JPH04246400A - Drum type washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer the drum type washing machine which can detect surely bubbles generated above the allowable quantity in a drum, and also, whose detection accuracy is high. CONSTITUTION:Bubbles generated at the time of washing ascend in a water tank 5 and intrude into a main body 10 of a bubble detecting device 20. By these bubbles the conductive quantity between a pair of plate-like electrodes 11 which are provided like an inclination along the water flowing direction in the main body 10, and to which a prescribed voltage is applied is varied, and a level of bubbles exceeding the allowable quantity is detected. Water supplied to the water tank 5 from a feed water tube 4 at the time of washing always flows down on the electrode 11 of the bubble detecting device 20. In such a way, waste thread, dirt of the washing, a detergent, etc., adhering to the electrode 11 are washed away. By the inclined electrode 11 and a projecting line 14 between each electrode 11, an erroneous detection caused by a fact that water is stagnant is prevented.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to a drum-type washing machine, and more specifically, laundry (clothes to be washed) is stored in a drum, and the drum is rotated to perform a washing process, a rinsing process, and a dewatering process. Regarding drum type washing machines.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as a drum-type washing machine, a water tank is suspended in an outer box, and a drum having a large number of through holes is supported rotatably around a horizontal axis within the tank. It is known that a water tank is provided with a bubble inlet cylinder, a float for detecting bubbles is arranged inside the bubble inlet cylinder so that it can be raised and lowered, and a water spray device for defoaming that is turned on and off by the float is installed in the upper part of the water tank. ing.

[0003] In such a drum-type washing machine, washing liquid with an appropriate detergent concentration is poured into a water tank, and laundry is stored in the drum to perform washing. Then, the rotation of the drum agitates the washing liquid and generates bubbles within the drum. After the bubbles exit into the water tank through the holes in the drum, they enter the bubble inlet cylinder. Then, the bubbles generated in excess of the allowable amount push up the float in the bubble inlet cylinder. Then, as the float rises, the water sprinkling device is activated, and a shower-like water sprinkling is performed inside the drum to eliminate the bubbles.

0004

As mentioned above, in such a drum type washing machine, the foam generated in the drum in excess of the allowable amount is detected by the rise of the float. For this reason, laundry dirt and lint contained in the washing liquid adhere to the bubble inlet cylinder and float, resulting in failure to detect bubbles, false detection, and decreased detection accuracy. There was this inconvenience. Further, when the water spray device is activated, water is sprayed to eliminate the foam in the drum, but water is not sprayed on the foam inlet pipe and the float. For this reason, foam remains in the foam inlet tube or float, and after drying, the foam becomes a solid detergent and is deposited. This caused the same inconveniences as above, such as the inability to detect bubbles.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides a drum-type washing machine that can reliably detect foam generated in excess of the allowable amount in the drum and has high detection accuracy. The purpose is to

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a water tank that is suspended in an outer box and stores washing liquid, and a water tank that is rotatably supported around a horizontal axis within the water tank and can store laundry. A drum with a large number of perforations in its surrounding wall, a foam detection device attached to the water tank to detect foam generated in the drum in excess of the allowable amount during washing, and a foam detection device connected to the foam detection device. a water supply pipe that supplies water into the aquarium through the water supply pipe, and a bubble detection device is installed on the insulator in an exposed manner so as to be inclined along the flow direction of the water supplied from the water supply pipe. This is a drum-type washing machine consisting of plate-shaped electrodes and protrusions provided between a pair of electrodes to isolate them from each other.

[0007]

[Operation] The pair of electrodes in the drum type washing machine according to the present invention is used with a voltage of AC5V applied thereto, for example. When bubbles adhere between the electrodes, a current flows between the electrodes due to the conductivity of the bubbles. By detecting this current, bubbles exceeding the allowable amount are detected.

[0008] When starting washing or rinsing, water supplied from a water supply hose connected to a faucet or the like always passes through the water supply pipe. The water then flows down the surface of the inclined electrode exposed to the water supply channel. This cleans the electrode surface. This prevents lint, laundry stains, detergent, etc. from accumulating on the electrodes.

[0009] Since the supplied water flows down into the water tank along the slope of the pair of electrodes, it does not remain on the electrodes. Moreover, since there is a protruding strip between the pair of electrodes, it is possible to avoid the possibility that the electrodes become electrically conductive due to water accumulated due to surface tension or the like. Therefore, erroneous detection of bubbles due to accumulated water between the electrodes is prevented.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. Note that the following examples do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the drum type washing machine W has an outer box 1.
, an absorber 9 is suspended in this outer box 1 by a spring 8.
Washing liquid (water or a solution of detergent in water)
a drum 6 that is rotatably supported around a horizontal axis within the water tank 5 and has a large number of through holes in its peripheral wall and can accommodate laundry; and a foam detection device 20 in the water tank 5. A water supply pipe 4 is connected to the water supply pipe 4 to supply water into the water tank 5.

A drain valve 7 and a drain pipe 15 for discharging the washing liquid are provided at the bottom of the water tank 5. A water supply valve 3 is provided at the upper end of the vertically extending water supply pipe 4 to control water supply during the washing process and the rinsing process. This water supply valve 3
A water supply hose 2 connected to a water faucet is connected to the water supply hose 2 .

The bubble detection device 20 is installed on the outside of the water tank 5 so as to be inclined in the direction in which water from the water supply pipe 4 flows down. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, a bubble detection device 20 is screwed to an angle 5a attached to the water tank 5 by welding via a packing 13. This bubble detection device 2
0 has a tubular main body 10 as an insulator with an inverted L-shaped vertical cross section, and a pair of plate-like electrodes 11 partially embedded in the lower part of the water passage in the main body 10 by insert molding. 11, and a control circuit 30 that is connected to these electrodes 11 and detects conductivity due to bubbles.

Each electrode 11 has its periphery bent. The periphery thereof is embedded within the main body 10. This prevents thread waste and the like from getting caught on the electrode 11.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one protruding strip 14 projecting upward is provided between the electrodes 11 on the inclined bottom wall of the main body 10. The protrusions 14 are caused by the water remaining in the main body 10, causing the electrodes 11 and 11 to
This is to prevent erroneous detection due to conduction between the two electrodes 11 and to prevent lint from accumulating between the two electrodes 11. In addition, the reason why the electrodes 11, 11 are plate-shaped is to prevent lint from adhering to the electrodes 11, 11 as much as possible, and to increase the sensitivity by making the area of the electrodes 11, 11 as large as possible. This is to do so.

[0016] If more bubbles are generated than the allowable amount during washing, the bubbles will act as a cushion and reduce the effect of washing by beating, so it is necessary to stop the operation and remove the bubbles. Therefore, in this drum type washing machine W, when bubbles are generated during washing operation, the bubbles rise in the water tank 5 and enter the main body 10 of the bubble detection device 20. Then, the amount of conduction between the electrodes 11 to which a predetermined voltage is applied in advance by the control circuit 30 changes, and the level of bubbles exceeding the allowable amount is detected. When bubbles exceeding the allowable level are detected, the operation is stopped and the drain valve 7 is opened. Then, the foam is removed by discharging the washing liquid from the water tank 5.

Furthermore, when water is supplied from the water supply pipe 4 to the water tank 5 during the washing process or the rinsing process, clean water always passes through the bubble detection device 20. That is, the supplied water flows through the main body 1 of the bubble detection device 20, which is its flow path.
It always flows down on the electrodes 11, 11 exposed in the interior. Then, lint, laundry stains, detergent, etc. adhering to the electrodes 11 are washed away.

In this drum-type washing machine W, since the electrodes 11 for detecting bubbles are arranged inside the main body 10 of the bubble detecting device 20, the electrodes 11 and 11 are arranged in the main body 10 of the bubble detecting device 20.
11 can be constantly cleaned, and reliability can be improved. In addition, since bubbles generated in excess of the allowable amount are detected by changes in the amount of conductivity between the electrodes 11 and 11, there is no need for a conventional float, making it possible to reliably detect bubbles generated within the drum. Moreover, the detection accuracy can be improved. Furthermore, the slanted electrodes 11, 11 and the protruding strip 14 between them can prevent water from stagnation after water supply, making it possible to prevent erroneous detection of bubbles.

[0019]

[Effects of the Invention] Since the drum-type washing machine of the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to reliably detect the foam generated in the drum in excess of the allowable amount, and the detection accuracy is improved. can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration explanatory diagram of a drum-type washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration explanatory diagram of the foam detection device in the washing machine of FIG. 1, viewed from the side.

FIG. 3 is a configuration explanatory diagram of the bubble detection device shown in FIG. 2, viewed from the front.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Outer box 4 Water supply pipe 5 Water tank 6 Drum 10 Main body of bubble detection device (insulator) 11
Electrode 14 Convex strip 20 Bubble detection device 30 Control circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: A water tank which is suspended in an outer box and stores washing liquid; a water tank which is rotatably supported around a horizontal axis within the tank, is capable of storing laundry, and has a number of through holes in the peripheral wall. A drum having a drum, a foam detection device attached to the water tank to detect the foam generated in the drum in excess of the allowable amount during washing, and a foam detection device connected to the foam detection device to direct water into the water tank through the foam detection device. The bubble detection device includes a pair of plate-shaped electrodes that are exposed on the insulator and are inclined along the flow direction of the water supplied from the water supply pipe, and a pair of plate-shaped electrodes that are exposed on the insulator. A drum-type washing machine consisting of protrusions provided between electrodes to isolate them from each other.