JPH05168789A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To correctly set the feed water level by manually resetting the water level according to the display of the optimum water level by a set water level display means when the set water level by a manual water level setting means differs from the optimum water level matched with the laundry quantity. CONSTITUTION:A control device 22 receives the action setting from a key input section 41 and judges whether the feed water level is manually set by a water level key 24 or not. When the control device 22 judges that the water level is manually set, it displays the set content including the set water level on a display section 43, then it detects the laundry quantity. When the control device 22 judges that the water level manually set by the water level key 24 is not matched with the optimum water level, it rings a buzzer 42 and displays the optimum water level on the display section 43. A user manually resets the water level accordingly, thus the feed water level can be correctly set.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine in which the water supply level can be manually set.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a washing machine, a washing machine in which a water supply level can be manually set is provided.

[0003]

However, when the water supply level is set manually, there are many mistakes. For example, the user may fear that the water supply level is too low to wash sufficiently and set the water supply level higher than necessary. Sometimes it was a waste of water and detergent. On the other hand, the user may set the water supply level much lower than the required water level because he thinks about saving water, and in this case, the laundry cannot be washed sufficiently and the trouble of rewashing occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and therefore an object thereof is to provide a washing machine which allows a user to manually set the water supply water level as accurately as possible.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in the washing machine of the present invention, a manual water level setting means for manually setting the water level and a set water level display for displaying the set water level. And a means for detecting the amount of laundry, and an optimum water level suitable for the amount of laundry is selected from the detection results of the laundry amount detecting means, and the result is compared with the set water level by the manual water level setting means. The control means for controlling the set water level display means to display the optimum water level when it is determined that the set water level by the manual water level setting means is different from the optimum water level.

[0006]

According to the above means, when the water level set by the manual water level setting means is different from the optimum water level suitable for the amount of laundry, the manual water level is set again according to the display of the optimum water level by the set water level display means. Water level can be set.

[0007]

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 is suspended and arranged by an elastic suspension mechanism 3. More specifically, although only one elastic suspension mechanism 3 is shown, a plurality of elastic suspension mechanisms 4, for example, four suspension rods 4, and the suspension rods 4 are respectively mounted on the suspension rods 4 so as to receive the load of the outer tub 2. It consists of a spring 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, spring receivers 6 are provided below the springs 5 so as to be slidable along the suspension rods 4, and electrodes 7 are provided on the lower surface of the spring receivers 6, Further, an electrode 9 is provided on the upper surface of the collar portion 8 at the lower end of the hanging rod 4 below that, and these are separated by a plurality of small springs 10 interposed between the spring receiver 6 and the collar portion 8 so as to face each other. The weight sensor 11 functions as a laundry amount detecting means.

Inside the outer tub 2, an inner tub 13 having a large number of dehydration holes 12 on the peripheral side is arranged, and inside the inner tub 13, a stirring member 14 is arranged at the lower part. In addition, a drive mechanism 16 having a motor 15 as a main component is arranged mainly in the outer lower portion of the outer tub 2 so that the inner tub 13 can be washed and rinsed.
The stirring tank 14 is stopped to rotate the stirring body 14, and the inner tank 13 is rotated during dehydration.
Is rotated together with the stirring body 14. In addition, inside the outer tub 2 (inside the inner tub 13) is located below the outer tub 2.
A drain valve 17 and a drain hose 18 for discharging the above water to the outside of the machine are also provided.

On the other hand, a top cover 19 is mounted on the outer box 1, and the inner portion of the inner tank 13 (in the outer tank 2) is located inward of the rear portion of the top cover 19.
A water supply valve 20 for supplying water to the outer tank 2 is provided.
A water level sensor 21 for detecting the water level inside (inside the inner tank 13) is arranged, a control device 22 as a control means is arranged inside the front part, and an operation panel 23 is provided on the upper surface of the front part above it. ing.

The operation panel 23 has a "water level" key 24, which is a manual water level setting means, and a "high", which is a set water level display means, as shown in FIG.
It has LEDs 25 to 29 for displaying the water levels of "medium", "low", "small amount" and "extremely small", in addition to that, a "select" key 30 for selecting the execution process, each selected process. Display 31-34, LED3 for displaying "reservation"
5, LED 36 for displaying "remaining", LED 37 for displaying "am", LED 38 for displaying "pm", digital display 39 for displaying current time, reserved time and remaining time of each process, "start / temp" It has a "stop" key 40 and the like.

Further, the control device 22 is composed of a microcomputer, and as shown in FIG. 5, various operations including the "water level" key 24, the "select" key 30 and the "start / pause" key 40. An operation signal is input from the key input unit 41 including a key, a weight detection signal is input from the weight sensor 11, and a water level detection signal is input from the water level sensor 21. Also, based on a control program stored in advance, an alarm device such as a buzzer 42, the water level display LEDs 25 to 29, the stroke display 31 to 34, and other various display LEDs 35, 36, 37, 38, a digital display 39, etc. A drive circuit 44 for driving the display unit 43 composed of, a motor 15 of the drive mechanism 16, a water supply valve 20 and a drain valve 17 It adapted to provide a respective drive control signal to the drive circuit 45 for driving the.

Therefore, the control contents of the control device 22 will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 22 first receives an operation setting from the key input unit 41 when the operation is started (step S1), and then the setting of the water supply water level is performed by the "water level" key. It is determined by 24 whether or not it has been done manually (step S2).
Here, if it is determined that the setting of the water supply water level is performed manually, the display of the setting contents including the display of the setting water level is displayed on the display unit 43 (step S3), and then the laundry amount is detected (step S4). ).

In the case of this construction, the amount of laundry is detected by the weight sensor 11, and the weight sensor 1
1 is that when the laundry is put into the inner tub 13, the weight of the laundry causes the spring receiver 6 to descend via the spring 5 of the elastic suspension mechanism 3, whereby the distance between the electrode 7 and the electrode 9 changes. The capacitance between the electrodes 7 and 9 changes to generate a corresponding output signal. The output signal differs depending on the amount (weight) of the laundry, and thus the laundry amount is detected.

After detecting the amount of laundry as described above, the control device 22 determines the optimum water level suitable for the amount of laundry as "high", "medium", "low", "small amount" and "minimum amount". "
(Step S5), and then it is judged whether or not the water level manually set by the "water level" key 24 matches the selected optimum water level (step S6). And there, the "water level" before the optimum water level
If it is determined by the key 24 that the manually set water level does not match, the buzzer 42 is activated and the display section 43 displays the optimum water level (steps S7, S).
8).

FIG. 4 shows one of the states, and the LE of "medium" is set by manually setting "medium".
When D26 is continuously lit, the optimum water level of "high" is selected based on the detection result of the amount of laundry, so "high" L
The ED 25 blinks, thereby indicating that the "high" water level is optimum, and prompting the user to change the setting to the "high" water level.

Then, the next setting is accepted (step S9).
Then, it is judged whether or not the water level setting is changed (step S10), and if it is judged that the water level setting is changed, the display is changed to the set one (in the above case, " Turn off the LED 26 of "Middle", and "High"
The LED 25 of is continuously lit) (step S11), and then it is determined whether the start key 40 has been operated (step S12). When it is determined that the start key 40 has been operated, the water supply is next performed. The valve 20 is opened to supply water up to the set water level (in this case, the changed water level) (step S13), and then the stirring mechanism 14 is rotated by the drive mechanism 16 to wash (step S).
14) Then, proceed to the next step.

If it is determined in the previous step S10 that the water level setting has not been changed, then step S12 is performed.
Next, in step S13, water is supplied up to the first manually set water level.

If it is determined in step S6 that the manually set water level matches the selected optimum water level, then the process proceeds to step S12 and the next step S12.
In 13 as well, water is supplied up to the manually set water level.

Further, if it is determined in step S2 that the water supply level has not been manually set, then the laundry amount is detected in the same manner as in step S4 (step S15), and then the detection result is obtained. After automatically setting the required water level based on the display (step S16) and displaying the setting contents on the display unit 43 (step S16), the process proceeds to step S12, and in the next step S13, in this case,
Water is supplied up to the automatically set water level.

As described above, in this structure, the optimum water level suitable for the laundry amount is selected based on the detection result of the laundry amount, and when it is determined that the manually set water level is not suitable, the optimum display portion 43 is displayed. Since the water level is displayed to prompt the user to change the water level setting to the optimum water level, the user can set the water level accurately by manually resetting the water level accordingly. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the wasteful use of water and detergent due to the manual setting of the water supply level higher than necessary, and the lack of washing (rewash) due to the manual setting of the water supply level to a level considerably lower than the required water level. Problems can be prevented as much as possible.

As the laundry amount detecting means, other than the above-mentioned weight sensor, for example, a load amount sensor or the like for detecting the load amount applied to the motor 15 when the laundry is stirred at the minimum water level may be used.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, and in particular, the presence or absence of a function for automatically setting the water level is appropriately modified within the scope not departing from the gist. Can be carried out.

[0025]

As is clear from the above description, the washing machine of the present invention comprises the manual water level setting means for manually setting the water level to be supplied and the set water level display means for displaying the set water level. In addition, the laundry amount detecting means for detecting the laundry amount and the optimum water level suitable for the laundry amount are selected from the detection results by the laundry amount detecting means, and compared with the set water level by the manual water level setting means, and the manual water level is set by the result. It is characterized by having a control means for controlling the set water level display means to display the optimum water level when it is determined that the set water level by the means is different from the optimum water level. It is possible to manually set the water supply level as accurately as possible, prevent waste of water and detergent as much as possible, and prevent the problem of insufficient washing as much as possible. Achieve the effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Overall vertical side view

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the laundry amount detecting means.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the manual water level setting means and the set water level display means.

FIG. 5 is a schematic electrical configuration diagram.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 is a weight sensor (laundry amount detecting means), 22 is a control device (control means), 24 is a "water level" key (manual water level setting means), and 25-29 are LEDs (set water level display means).
Indicates.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A laundry amount detecting means for detecting the laundry amount, and a manual water level setting means for manually setting the water level and a set water level display means for displaying the set water level. When the optimum water level that matches the amount of laundry is selected from the detection results by the quantity detection means and compared with the set water level by the manual water level setting means, and it is determined that the set water level by the manual water level setting means is different from the optimum water level A washing machine characterized by comprising control means for controlling the set water level display means to display the optimum water level.