JPH0523192Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a fully automatic washing machine having a scheduled operation function.

(Prior Art) Recently, in fully automatic washing machines, if the end time of a programmed operation is set to a desired time in advance, a calculation is performed based on the end time and the required time of the programmed operation, and the start time of the programmed operation is calculated. There are products on the market that have a scheduled operation function that automatically starts programmed operation when the start time is reached and ends the operation at the end time.

Figures 8 and 9 for this type of fully automatic washing machine
To explain in more detail according to the diagram, a fully automatic washing machine, as shown in Figure 8, has a washing execution means that automatically executes each process such as washing, rinsing, and dehydration in sequence according to a predetermined program, and a program operation. a reservation means for arbitrarily setting the end time of the program; a calculation means for calculating the start time of the program operation based on the reservation end time set by the reservation means and the required time of the program operation; and an operation start means for determining that the washing execution means starts a programmed operation when the washing execution means has reached the specified time. Then, when the reservation end time T ₁ is set and the start key is turned on, the operation starts by subtracting the required time T ₂ and correction time T ₃ for the programmed operation from the reservation end time T ₁ , as shown in Fig. 9. A start time T is determined, and when the start time T is reached, the program operation is started. By the way, if the water supply or drainage conditions are poor, the water supply time or drainage time may be longer than the water supply time or drainage time included in the required time T ₂ in advance, and in such cases, the actual time required for program operation may be longer than the time required for program operation. Although the time will be longer than the preset required time, by providing a correction time T ₃ (for example, 5 minutes), the program operation will be performed for a certain period of time (correction time T ₃ ) before the reservation end time T ₁ .
It is designed to be terminated within the same period. That is, the program operation is completed within a certain period of time before the reservation end time _T1 , regardless of water supply conditions and drainage conditions.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In ordinary households, leftover bath water is often used for washing clothes, and if the above-mentioned fully automatic washing machine is operated with the washing tub filled with leftover bath water, the programmed operation will not end within a certain time before the scheduled end time _T1 , resulting in an undesirable situation in which the operation ends before this. That is, when the programmed operation starts, water is normally supplied in the washing process, but in the above case, since the tub is already full of water, water is not supplied and the motor is immediately driven to start the washing operation. On the other hand, the required time _T2 for the programmed operation already includes the water supply time in the washing process, so in the above case, the actual time required for the programmed operation is shorter than the required time _T2 by the water supply time, and the programmed operation ends before the scheduled time (a certain time before the scheduled end time _T1 ).

However, the present invention corrects the start time of the program operation depending on the presence or absence of water in the washing tub.
This prevents variations in the end time of the program operation due to the presence or absence of water, and eliminates the inconvenience caused by using leftover hot water in the bath.

(Means for Solving the Problem) In a washing machine having the means shown in Fig. 1, before setting an operation program by the reservation means, water enters the washing tub up to the water level detected by the water detection means. When the water is on, the calculation means detects the presence of water using the output signal of the water detection means, sets the operation time later by the time required for water supply, and finishes the selection at the same time as when there is no water.

(Function) When a reserved operation is set with the washing tub filled with remaining bath water, the start time is set later by the water supply time than when there is no water in the washing tub. Therefore, the inconvenience that the end time of the program operation varies depending on the presence or absence of water in the washing tub is eliminated.

(Embodiment) The embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 will be described in detail below.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of a fully automatic washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is an electronic control circuit that can automatically execute from the washing process to the final dehydration process, and basically includes an electronic timer 2 and a processing unit (CPU) as well known in the art.
3, clock control circuit 4, memory 5,
It is composed of an input buffer control circuit 6 and an out buffer control circuit 7.

A indicates an external input section of the electronic control circuit 1. In this external input section A, 8 is a power switch that supplies power to the entire device, 9 is a lid switch that detects opening/closing of the lid, and 10 is a switch for the washing and dehydrating tank. 11 is a safety switch that detects abnormal vibrations, 11 is a water level switch that sets the water level in three stages of "high,""medium," and "low," and detects when the water level in the tank has reached the set water level; 12 is a group of key switches; Reference numeral 18 denotes a water flow switch that is linked to the water level setting operation of the water level switch 11, closes a contact point corresponding to the set water level, and determines the strength of the water flow.

B indicates an external output section of the electronic control circuit 1. In this external output section B, 13 is a drain valve, 14 is a water supply valve that controls water supply into the tank, and 15 is a valve that rotates a pulsator during the washing and rinsing processes. A washing/drying motor generates water flow, 16 is a display, and 17 is a buzzer. Each part of the external output section B is controlled to be energized by a switching element such as a thyristor.

The CPU 3 reads the status of each part in the external input section A via the input buffer control circuit 6, and also reads process data from the memory 5 to perform processes such as washing (including water supply), draining, rinsing, and dehydration. The out-buffer control circuit 7 determines the process and controls each part of the external output section B necessary for executing the process by giving a signal to the switching element from the out-buffer control circuit 7. The process transition is controlled by the CPU 3 and the electronic timer 2. It is done collaboratively.

Next, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the main parts of the operation panel section. In the figure, 19 is a time display section that displays the current time, the required program time, etc., 20 is an hour key switch, 21 is a minute key switch, 22 is a reservation key switch, and 23 is a clock key switch.
Included in 2.

Control in the above configuration will be explained. The clock function section is always energized, and the current time is displayed on the time display section 19.
In addition, to set the current time, use the clock key switch 23.
This is done by turning on the hour key switch 20 and minute key switch 21.

Fig. 4 is a flowchart for determining the start of operation, and Fig. 5 is a flowchart for displaying and informing. When the power switch 8 is turned on now, the standard program as shown in Fig. 6 is reset, and the current time is displayed in the time display section 19. Instead of the time, the required time for standard program operation, ``38 minutes'', is displayed. Incidentally, the required time is the time obtained by adding the water supply time to the process execution time shown in FIG.
In this state, if another program is selected using the program selection key switch in the key switch group 12, the required operating time will be displayed.

For example, if you want to end the standard program operation at 6:30 a.m. the next day, first turn on the reservation key switch 22, and then the time display section 19 will appear.
will switch from displaying the required time to displaying the reserved time.
Displays “0:00 AM”. However, while turning on the reservation key switch 22, the time key switch 20
Operate the and minute key switch 21 to set the desired end time, ``6:30 a.m.,'' and then turn on the start key switch. Then, the reservation end time is memorized and the reservation is completed, while the time display section 1
9 displays the current time again, for example, if it is 10 p.m., "10:00 p.m." is displayed again. Then, the CPU 3 detects the presence or absence of water in the washing tub using the water level switch 11.

First, the case where there is no water in the washing tub will be described. When the water level switch 11 determines that there is no water, the CPU 3 determines the reservation end time _T1 , the time required for program operation _T2 , and a correction time _T3 (for example, 5 minutes) determined in consideration of circumstances such as tap water pressure. Calculate the driving start time T. The calculation is T=T ₁
-T ₂ -T ₃ In the above example, the driving start time T is 43 minutes before the reservation end time, that is, 5:47 am.

However, when the time reaches 5:47 a.m., the CPU
3 determines the start of operation and starts the standard program operation, and also switches the display on the time display section 19 from the current time to the remaining time of the program operation, and displays 38 minutes. When the standard program operation is started, the washing process to the final dehydration process is automatically executed sequentially as shown in Figure 6, while the time display section 1
9. The remaining time display will also count down, and if the tap water pressure and drainage conditions are in the expected state, the operation start time T (5:47 a.m.) will be counted down.
T ₂ hours (38 minutes) after T ₄ (6:25 a.m.)
When the program operation ends in 1 minute), the remaining time becomes zero.

Now, if the water supply situation is bad and the water pressure is low, it will take longer than necessary to supply water, and it will take longer than T ₂ hours from the start of the washing process to the end of the final dehydration process, but please be aware of this in advance. Taking these circumstances into consideration, we have set T ₃ hours so that reservations can be completed by the reservation end time T ₁ , so the reservation end time T ₁
There is no inconvenience caused by the program operation being continued. In addition, in such a case, in order to prevent a discrepancy between the zero display of the remaining time and the end of the program operation, the actual progress of the program is determined at several points during the program and the remaining time display is corrected and controlled. It is.

Then, when it is determined that the program operation has ended,
The buzzer 17 is sounded to notify the end, and the time display section 19 again displays the required time T ₂ for the standard program operation. Here, the reason for displaying the required time _T2 again is to prompt the user to turn off the power switch 8. When the power switch 8 is turned off, the required time display is switched to the current time display.

The above-described control ensures that the program operation ends before the scheduled end time, and the laundry can be taken out and hung to dry at the scheduled time.

Next, a case will be described in which a reservation is made in which the inside of the washing tub is filled with hot water left over from the bath. When the CPU 3 detects the presence of water using the water level switch 11, the CPU 3 determines the reservation end time T ₁ , the required time T ₂ for program operation, the correction time T ₃ , and the water supply time T ₅ (for example _, 2 (minute 30 seconds) to calculate the operation start time T'. The operation is T′=
This is done using the formula _T1 - _T2 - _T3 + _T5 , and in the above example, the driving start time T' is 5:49:30 am. Therefore, the time is 5:00 a.m., which is the start time of operation.
At 49 minutes and 30 seconds, programmed operation will start.
At this time, the water supply operation in the washing process is omitted and the motor 15 is immediately driven to perform the washing operation, but since the start time T' is delayed by the water supply time mentioned above, the program operation is the same as in the case without water. It will end at time T ₄ (6:25 a.m.).

(Effects of the invention) As described above, according to the invention, it is possible to prevent variations in the end time of the program operation due to the presence or absence of water in the washing tub, and it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience caused by the use of leftover hot water in the bath.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention;
The figure is a block diagram showing the control circuit of a fully automatic washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the operation panel section of the same, FIG. 4 is a flowchart for determining the start of operation of the same, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the standard program as above, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between reservation end time, driving start time, etc. as above, FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the conventional configuration, FIG. 9 is a flowchart for determining the start of operation.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a water detection means for detecting the water level in the washing tub; a washing execution means for automatically sequentially carrying out each process such as washing, rinsing, and spin-drying based on a predetermined program;
a reservation means for arbitrarily setting the end time of the program; a calculation means for calculating the start time of the program based on the end time set by the reservation means and the required operating time of the program; and a time calculated by the calculation means. In the fully automatic washing machine, the washing machine is equipped with an operation start means for determining that the washing execution means has reached the washing time and starting a program operation by the washing execution means, in which the water is prefilled in the washing tub before the operation program is set by the reservation means. When the water has reached the water level detected by the detection means, the calculation means detects the presence of water using the output signal of the water detection means, and sets the operation start time later by the time required for water supply;
A fully automatic washing machine characterized by finishing washing at the same time as when washing without water.