JPH0544316B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a washing process, a dehydration process, a rinsing process,
The present invention relates to a fully automatic washing machine that can automatically carry out each process, including a dewatering process, sequentially and automatically, and particularly relates to a method of operating a fully automatic washing machine that reduces vibrations when starting the dewatering process.

[Background of the invention]

This type of washing machine has the problem that vibrations during spin-drying tend to be louder than so-called two-tub type washing machines that have a dedicated spin-drying layer. The invention described in JP-A-55-14065 promptly stops the dewatering operation when abnormal vibrations are detected during the dewatering process, but does not mention how to reduce the generated vibrations.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention addresses the above-mentioned problems and is an operating method that allows the dewatering process to proceed with as little deviation of the fabric as possible, which is the cause of unbalanced vibrations during dewatering, and thereby makes it difficult for abnormal vibrations to occur during dewatering. Our goal is to provide the following.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention is equipped with a sensor that detects vibrations in the water tank that occur during the washing or rinsing process, detects when the output of this sensor continues to be low near the end of the washing process, stops the operation of the stirring blades, and then drains the water. This is characterized by shifting to the operation of the dehydration process.

In areas where the sensor output continues to be low, the cloth is evenly placed around the stirring blades, so if the cloth moves directly to the dewatering process, there will be less imbalance during dewatering, and large vibrations will be less likely to occur. .

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a washing machine in vertical cross section, and numeral 1 indicates the outer frame. Support legs 2 are provided at the bottom of the outer frame 1. The top cover 3 is attached to the upper part of the outer frame 1 so as to cover the outer frame 1. A lid 5 that covers the laundry inlet 4 of the top cover 3
is provided. A control circuit 6 is provided in the panel portion of the top cover 3. A switch section 7 for manufacturing this control circuit 6 and an external display are provided on the surface of the panel section.

A water tank 8 is placed inside the outer frame 1. This water tank 8 is for storing washing water. A drive section 10 consisting of a motor 9, a clutch, a transmission, a brake, etc. is provided at the bottom of the water tank 8. A belt 13 is installed between the motor-side pulley 11 and the drive section pulley 12, and the rotation of the motor 9 is transmitted to the drive section 10. A stirring blade 14 and a washing and dehydrating tank 15 are attached to a rotating shaft that projects upward from the drive unit 10. The washing right dehydration tank 15 is placed inside the water tank 8 and rotates in one direction during dewatering. Stirring blade 1
4 is placed in a washing and dehydrating tank 15, and rotates forward and reverse in short cycles during washing. During dewatering, the stirring blades 14 rotate together with the washing and dehydrating tank 15.

The washing and dehydration tank 15 has a balance ring 16 on the top.
In addition, a dehydration hole 17 is formed in the tank wall.

A water tank 8 having a washing and dewatering tank 15, an agitating blade 14, a motor 9 and a moving part 10 is elastically suspended from the outer frame 1. That is, vibration-proof springs 19 are attached to four hanging rods 18 suspended from the squares of the outer frame.
The aquarium 8 is supported through. Reference numeral 20 denotes an amplitude detection sensor for detecting vibration, and is provided inside the upper part of the outer frame 1 so as to face the outer periphery of the water tank 8. The tip of the operating rod 21 of this sensor 20 faces the outer periphery of the water tank 8 with a cap.

The above is an overview of the washing machine. Next, the configuration of the control circuit according to the main part of the present invention will be explained based on FIG. 2.

The processing circuit 22 forms the main part of the control circuit, and is configured using a microcomputer or the like. A power supply circuit 23 , a comparison circuit 24 , a selection circuit 25 , a display circuit 26 , and a drive circuit 27 are connected to the processing circuit 22 . The detection circuit 28 is connected to the comparison circuit 24 and also to the sensor 20 for amplitude detection. water supply magnet 29,
The motor 9 and the drainage magnet 30 are connected to the drive circuit 2.
7 and the power supply.

Note that the sensor 20 uses, for example, a differential transformer, a magnetoresistive element, an optical element, or the like. The output of this sensor 20 is linear with respect to the movement of the operating rod 21, as shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG.
It outputs an output according to the displacement of.

FIG. 4 to FIG. 7 show the output of the sensor when the washing machine is in operation. The driving operation will be explained based on these figures. First, in FIG. 4, a large output tends to be produced at the beginning of washing. This is because it is relatively easy for the laundry to be stirred by the stirring blades 14 until it is blended. As the washing process progresses, the laundry becomes familiar with the washing/dehydration tank 15
The vibration tends to decrease as the laundry becomes more evenly distributed within the container. Sometimes it becomes uneven and vibrates greatly, but it returns to small vibrations in a short time. This is how the washing process ends.
Near the end of this process, the washing operation is stopped when low vibration continues as shown in FIG. 4A. Continuing low vibration during the washing process means that the laundry is not lopsided, so there is no possibility that a large imbalance will occur if the agitation is stopped in this state, the washing water is drained, and the washing/dehydration tank 15 is started. few.
Therefore, vibration during dehydration is reduced. Note that the output amplitude in FIG.
This is when the motor rotates forward and reverse in a short period of less than a second.
The normal and reverse period of the stirring blade 14 does not match the vibration period of the sensor output, but this is because the water tank 8 is elastically supported by the hanging rod 18, so the vibration period of the water tank 8 does not match the normal rotation period of the stirring blade 14. It is longer than the reversal period.

Now, as the washing and dehydrating tank 15 rotates for dewatering, an output from the sensor 20 as shown in FIG. 5 is produced.
The reason why the output decreases as the rotation progresses is because the weight of the laundry decreases due to dehydration, and the vibration amplitude decreases.

If dehydration starts for some reason and a large output as shown in B in Figure 6 is produced, the vibration will be large and dangerous. At this time, the operation of the motor 9 is immediately stopped. Fill the washing and spinner tank again with water,
Turn the agitation blade 14 to drain the water at point A in Figure 4, and restart the dewatering operation.

FIG. 7 shows the output when the lid 5 is opened during dewatering, and the structure is such that when the lid 5 is opened, the operating rod 21 is moved and output B is output. The operation of the motor 9 is immediately stopped.

In FIG. 4, point A is detected when the output of the vibration sensor 20 is passed through the comparison circuit 24 to the processing circuit 2.
2, a reference value is given to the comparator circuit 24 in advance, and the time period during which the output of the sensor 20 continues to be smaller than the reference value is measured.
If this time exceeds a predetermined time, stirring is stopped. Such processing can be performed extremely easily with a microcomputer. That is, the number of times is greater than or equal to the number calculated from the period at which the output of the comparison circuit 24 is taken into the processing circuit and the predetermined time,
It may be determined that the above-mentioned condition is satisfied when the output of the comparator circuit continues to be at a low level.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the washing process is completed with less unevenness of the laundry, so that abnormal vibrations are less likely to occur during the next spin-drying process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart summarizing all the steps of a fully automatic washing machine employing the present invention. The vertical flow on the left shows an example of smooth progress from the washing process to the drainage and dehydration processes. The vertical flow on the right side connected by the broken line shows the response when abnormal vibration occurs during dewatering.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The present invention is equipped with a sensor that detects vibrations in the water tank that occur during the washing or rinsing process, detects when the output of the sensor continues to be low near the end of the washing process, stops the operation of the stirring blade, and then drains the water and dehydrates the water. Since the process is operated, the cloth is evenly placed around the stirring blades when dewatering starts, making it difficult for excessive vibrations due to unbalance to occur during dewatering.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the entire washing machine, Fig. 2 is a control circuit diagram, and Fig. 3 is a graph of the output of a sensor that detects amplitude. , Figure 4 is a graph of sensor output during the washing process, Figure 5 is a graph of sensor output during dehydration, Figure 6 is a graph of sensor output when dehydration is performed with unevenness, and Figure 7 is a graph of sensor output during dehydration. The figure is a graph of the output of the sensor when the lid is opened during dehydration, and Figure 8 is a flowchart of the entire process of the washing machine. 8...Water tank, 9...Motor, 15...Washing/dehydration tank, 20...Sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A water tank supported in a vibration-proof manner in an outer frame, a washing/dehydration tank provided within the water tank, a stirring blade provided at the bottom of the washing/dehydration tank, and driving the stirring blade and the washing/dehydration tank. Equipped with a motor for washing, rinsing,
A fully automatic washing machine that automatically performs a series of dehydration processes according to instructions from a microcomputer includes a sensor for detecting the vibration amplitude of the outer tub, a means for inputting a signal from the sensor into the microcomputer, and a means for inputting the signal from the sensor into the microcomputer. and a comparison means for determining whether the signal from the sensor is below a predetermined value for a predetermined period of time near the end of a washing process or a rinsing process. A method for operating a fully automatic washing machine, characterized in that the driving of the agitating blade is stopped after a predetermined period of time is determined, and then the water is drained and the process proceeds to a dewatering process.