JPH04256787A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To economize the water charges, the washing time, etc., by executing the control so that an unbalance correction is executed when lean of the washing is detected with a prescribed time after dehydration is started, and dehydration is finished at that time point after the prescribed time elapses. CONSTITUTION:A control means 23 controls each process of washing, rinsing and dehydration, and also, controls the subsequent consecutive operations, based on an input from a time deciding means 22 and an input from a dehydration continuation deciding means 20 at the time of dehydration. After dehydration is started, an eccentric degree detector 13 detects the eccentric degree of a dehydrating tank by synchronizing with a power source period, inputs its output to the dehydration continuation deciding means 20 and decides whether it is dangerous to continue dehydration or not. In the case it is decided to be dangerous, whether an elapsed time from a start of dehydration reaches 60% of a prescribed dehydration time or not is decided by the time deciding means 22, and in the case it reaches, it is decided that dehydration is finished at that time point and the subsequent dehydration is omitted, and the control is executed so that dehydration is finished. In the case it does not reach 60%, dehydration is suspended and the control is executed so that an unbalance correction is executed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine that controls a series of washing, rinsing, and dehydrating operations.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, washing machines that control a series of washing, rinsing, and spin-drying operations have become mainstream.

[0003] Conventionally, this type of washing machine stops the spin-drying process when it is judged that the laundry is uneven during spin-drying and it is dangerous to continue the spin-drying process, and the washing machine performs water supply, agitation, and drainage. After correcting the imbalance (hereinafter referred to as unbalance correction), control was performed such as returning to dehydration, or stopping dehydration and stopping the operation.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In such a conventional washing machine, for example, during a certain spin cycle, the laundry was not evenly distributed at the start of the spin cycle, but while the spin cycle was in progress, vibrations due to the spin rotation occurred. This may cause the laundry to be determined to be uneven. At this time, even if 80% of the spin time has been completed at that point, you may have to stop the spin to correct the imbalance, or the operation may stop, resulting in an increase in water usage or washing. There was a problem that the process did not finish.

[0005] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, and when the unbalance of the laundry is detected within a specified time after the start of spin-drying, the unbalance is corrected, but after the specified time has elapsed, the spin-drying ends at that point. The purpose is to control the amount of water used and save on water costs, laundry time, etc.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a washing/dehydration tank for storing laundry, an agitation blade for agitating the laundry, a motor as a source of power, and a a power switching mechanism for switching the rotation of the motor so that the rotation is transmitted to the rotary vane during washing and to the washing/spin-drying tank during spin-drying; a control means for controlling each process of washing, rinsing, and spin-drying; and a control means for controlling each process of washing, rinsing, and spin-drying; an eccentricity degree detector that detects the degree of eccentricity of the eccentricity detector; a dehydration continuation determination means that receives the output of the eccentricity degree detector as an input and determines whether it is dangerous to continue dehydration as it is; The control means includes a timer for measuring time, and a time determining means for inputting the output from the timer and determining whether the specified time has been reached, and the control means receives the input from the time determining means and the dehydration continuation determining means during dehydration. The solution to this problem is to control the subsequent series of operations based on the input from the controller.

[0007]

[Operation] The present invention uses the above-mentioned problem-solving means to detect the degree of eccentricity of the washing and spin-drying tub after the start of spin-drying using an eccentricity detector, and to determine whether it is dangerous to continue spin-drying using a spin-drying continuation determining means. However, if it is determined that it is dangerous to continue dehydration, the time judgment means uses the data from the timer to determine whether or not the specified time has elapsed since the start of dehydration. If this is the case, the dehydration is assumed to have been completed to a certain extent at that point and the dehydration is terminated, and if the dehydration has not yet completed, the dehydration is stopped and the imbalance is corrected.

[0008]

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in the figure, a water receiving tank 2 is provided within an outer frame 1, and a washing and dewatering tank 3 is rotatably provided within this water receiving tank 2. The power switching mechanism 4 is connected to the washing and dehydration tank 3 during dehydration.
The power of the motor 6 is switched to rotate the stirring blades 5 during washing or rinsing. Air pocket 7 generates pressure corresponding to the water level.
The pressure generated within this air pocket 7 is transmitted to the water level detection means 8 by an air hose 9. Drain valve 10 is water receiving tank 2
The liquid inside is discharged to the outside through the drain hose 11. The water supply valve 12 supplies tap water into the water receiving tank 2 . The eccentricity detector 13 detects the eccentricity of the washing and dewatering tub 3, which occurs when the laundry is lopsided during spin-drying.

Next, the input means 14 is used to set which process of washing, rinsing, and spin-drying to operate, the water level, etc., and the display means 15 displays the contents set by the input means 14, the progress of washing, etc. Inform the user. Water level detection means 8
detects the water level in the water tank 2 and generates an electric signal. Bidirectional thyristors 16 and 17 drive motor 6, bidirectional thyristor 18 drives water supply valve 12, and bidirectional thyristor 19 drives drain valve 10. The dehydration continuation determination means 20 receives the output of the eccentricity degree detector 13 and determines whether it is dangerous to continue the dehydration as it is. The timer 21 measures the elapsed time from the start of dehydration, and the time determiner 22 receives the output from the timer 21 and determines whether the specified time has been reached. The control means 23 controls each step of washing, rinsing, and dehydration, and also controls a series of subsequent operations based on the input from the time determination means 22 and the input from the dehydration continuation determination means 20 during dehydration. There is. Note that the dehydration continuation determining means 20, the clocking means 21, the time determining means 22, and the control means 23 are constituted by a microcomputer 24. In addition, 25 is a commercial power supply, 2
6 is a power switch.

In the above configuration, the operation will be explained with reference to FIG. 3. After the start of dewatering, the eccentricity detector 13 detects the eccentricity of the washing and dewatering tub 3 every half wave in synchronization with the power cycle ( Step 100). The dehydration continuation determination means 20 inputs the output of the eccentricity degree detector 13 at any time and determines whether it is dangerous to continue dehydration (step 10
1). The criterion at this time is an unbalance threshold. Here, if the input from the eccentricity detector 13 is less than the unbalance threshold, it is determined that it is dangerous to continue dehydration, and if the input is equal to or higher than the unbalance threshold,
It shall be determined that it is okay to continue dehydration. If the input from the eccentricity detector 13 is equal to or greater than the unbalance threshold, dehydration is continued (step 102).

If it is determined that it is dangerous to continue dehydration, the time determining means 22 uses the data from the time measuring means 21.
It is determined whether the elapsed time from the start of dehydration has reached 60% of the predetermined dehydration time at that time (step 103).
. If 60% of the predetermined dehydration time has been reached, it is assumed that dehydration has been completed to a certain extent at that point, and subsequent dehydration is omitted and the dehydration is terminated (step 104). If it has not reached 60%, the dehydration is stopped and the imbalance is corrected (step 105).

[0013] In the above embodiment, the judgment is made based on whether the elapsed time from the start of dehydration reaches 60% of the predetermined dehydration time at that time, but the judgment is made based on whether a certain amount of time has elapsed from the start of dehydration. Furthermore, although the completion of dehydration is determined based on whether 60% of the predetermined dehydration time has been reached, a different criterion value other than 60% may be set.

[0014]

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, the control means for controlling each process of washing, rinsing, and dehydration receives the output from the timer during dehydration and waits until the specified time is reached. input from a time determination means for determining whether the
Since the subsequent series of operations is controlled based on the output of the eccentricity detector and the input from the dehydration continuation determination means that determines whether it is dangerous to continue dehydration as it is, the dehydration can be started. It is now possible to perform control such as correcting the unbalance of the laundry before a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, and ending spin-drying at that point after the predetermined time has elapsed.
You can save on water bills and laundry time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2
】Cross-sectional view of the washing machine

[Figure 3] Flowchart of main parts of the washing machine

[Explanation of symbols]

3. Washing and dehydration tank 4 Power switching mechanism 5 Stirring blade 6 Motor 13 Eccentricity detector 20 Continuation of dehydration determination means 21 Timekeeping means 22 Time determination means 23 Control means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A washing and dewatering tank in which laundry is placed, an agitation blade that agitates the laundry, a motor as a power generation source, and a washing and dewatering tank that controls the rotation of the motor to the rotary blade during washing and dewatering. a power switching mechanism that switches the power to be transmitted to the spin-drying tank; a control means that controls the washing, rinsing, and spin-drying steps; an eccentricity detector that detects the degree of eccentricity of the washing and spin-drying tank during spin-drying; a dehydration continuation determining means that uses the output of the detector as input to determine whether it is dangerous to continue dehydration as it is, a timer that measures the elapsed time from the start of dehydration, and an output from the timer that uses the output from the timer as input. and a time determining means for determining whether a specified time has been reached, and the control means controls a series of subsequent operations during dehydration based on the input from the time determining means and the input from the dehydration continuation determining means. This is how a washing machine works.