JPH06105988A - Control panel for washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a control panel capable of displaying various kinds of detergents. CONSTITUTION:A detergent kind switch 18 selectively inputting the kind of detergent to be used in the washing operation is provided at the right part of the lowest stage of a control panel 6. At the left side, a detergent kind display section 23 displaying the kinds of detergent is provided. There are six kinds of detergent; the general synthetic detergent, powdered soap, liquid detergent, and the concentrated synthetic detergent, powdered soap, and liquid detergent. The detergent kind display section 23 displays four kinds of charaters 'synthetic', 'powdered soap', 'liquid', and 'compact' by using four LEDs. The light display is switched successively by pressing the detergent kind switch 18 by user. The display of the general detergent is performed by lighting the only one of respective LEDs, and the display of the concentrated detergent is performed by lighting the 'compact' thereto.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operating panel of a washing machine, which is provided on an upper surface of a washing machine main body and is used for setting and displaying a washing operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a fully automatic washing machine, for example, an operation panel is generally provided at the center of the front side of the upper surface of the washing machine body. This operation panel is provided with a start switch for the user to start the washing operation, and an operation switch for the user to perform various settings related to the washing operation such as selecting a course and setting a reservation timer,
Along with this, various setting information regarding the laundry operation,
A display unit is provided to display the progress of the washing operation.

By the way, in this type of fully automatic washing machine, a turbidity sensor for detecting the turbidity of the washing water is provided, and it is used for controlling the washing operation by detecting the amount of the detergent put in the washing water. Or check the progress of rinsing during rinsing. Further, some models include an automatic detergent supply device that automatically puts an amount of detergent into the tub according to the amount of laundry. Further, in recent years, it has been considered to add a function of teaching a user an appropriate amount of detergent according to the amount of laundry.

In this case, the detergents used for washing include synthetic detergents, powdered soaps, liquid detergents, and the like. Among synthetic detergents, there are general type and concentrated (compact) type detergents. There is. Therefore, in order to inform the washing machine control device in advance of the type of detergent used by the user, the operation panel displays a selection switch for selectively inputting the detergent type and a detergent type display for displaying the type. Section is provided. The detergent type display section is configured to display various detergent type names on the panel surface and display elements such as LEDs corresponding thereto, and switches the LEDs one by one each time the selection switch is operated. While it is lit.

[0005]

However, as described above, there are circumstances in which many kinds of detergents are used,
In the configuration in which the detergent type display section of the operation panel describes all the detergent types and the corresponding display elements are provided, the number of display elements increases and the detergent type display section becomes large, and as a result, the entire operation panel is displayed. There is a problem that leads to the enlargement of.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an operation panel of a washing machine which can display a large number of types of detergents and which can be downsized. There is.

[0007]

The operation panel of the washing machine of the present invention includes a set of detergent type selecting means for selectively inputting the type of detergent used for washing operation and a lighting display of the selected detergent type. The present invention is characterized in that it is provided with a detergent type display means for displaying the combination.

[0008]

According to the above means, the detergent type display means displays the type of detergent by a combination of lighting displays, so that it is possible to display more patterns than the number of unit lighting displays. Therefore, even if there are many kinds of detergents, it is possible to display them by a combination of a small number of lighting displays, and it is possible to display many kinds of detergents in a small area.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a fully automatic washing machine will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the overall appearance of a fully automatic washing machine. Here, the main body 1 of the washing machine has an outer box 2 having a substantially rectangular box shape with an open top surface, and a cylindrical trough shape. And a rotary tub 3 in which laundry is stored. Although not shown, a stirring body for generating a washing water flow is provided at the bottom of the rotating tub 3, and the rotating tub 3 and the stirring body are driven by a motor and a mechanism provided on the outer bottom of the water receiving tub. It is designed to be rotationally driven by a mechanism.

On the other hand, a top cover 5 having an inlet / outlet 4 for the laundry communicating with the rotary tub 3 is provided at the center of the upper end of the outer box 2. The front half of the top surface of the top cover 5 has a shape that gently inclines toward the front side, and therefore the entrance / exit 4 of the laundry also has a shape that gently inclines toward the front side. This makes it possible to easily carry out and put in the laundry.

Although not shown in detail, a water supply mechanism having a water supply valve for controlling water supply to the water receiving tank is provided on the back side of the top cover 5. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, an operation panel 6 according to the present embodiment for performing setting operation and display relating to the washing operation is provided on the upper surface of the right side portion on the front surface side of the top cover 5. Details of the operation panel 6 will be described later. Although not shown, a switch substrate having a switch circuit and the like is provided on the back surface side of the operation panel 6, and the left side (top cover 5
A control circuit board that constitutes a control device composed of a microcomputer and the like is disposed on the front side (almost center).

The control device includes setting operation by the operation panel 6 and a water level sensor for detecting the water level, a turbidity sensor for detecting the turbidity of the washing water, a capacity sensor for judging the volume and the quality of the laundry, etc. Based on the detection signal of, the drive mechanism, the water supply valve, a drain valve (not shown), etc. are controlled according to a control program to wash and rinse at an optimum water flow intensity and time.
The washing operation is executed in the order of dehydration.

A so-called two-fold type opening / closing lid 7 is provided at the upper end of the main body 1 so as to be freely opened and closed. When the opening / closing lid 7 is closed, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper surface of the top cover 5 is covered by the opening / closing lid 7. At this time, the operation panel 6 is provided on the right side of the front surface of the opening / closing lid 7.
A transparent window portion 8 through which the display portion can be seen from above is provided, and an operation member 10 for operating the start switch 9 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) of the operation panel 6 from the outside is provided. ing.

FIG. 1 shows the overall structure of the operation panel 6, and the operation panel 6 will be described below. The operation panel 6 has a substantially trapezoidal shape in which the left side is a hypotenuse as a whole, and the start switch 9 for starting the washing operation is arranged in the center of the lower portion in FIG. The start switch 9 also serves as a temporary stop switch for temporarily stopping the washing operation.

On the right side portion of the operation panel 6, various (eight) operation switches 11 to 18 are arranged vertically in FIG. And these various operation switches 1
Various (five roughly divided) display units 19 to 23 for displaying are provided on the left side of the units 1 to 19.

As will be described in order from the top of FIG. 1, a timer switch 11 for making a timer reservation is provided on the uppermost right side of the operation panel 6 in the figure. Next, a water level switch 12 for manually setting the wash water level is provided. By pressing this water level switch 12, the water level display unit 1 located on the left side
At 9, the water level (high water level, medium water level, low water level, 1 Kg) is displayed by lighting and set. Next to this water level switch 12, a rinse switch 13 of your choice
Is provided. This favorite rinse switch 13
This is for manually setting that the rinsing operation is performed more carefully or more carefully than the standard, and when the pressing operation is performed, the favorite rinsing display portion 20 on the left side is turned on and set.

In the present embodiment, the functions of the water level switch 12 and the favorite rinsing switch 13 are switched when the timer switch 11 is operated. That is, the time display unit 21 is provided at the center on the left side of the operation panel 6, and the display unit 24 for digitally displaying the time and the like is provided here. The display 24 normally functions as a clock and displays the current time.

Here, when the user wants to make a reservation to execute (end) the laundry operation at a desired time, when the timer switch 11 is pressed, the "reservation" provided above the timer switch 11 is performed. The LED 25 is turned on and the display 24 is switched to display the reserved time. Then, at this time, the water level switch 12 functions as a key for setting "hour" of the reserved time, and the favorite rinse switch 13 for setting "minute" of the reserved time. It will function as a key.

Thus, the user can make a reservation at a desired time by pressing the water level switch 12 and the favorite rinsing switch 13 while watching the display on the display 24. It should be noted that the time adjustment at the start of use in the clock display of the display unit 24 is also performed by the water level switch 12 and the favorite rinse switch 13.

A washing time setting switch 14, a rinsing frequency setting switch 15 and a dehydration time setting switch 16 are provided below the favorite rinsing switch 13 in order to manually set the washing time, the rinsing frequency and the dehydration time. Has been. These setting switches 14, 15, 1
By the operation of 6, the letters "Wash", "Rinse", and "Dehydration" are turned on in the time display section 21 on the left side of the time display section 21, and the washing time (minutes),
The number of rinses (times) and the dehydration time (minutes) are displayed.

Below the dehydration time setting switch 16,
A course changeover switch 17 is provided for the user to set a desired automatic laundry course. Then, on the left side thereof, a course display section 22 for displaying the lighting of the laundry course by lighting.
Is provided. Here, as shown in the course display section 22, various types of washing courses such as "standard", "separate washing", and "strong" are provided, and the user can change the laundry according to the type of laundry. It is possible to select a desired laundry course.

A detergent type switch 18 as a detergent type selecting means for the user to select and input the type of detergent used for washing operation is provided on the right side of the lowermost stage of the operation panel 6 in the figure. There is. On the left side of the start switch 9, there is provided a detergent type display section 23 as a detergent type display means for displaying the type of the selected detergent.

Here, as the type of detergent, for example, general type synthetic detergent, general type powder soap, general type liquid detergent, concentrated (compact) type synthetic detergent,
There are 6 types: concentrated soap powder and concentrated liquid detergent. On the other hand, in the detergent type display section 23,
Four kinds of letters of "composite", "powder soap", "liquid", "compact" are written on the panel surface, and on the back side of each letter, four surface-shaped L which makes each letter bright by lighting.
An ED (not shown) is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, LEDs corresponding to “synthesis”, “powder soap”, “liquid”, and “compact” are LED1, LED2, L
They will be referred to as ED3 and LED4 for distinction.

In the present embodiment, the above six kinds of detergents are displayed by a combination of turning on and off the four LEDs. That is, as shown in FIG. 2 (the circle indicates the lighting), the display of the general type synthetic detergent is "synthetic".
It is performed by turning on only the LED1 corresponding to, and the display of general type powder soap is the LED corresponding to "powder soap".
The display of the general type liquid detergent is performed by turning on only the LED 3 corresponding to "liquid".

On the other hand, the indication of the concentrated (compact) type synthetic detergent is performed by turning on the LED 4 corresponding to "compact" in addition to turning on the LED 1, and the concentration type soap powder and the concentrated type liquid detergent are displayed. Similarly, the display is performed by turning on the LED 4 corresponding to "compact" in addition to turning on the LEDs 2 and 3. In this case, every time the user presses the detergent type switch 18, the lighting display is switched in order from the upper stage to the lower stage of FIG. 2, and the user can select and input the detergent type while watching the display. ing.

Based on the input of the detergent type by the user, the control device determines the concentration of the detergent based on the detection signal of the turbidity sensor and uses it for controlling the washing operation. Further, it may be configured to display an appropriate amount of detergent according to the amount of laundry detected by the capacitance sensor on the display 24 and inform the user of the amount. Furthermore, in a washing machine equipped with an automatic detergent supply device, an appropriate amount of detergent can be automatically added.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the detergent type display section 23 can display six types of detergents by combining four lighting indicators. Therefore, unlike the conventional one in which all the detergent types are described in the detergent type display section and the corresponding display elements are provided, the number of display elements (LED) can be reduced and the detergent type display section can be provided. The area of 23 can be reduced, and the operation panel 6 can be downsized.

Further, particularly in this embodiment, since the water level switch 12 and the favorite rinsing switch 13 which are not so frequently used are also used as the keys for setting the time, a separate time setting is required. Since the switch is not necessary, the number of switches can be reduced, and from this point, the operation panel 6 can be further downsized. Needless to say, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

[0029]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the operation panel of the washing machine of the present invention, the detergent type selecting means for selectively inputting the type of detergent used in the washing operation is selected. Since the detergent type display means for displaying the type of detergent by a combination of lighting indicators is provided, it is possible to display a large number of detergent types in a small area, which is an excellent practical application. Is effective.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an operation panel showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a switching state of a lighting display.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the washing machine with the opening / closing lid opened.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the washing machine with the opening / closing lid closed.

[Explanation of symbols]

In the drawing, 1 is a washing machine body, 5 is a top cover, 6 is an operation panel, 7 is an opening / closing lid, 8 is a window, 9 is a start switch, 10 is an operating member, and 18 is a detergent type switch (detergent type selecting means). , 23 is a detergent type display section (detergent type display means), and 24 is an indicator.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A washing machine main body, which is provided on an upper surface of the washing machine body for setting and displaying a washing operation,
A washing machine comprising: a detergent type selecting means for selectively inputting the type of detergent used for washing operation; and a detergent type displaying means for displaying the type of the selected detergent by a combination of lighting indications. Operation panel.