JPH05177084A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save water and improve washing effect. CONSTITUTION:A DC motor 14 is used for the motor rotating a pulsator, the rotation signal from the inside of the DC motor 14 is converted into the rotating speed by a main body side controller 3 at the initial stage of the washing operation, the load torque is calculated by a microcomputer 6 in the controller 3 from the rotating speed and the duty ratio, and the microcomputer 6 judges the fabric capacity based on the magnitude of the torque and feeds the water quantity suitable for the fabric capacity. These detection actions are performed several times, thus a series of operation actions of washing, rinsing, and dehydrating are performed with the minimum water quantity required.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine having a built-in micro computer (hereinafter referred to as "microcomputer"). The above series of driving operations is performed while saving the amount of water used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional washing machine, a magnet is attached to a pulsator pulley and a reed switch is used to detect the magnetic force each time the pulsator rotates, thereby reading the number of rotations of the motor. In addition, as a method of sensing cloth volume, a certain amount of water is supplied and the pulsator is rotated in forward and reverse directions in a fairly short time.If the cloth volume is large, the load is high and the rotation speed is low, If it is small, the load will be small and the rotation speed will be high.

In this way, the cloth capacity is judged by the difference in the number of rotations due to the load, and a series of operation operations from washing to dehydration are performed.

[0004]

In the conventional microcomputer type washing machine, as a means for detecting the cloth capacity, the change in the pulsator rotation speed due to the magnitude of the load is read by the lead switch or the control circuit necessary for the rotation detection. Since it was judged based on such factors as the above, a separate component was required for detecting the cloth capacity, which was expensive.

In addition, when the amount of water suitable for the amount of cloth is supplied after detecting the amount of cloth, the amount of water may vary, and when a large amount of water is supplied, it is a waste of water and when a small amount of water is supplied. May affect the cleaning effect.

In view of the above, the present invention conserves water,
The purpose of the washing machine is to provide a large washing effect.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a DC motor 14 is used as a motor for rotating a pulsator, and the DC motor 14 is not used at the beginning of washing operation without using a reed switch, a rotation detection control circuit or the like. The rotation signal from the inside of the main body side control unit 3 is converted into the number of rotations, the load torque is calculated by the microcomputer in the control unit from the number of rotations and the duty ratio, and the cloth volume is determined in the microcomputer by the magnitude of the torque. Supply the appropriate amount of water for the cloth volume.

By performing these detection operations several times, a series of operation operations of washing, rinsing, and dehydration are performed with the minimum required amount of water.

[0009]

In order to carry out the cloth capacity detection which is one step of the washing operation in the above means for solving the problems, a certain amount of water is put in the water tank containing the laundry, and the motor rotation signal is sent to the main body control section 3 at the beginning of the washing operation. Is read and converted into rotation speed, and the load torque is calculated from this rotation speed and duty ratio.

Then, by comparing the data of the load torque and the cloth capacity programmed in the microcomputer,
The cloth volume is selected, the appropriate amount of water is supplied, and the washing operation is performed according to the cloth volume.

Further, by carrying out the control several times, the amount of water is finely adjusted even during the washing operation to adjust the amount of water to an optimum amount, preventing excessive filling of water, saving water and improving the washing effect. It also leads to stabilization.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1A is a block diagram of a microcomputer type washing machine of the present invention, and B is a functional block diagram of a control unit. The AC power supplied from the household outlet is rectified by the rectifier circuit 1 and transformed into a voltage suitable for each circuit by the constant voltage circuit 2 and supplied to the control unit 3. Then, the user operates the operation unit 4, which is one circuit of the control unit 3, to set washing, rinsing, dehydration operation, or continuous operation from washing to dehydration, and to perform an operation operation according to each operation mode. By controlling the load control circuit 7, the microcomputer 6 controls the water supply valve 9, the water level sensor 10, and the other load unit 11.
To control the operation.

Further, the microcomputer 6 controls the drive circuit 12, operates the driver unit 13 and rotates the DC brushless motor (hereinafter referred to as the DC motor 14) to rotate the pulsator and dehydration tank suitable for each operation mode. Take control.

The microcomputer 6 has the following means in order to detect the cloth volume and operate with the optimum amount of water. That is, the microcomputer 6 stores a duty ratio storage means 16 for storing the duty ratio applied to the DC motor 14, a rotation speed detecting means 17 for detecting the rotation speed of the DC motor during a washing operation, and the rotation speed detecting means 17 Load torque calculating means 18 for calculating the load torque from the detection result of the load torque and the duty ratio, and the cloth capacity judging means 19 for judging the cloth capacity based on the calculation result of the load torque calculating means 18.
And a water supply amount control means 20 for controlling the water supply amount based on the determination result of the cloth capacity determination means 19. Then, these controls are performed a plurality of times during the washing operation.

The load control circuit 7 and other load section 11
Since this is not directly related to the present invention, its description is omitted.

The operation of the washing machine having the above structure will be described with reference to FIG. 3. If the user selects the washing operation or the operation including the washing operation mode from the operation unit 4 and the operation is started. A command is sent from the microcomputer 6 to the load control circuit 7, and the water supply valve 9 operates to supply water to the water tank.

At this time, the amount of water supplied to the water tank is constantly input to the microcomputer 6 through the load control circuit 5 by the water level sensor 10, and the microcomputer 6 measures the supplied amount of water.

Then, when water is supplied to a certain amount of water in order to detect the cloth volume, the microcomputer 6 controls the drive circuit 12, operates the driver unit 13, and rotates the DC motor 14. As a result, the pulsator rotates via the mechanical parts such as the motor pulley and the belt.

At this time, the rotation signal output from the inside of the DC motor 14 is input to the microcomputer 6 through the load control circuit 5, and the rotation speed of the DC motor 14 in the microcomputer 6 is detected by the rotation speed detecting means 17. Is calculated. The load torque calculation means 18 calculates the load torque from the duty ratio (duty ratio) that rotates the DC motor 14 and the motor rotation speed. Since the motor rotation speed and the load torque are inversely proportional to each other as shown in FIG. 2, the load torque can be easily calculated if the motor rotation speed is known.

From this load torque, the cloth capacity judgment means 19 compares the cloth capacity with the load torque programmed in the microcomputer 6 to determine the cloth capacity. After detecting the cloth volume, the microcomputer 6 determines whether the water volume is suitable for the cloth volume by using the water level sensor 10. If the water volume is appropriate, the microcomputer 6 performs the original operation of the washing operation, and if the water volume is insufficient,
The water supply valve 9 is operated by the water supply amount control means 20 to supply an appropriate amount of water, and if it is determined to be an appropriate amount, then the original operation of the washing operation is performed.

The cloth capacity can be detected even during the washing operation, and the load torque is calculated from the rotation speed of the DC motor 14 and the duty ratio in the microcomputer 6 in the same manner as the control contents described above, and the microcomputer 6 is operated. Inside, the load torque with respect to the cloth capacity is compared and calculated to judge the cloth capacity. afterwards,
Judge whether the amount of water for the cloth capacity is appropriate, and if so, continue the washing operation as it is.

From the above, by applying the rotation control of the DC motor 14 and calculating the cloth capacity by the microcomputer 6 in the control unit, the lead switch, the rotation detection control circuit, etc. can be provided as in the conventional control method. The cloth volume can be detected on the program of the microcomputer 6 without the need to provide it.

Since the cloth volume can be detected even during washing, the cloth volume can be finely detected and the amount of water used can be saved by performing detection several times as compared with the conventional detection method. You can do it.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and it goes without saying that many modifications and changes can be made to the above embodiment within the scope of the present invention.

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, as compared with the conventional microcomputer type washing machine, in the cloth capacity detection at the initial stage of the washing operation, it is possible to use the lead switch, the detection circuit, etc. The cloth volume can be detected by applying the program of the microcomputer of the control unit from the normal washing operation of the pulsator.

Further, since the cloth volume can be detected even during the washing operation, it is possible to adjust the amount of water suitable for the cloth volume, and in consideration of the washing and rinsing operations in general, water can be saved. If you can do it, you will have an excellent effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a block circuit diagram showing the basic configuration of the present invention,
B is a functional block diagram in the control unit

FIG. 2 is a basic load data comparison graph showing the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a control operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 control section 16 duty ratio storage means 17 rotational speed detection means 18 load torque calculation means 19 cloth capacity determination means 20 water supply amount control means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A direct current motor for rotationally driving a pulsator and a washing / dehydrating tub, and a control unit for rotationally controlling the direct current motor at a desired duty ratio, wherein the control unit controls the duty ratio applied to the direct current motor. A duty ratio storage means for storing, a rotation speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the DC motor during a washing operation, a load torque calculation means for calculating a load torque from the detection result by the rotation speed detection means, and the duty ratio. And a cloth volume determination means for determining the cloth volume based on the calculation result of the load torque calculation means, and a water supply amount control means for controlling the water supply amount based on the determination result of the cloth capacity determination means. A washing machine characterized by. 2. A washing machine, wherein the control by the water supply amount control means according to claim 1 is performed a plurality of times during a washing operation.