can be accurately detected during the washing or rinsing process. Therefore, the overall washing time can be shortened by omitting the cloth amount detection step before the washing process, or the cloth amount can be re-detected easily and reliably, allowing the washing and rinsing steps to be carried out appropriately using the appropriate amount of water. It can be carried out.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show an embodiment of the washing machine according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall structure, and FIG. 2 is a structure using a braking device and a part of the braking device. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the rotational motion given to the dehydration tank by stirring the laundry, and Fig. 4 shows the relationship between the amount of laundry and the rotation speed of the dehydration tank. FIG. 2: Washing tank (outer tank), 3: Dehydration tank (inner tank), 5: Pulsator 14: Light-emitting element, : Light-receiving element, a: Light-shielding part that constitutes rotation speed detection means together with the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element, : Cloth An electronic circuit unit with a built-in microcomputer serving as a quantity detection means, : Braking device, 18a: Hole, : Optical sensor constituting another example of rotation speed detection means together with the hole, : Laundry.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A washing machine in which a dehydration tank is rotatably installed in a fixed outer tank and has a braking device that brakes the rotation of the dehydration tank when necessary, during the laundry washing or rinsing process. A rotation speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the dehydration tank when the brake of the braking device is released, and an amount of laundry is detected based on the rotation speed of the dehydration tank detected by the rotation speed detection means. A washing machine comprising a cloth amount detection means.