JPH04242693A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively loose washed materials which have got entangled with each other and fixed in a washing process and to more surely prevent the occurrence of abnormal vibration of a vessel in the subsequent dehydrating process. CONSTITUTION:In a loose process executed after a washing process and before a dehydrating process, a stirring body for stirring washed materials is rotated in the normal and reverse directions with a period shorter than the reversing period in the washing process and with high rotational frequency, whereby active and strong change is given to the washed materials, and especially the strong force is given at every reverse moment to conduct effective loosing.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Object of the invention]

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine having a loosening process.

0003

[Prior Art] Conventionally, so-called fully automatic washing machines have been designed to carry out a washing process and a spin-drying process. During the washing process, the laundry gets tangled and hardens, so the tub is closed during the next spin-drying process. Easy to cause abnormal vibrations. Therefore, it has been proposed to perform a loosening process to loosen the laundry after the washing process and before the dehydration process.

[0004] However, in this machine, the loosening process is carried out by lowering the water level or by rotating the agitator that stirs the laundry forward and backward at a cycle shorter than the reversal cycle in the washing process. It is thought that.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, even with the above-mentioned methods, the effects are insufficient and there is still a problem that abnormal vibrations of the tank are likely to occur during the dewatering process.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to effectively loosen laundry in the loosening process and to prevent the occurrence of abnormal vibrations in the tub during the dewatering process. Our goal is to provide an excellent washing machine that can more reliably prevent this.

[Configuration of the invention]

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, in the washing machine of the present invention, in the loosening process that is performed after the washing process and before the dehydration process, the agitator for stirring the laundry is It is characterized in that it rotates in forward and reverse directions at a cycle shorter than the reversal cycle in the washing process and at a higher rotational speed.

[0009]

[Operation] According to the above means, in the loosening process, the laundry is
It is possible to make more and more powerful changes, among others,
Strong force can be applied at each moment of reversal, allowing for effective loosening.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, FIG. 2 shows an outer box 1 of the entire washing machine, in which an outer tub 2 and an inner tub 3 are arranged. Inner tank 3
This has a large number of dehydration holes 4 on the circumferential side, and a stirring body 5 is disposed on the inner bottom. Further, a drive mechanism 7 mainly including a motor 6 is disposed at the outer lower part of the outer tank 2, and the agitator 5 and the inner tank 3 are rotated by this drive mechanism 7. In addition, a drain valve 8, a drain hose 9, etc. are also provided at the outer lower part of the outer tank 2.

[0012] A top cover 10 is placed on the outer box 1.
A control device 11 is disposed inside the front part of the top cover 10. This control device 11 is composed of a microcomputer, and is designed to control the operation of the entire washing machine as shown in FIG.

[0013] Therefore, if the control device 11 is now started to operate, it first accepts an operation by the user (step S1). Next, settings are made based on the operation (step S2), and then it is determined whether or not there is a start command from a start switch, etc. (step S3).
. If it is determined that there is a start command, then
"Washing" is started with the contents set in step S2 above (step S4). FIG. 3 shows the standard settings for this "washing", in which the rotational drive of the stirring body 5 by the motor 6 of the drive mechanism 7 is normal for 1.2 seconds, paused for 0.6 seconds, and 1.2 seconds. The rotation is performed at a reversal cycle of repeating a reversal for one second and a rest for 0.6 seconds, and at a rotational speed of 100 [rpm].

Next, it is determined whether or not the time at which the "washing" should end has been reached (step S5), and when it is determined that the time has been reached, the reversal period of the agitator 5 is changed. (Step S6), and further change the rotation speed (
Step S7). FIG. 4 shows the contents of this change.
A reversal cycle that repeats reversal for 0.4 seconds and pause for 0.4 seconds, and
The rotation speed is 120 [rpm] which is higher than the rotation speed during "washing". Then, with the changed content,
Then, it is determined whether or not the time at which this "loosening" should end has been reached (step S9). When it is determined that the time has been reached, the next step is to start the drainage process. The valve 8 is opened to drain water (step S10).

After this, the inner tank 3 is rotated at high speed in one direction by the motor 6 of the drive mechanism 7 to perform "dehydration" (step S11), and further, in subsequent steps, for example, "
``Rinse'', ``Loosen'', ``Dehydration'' (all not shown)
The ``rinsing'' is performed in the same manner as the ``washing'' described above, and the ``loosening'' is performed in the same manner as the ``loosening'' described above.

[0016] In this way, with this configuration, "washing"
In the loosening process that is carried out after the washing process of ``rinsing'' and before the dehydration process, the agitator 5 that stirs the laundry is rotated at a shorter cycle than the reversal cycle in the washing process and at a higher rotational speed. I try to rotate it in forward and reverse directions. As a result, in the loosening process, compared to the conventional method that only lowers the water level or shortens the reversal period of the agitator, the agitator 5 is rotated at a higher rotational speed in both forward and reverse directions. It is possible to apply more and more powerful changes to things, and in particular, it is possible to apply strong force at each moment of reversal. In this way, it is possible to effectively disentangle the entangled laundry, thereby making it possible to more reliably prevent the generation of abnormal vibrations in the tub during the subsequent spin-drying process.

[0017]

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the washing machine of the present invention executes a washing process and a dehydration process, and also executes a loosening process to loosen the laundry after the washing process and before the dehydration process. In the loosening process, the agitator for stirring the laundry is rotated in forward and reverse directions at a cycle shorter than the reversal cycle in the washing process and at a higher rotational speed. This makes it possible to effectively loosen laundry that has become entangled and hardened during the washing process, and to more reliably prevent abnormal vibrations in the tub during the subsequent spin-drying process. It has excellent effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1: Flowchart of main actions showing one embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] Overall longitudinal side view

[Figure 3] Time chart showing the drive control details of the agitator in the washing process

[Figure 4] Time chart showing the drive control details of the agitator in the loosening process

[Explanation of symbols]

5 is a stirring body, and 11 is a control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: A washing process and a spin-drying process, and a loosening process for loosening the laundry after the washing process and before the spin-drying process, and in the loosening process, the laundry is stirred. A washing machine characterized in that the agitator is rotated in forward and reverse directions at a cycle shorter than the reversal cycle in the washing process and at a higher rotational speed.