JPH0549780A - Laundry apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accomplish, at a low cost a merit such as lowering of noise or the like by variable speed operation of a motor. CONSTITUTION:A switching means 7 is selectively switched to a washing operation mode or a drying operation mode according to a command from an operation control circuit 14. In the washing operation mode, a current signal from an inverter main circuit 12 of a variable speed driving device 8 is given to a motor 2 for a washing machine and position detection signals from magnetic sensors 2d-2f of the motor 2 for a washing machine are given to a position detecting circuit 9 of the variable speed driving device 8, so that variable speed operation of the motor 2 for a washing machine is enabled. In the drying operation mode, a current signal from the variable speed driving device 8 is given to a motor 6 for a drying machine, and position detection signals from magnetic sensors 6d-6f of the motor 6 for a drying machine 6 are given to the position detection circuit 9 of the variable speed driving device 8, so that the variable speed operation of the motor 6 for a drying machine can be carried out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laundry machine which is a combination of a washing machine and a dryer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a fully automatic washing machine having a structure in which a motor for performing a series of steps of washing, rinsing and dehydration is operated at a variable speed has been put into practical use, and such a structure is adopted. In such a case, various washing water flows can be generated according to the type and amount of laundry, so that the added value can be improved and the noise can be reduced.

Specifically, in the above-mentioned washing machine, a DC brushless motor that can obtain a large torque even at a low speed rotation is used as a washing machine motor. Drive control is performed by a variable speed drive device that combines a DC power supply circuit, an inverter main circuit, and the like.

Further, in the dryer, the one in which the motor for executing the drying operation is operated at a variable speed has not been put into practical use, but when such a structure is adopted, noise reduction is of course achieved. Therefore, it is possible to expect merits such as the possibility of suppressing wrinkles from occurring in the dried product.

[0005]

In a laundry machine including a washing machine and a dryer combined, it is one of the merits of the function to provide the variable speed operation function of the motor as described above to only one of the laundry machines. It is unreasonable considering that there is noise reduction. However, in a laundry machine, when imparting a variable speed operation function of a washing machine motor and a dryer motor to both a washing machine and a dryer, a relatively expensive variable speed drive device is required for each,
As a result, the overall cost will increase significantly.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and in a laundry machine in which a washing machine and a dryer are combined, the washing machine and the dryer are less likely to be operated at the same time as the capacity is increased. This was done by paying attention to the special circumstances that have come up, and the purpose thereof is to allow one variable speed drive device to be commonly used for driving the washing machine motor and the drying machine motor. It is intended to provide laundry equipment that has an effect of realizing advantages such as noise reduction at a low cost.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a laundry machine comprising a washing machine and a dryer combined with each other by using a motor for a washing machine and a motor for a dryer which are capable of variable speed operation. After being configured, a variable speed drive device serving as a common power source for these motors is provided, and a switching means for selectively driving either the washing machine motor or the dryer motor by the output of the variable speed drive device. Is provided.

[0008]

The variable speed operation of the washing machine motor and the variable speed operation of the dryer motor are performed by the same variable speed drive device according to the selection operation by the switching means. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a variable speed drive device for each of the washing machine and the dryer, and the overall cost increase can be suppressed.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 2 showing the overall schematic vertical sectional structure, a motor 2 of a fully automatic washing machine 1 is composed of a DC brushless motor which is a motor capable of variable speed operation. The operation is controlled by the control circuit device in the control box 3 provided on the back surface of the washing machine 1. The dryer 4 is installed above the washing machine 1 via a stand 5, and the motor 6 of the dryer 4 is also composed of a DC brushless motor which is a motor capable of variable speed operation. The operation is controlled by the circuit device.

FIG. 1 shows an electric configuration of a control circuit device provided in the control box 3 together with related parts, which will be described below.

The washing machine motor 2 and the dryer motor 6 which are DC brushless motors are for detecting the rotational position of the rotor by the magnetic fields from the three-phase stator coils 2a to 2c and 6a to 6c and the rotor magnet. It has a well-known configuration including the magnetic sensors 2d to 2f and 6d to 6f.

The switching means 7 comprises six switch elements 7a ...
7f (shown as a contact element, but an electric contactless switching element may be used), and a current signal from the variable speed drive device 8 is supplied to the washing machine motor 2 according to the switching. Of the washing machine motor 2 and position detection signals from the magnetic sensors 2d to 2f of the washing machine motor 2 to the variable speed drive device 8 (the contact points (c- of the switch elements 7a to 7f). a)) and a current signal from the variable speed drive device 8 is applied to the stator coils 6a to 6c of the dryer motor 6 and the positions of the dryer motor 6 from the magnetic sensors 6d to 6f. It is configured to switch to a dry operation mode in which a detection signal is supplied to the variable speed drive device 8 (a state in which the contact points (c-b) of the switch elements 7a to 7f are turned on).

The variable speed drive device 8 has a well-known structure for operating the three-phase DC brushless motor (that is, the washing machine motor 2 and the dryer motor 6) at a variable speed. Is becoming

That is, the position detection circuit 9 detects the position of the rotor of the washing machine motor 2 or the position of the rotor of the dryer motor 6 based on the position detection signal provided through the switching means 7. Output Sp. Rectifying and smoothing circuit 10
The output of the AC power supply 11 is smoothed and rectified and given to the inverter main circuit 12. The inverter main circuit 12 includes a plurality of sets of switching elements corresponding to the output terminals P1, P1 and P3, and controls the switching elements to be turned on and off based on a command from the switching control circuit 13, thereby rectifying and smoothing the circuit 10. Is chopped, and current signals given to the respective phase stator coils of the three-phase DC brushless motor are output from the output terminals P1, P1 and P3. The switching control circuit 13 controls the ON / OFF timing of each switching element in the inverter main circuit 12, the speed command signal from the operation control circuit 14 for controlling the operation of the washing machine 1 and the dryer 4, and the position detection. The determination is made based on the position signal Sp from the circuit 9.

On the other hand, the operation control circuit 14 is configured to include, for example, a microcomputer, and its power is supplied from the AC power supply 11 via a stabilized power supply circuit (not shown). This operation control circuit 1
Although the function of 4 will not be described in detail, in addition to the operation control of the motor 2 or 6 through the variable speed drive device 8 based on an input signal given through the operation unit 15 and a control program stored in advance, , Energization control of the heater 17 for the dryer 6 via the heater driving unit 16, display unit 18
And the switching control of the switching means 7 to any one of the washing operation mode and the drying operation mode.

According to the above construction, when the switching means 7 is switched to the washing operation mode by the operation control circuit 14, the current signal from the inverter main circuit 12 in the variable speed drive device 8 is applied to the washing machine motor 2. Stator coils 2a-2
The position detection signals from the magnetic sensors 2d to 2f of the washing machine motor 2 are given to the variable speed drive device 8c.
It is supplied to the internal position detection circuit 9, which enables variable speed operation of the washing machine motor 2.

Further, when the switching means 7 is switched to the dry operation mode by the operation control circuit 14, the current signal from the inverter main circuit 12 in the variable speed drive device 8 causes the stator coil 6a of the dryer motor 6 to be supplied. 6d to 6c and magnetic sensors 6d to 6 of the dryer motor 6 are provided.
The position detection signal from f is given to the position detection circuit 9 in the variable speed drive device 8, whereby the variable speed operation of the dryer motor 6 becomes possible.

In short, one variable speed drive device 8 can be used for both the drive of the washing machine motor 2 and the drive of the dryer motor 6, and is applicable to each of the washing machine 1 and the dryer 4. Compared with the case where a variable speed drive device is provided, the cost can be significantly reduced. In this case, in recent years, the capacity of the washing machine has been increased and the necessity of operating the washing machine and the dryer at the same time has been reduced. There is no such thing.

In the above embodiment, the washing machine motor 2 and the dryer motor 6 are DC brushless motors, but they are induction motors as well as frequency control as a variable speed drive. It is also possible to provide an inverter device.

[0020]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the washing machine motor and the drying machine motor can be constituted by motors capable of variable speed operation, and can be used as a common power source for these motors. Since the variable speed drive device is provided and either the washing machine motor or the dryer motor is selectively driven by the output of the variable speed drive device, the washing machine motor and the dryer motor are driven at variable speeds. Since only one variable speed drive device needs to be provided for operation, the present invention has an excellent effect that the advantages such as noise reduction due to variable speed operation of the motor can be realized at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical sectional view of the whole.

[Explanation of symbols]

In the figure, 1 is a washing machine, 2 is a washing machine motor, 4 is a dryer,
6 is a dryer motor, 7 is a switching means, 8 is a variable speed drive device, and 14 is an operation control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A laundry machine comprising a washing machine having a washing machine motor and a drying machine having a drying machine motor, wherein the washing machine motor and the drying machine motor can be operated at variable speeds. And a switching means for selectively driving either the washing machine motor or the drying machine motor by the output of the variable speed drive device, which is a common power source of the respective motors. Laundry machine characterized by having and.