JPH07163787A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a input part and display part a single unit respectively, and make it possible for a user to set a preferable washing method quickly and correctly by arranging a dial type input part which selects and determines a washing method, and a display part which only displays the choices at respective selection stages. CONSTITUTION:A washing machine performs a washing when a washing method is input and determined by an input unit. In this case, a dial type input unit 2 which selects and determines a washing method, and a display unit 1 which only displays a selection limb at respective selection stages are arranged. For example, when a washing course is selected, on the display unit 1, the respective choices such as 'automatic (large quantity)', 'automatic (standard)', and 'automatic (hand wash)', etc., are displayed respectively, and at the same time, the respective choices are selected by turning the dial type input unit 2 to the right or left. Then, on the display unit 1, respective items such as a washing period of time, water level, strength of water stream, rinsing rotation, rinsing pattern, dehydrating period of time and completion of setting, etc., in addition to the washing course, are displayed in order.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine for performing laundry by inputting / determining a washing method from an input section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a washing machine of this type, there are a washing course selection button, a water level selection button, a washing time selection button, a rinsing frequency selection button, a rinsing method selection button, and a dehydration time selection button. The user presses the button that he / she wants to select and inputs the washing method to wash.

[0003]

However, the conventional techniques described above have the following problems. One is that the number of buttons is large and the user may find it difficult to use the washing machine before using it, and may not use it. Secondly, since there are many buttons, you may mistakenly press a button other than the one you want to press. The third is a space for displaying the choices at each selection stage, and an indication of which choice is currently selected.
Since the space for arranging the LED is required, the display area becomes large, and the freedom of setting the position of the main body of the washing machine is limited. Fourth, since the display unit that takes up space is on the front side of the upper part of the washing machine, the distance from the washing tub to the outside of the main body of the washing machine becomes long, making it difficult to take out the laundry. Fifth, each button has some options, but these options change one by one in one direction each time the button is pressed. What is required to select the desired option? You have to press the button again and again, and you have to press the button many times if you want to select the previous selection of the one currently selected. The sixth problem is that the washing time and the rinsing time cannot be set to the time that the user really wants to set, because there is no choice but to select from the predetermined times.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve such a conventional problem, and has a dial type input section for selecting and determining a washing method and a display section for displaying only options at each selection stage. However, the choices in one selection stage are sequentially selected by turning the dial of the input unit, and the selection is determined by pushing the dial, and the display is changed to the next selection stage and the selections can be made sequentially. Further, the dial can be rotated in either the left or right direction, and the options to be selected vary depending on the rotation direction.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the means of the present invention comprises a dial type input section for selecting and determining a washing method and a display section for displaying only options at each washing step. It is composed of

[0006]

In the above-mentioned means, the choices in one selection step are sequentially selected by turning the dial of the input section, and the selection is determined by pressing the dial, and the display changes to the next selection step and the selections are made one after another. it can. In addition, this dial can be rotated either left or right, and the options can be changed left or right depending on the direction of rotation.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
Will be described with reference to. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a display unit using a liquid crystal dot matrix, which is commonly used to display only each option at each selection stage. Reference numeral 2 denotes a dial, which is rotated left and right to select a candidate at each selection stage, and the dial is pressed to select a candidate option. FIG. 2 is a display example when a laundry course is selected, and the shaded portion shows options currently selected as candidates in the laundry course. FIG. 3 is a display example when the washing time is selected, and the shaded portion shows options that are currently candidates for the washing time. FIG. 4 is a display example when the water level is selected, and the shaded portion shows options that are currently candidates for the water level. FIG. 5 is a display example in the case of selecting the water flow intensity, and the shaded portion shows options that are currently candidates for the water flow intensity. FIG. 6 is a display example in the case of selecting the number of rinses, and the shaded portion shows the options that are currently candidates for the number of rinses. FIG. 7 is a display example in the case of selecting a rinse pattern, and the shaded portion shows the options currently selected as candidates in the rinse pattern. FIG. 8 is a display example when the dehydration time is selected, and the shaded portion shows options that are currently candidates for the dehydration time. FIG. 9 is a display example before the laundry is actually started after the laundry method is determined. The selected laundry method is displayed on the left side, and the option to start the laundry or cancel the setting is displayed on the right side. The shaded area indicates that the start is currently a candidate.

The operation of the means of the present invention having the above configuration will be described. When the user turns on the power of the washing machine, the display unit is in a stage of selecting a washing course as shown in FIG. At this stage, there are four options: "manual / automatic (large), automatic (standard), automatic (hand wash)". Currently, in the case of this Figure 2, "
"Manual" is a candidate, and if you turn the dial to the right when this is displayed, the candidate option will be "Automatic (large)" next to the right, and if you turn the dial to the right,
If the dial is turned to the left when "manual" is a candidate as shown in Fig. 2 and it is returned to "course selection", it is turned to "auto (standard)". ) ". Press the dial to select a candidate option. If" Automatic (standard) "is selected in the washing course, the display before washing starts in Fig. 9 appears.
When "manual" is selected, the display is the selection step of the washing time of FIG.

At the stage of selecting the washing time, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6 ・ 7 ・ 8 ・ 9 ・ 10 ・ Return to previous ・ Return to course selection 」 In Fig. 3, "1 minute" is currently the candidate, but if you turn the dial to the right, the candidate will be "2 minutes", and if you turn it further to the right, it will be "3 minutes", and vice versa. If "" is a candidate, turning to the left will return to "Course selection", and turning to the left will result in "10 minutes". Here too, when selecting a candidate option, the dial is pushed in the same manner as in the selection of the laundry course. When the washing time is selected, the next step is the water level selection step shown in FIG. 4, and the return to "course selection" returns to the previous step, which is the course selection step shown in FIG.

At the water level selection stage of FIG. 4, "extremely low / low / medium / high /
There are 6 options of "Return to previous / Return to course selection". The "return to previous" option here means to return to the immediately preceding selection step, and to return from the water level selection step of FIG. 4 to the washing time selection step. In Figure 4, the current water level is "low", but if you turn the dial to the right, the candidate will be "middle", and if you turn it further to the right, it will be "high". If you turn it to the left from the candidate, it will be "very low", and if you turn it to the left, it will be "return to course selection". Here too, when selecting a candidate option, the dial is pushed in the same manner as in the selection of the laundry course. When the water level is selected, the next step is the water flow strength selection step shown in FIG.

At the stage of selecting the water flow strength, there are five options of "weak / standard / strong / return to previous / return to course selection". Again, the "return to previous" option means to return to the previous selection step as in the water level selection step.
It means that the process returns from the water flow strength selection step to the water level selection step. In Figure 5, the current strength "standard" is the candidate, but if you turn the dial to the right, the candidate is "strong".
When turned further to the right, "returns to the front" and vice versa.
If the water flow intensity of "standard" is a candidate, turning it to the left will result in "weak", and turning it further to the left will result in "return to course selection". Here too, when selecting a candidate option, the dial is pushed in the same manner as in the selection of the laundry course. When the water flow strength is selected, the next step is to select the rinse count in FIG.

At the stage of selecting the number of times of rinsing, “1 time, 2 times,
There are 5 options: 3 times, go back, go back to course selection. Again, the "return to previous" option means to return to the previous selection step as in the water flow strength selection step, and the water flow strength selection step from the rinse frequency selection step in FIG. Is to return to. In Figure 6, it is currently "once"
Is a candidate, but if you turn the dial to the right here, the candidate will be "2 times", and if you turn it further to the right, it will be "3 times". Conversely, "1 time" will be the candidate as shown in FIG. If it is turned to the left, it will be "return to course selection", and if it is turned to the left, it will be "return to the previous". Here too, when selecting a candidate option, the dial is pushed in the same manner as in the selection of the laundry course. When the number of rinses is selected, the next step is to select a rinse pattern shown in FIG.

At the rinsing pattern selection stage, there are four options: "water rinsing / rinse rinsing / return to previous / return to course selection". Here as well, the option of "return to previous" means returning to the selection step immediately before this one as in the selection step of the rinse number, and returning from the rinse pattern selection step of FIG. 7 to the rinse number selection step. That's what it means. In Fig. 7, "Water rinse" is the candidate at present, but if you turn the dial to the right, the candidate will be "Reserve rinse", and if you turn it to the right, it will be "Return to the front", and conversely as shown in Fig. 7. If "Water rinse" is a candidate, turning it to the left will cause "Return to course selection", and turning it to the left will cause "Return to the previous". Here too, when selecting a candidate option, the dial is pushed in the same manner as in the selection of the laundry course. When the rinse pattern is selected, the next step is to select the dehydration time shown in FIG.

At the stage of selecting the dehydration time, "1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6 ・ 7 ・ 8 ・ 9 ・ 10 ・ Return to previous ・ Return to course selection 」 Here as well, the option of "return to previous" means returning to the selection step immediately before this one as in the selection step of the rinse pattern, and returns from the selection step of the dehydration time of FIG. 8 to the selection step of the rinse pattern. That's what it means.
In FIG. 8, “1 minute” is currently the candidate, but if you turn the dial to the right, the candidate will be “2 minutes”, and if you turn it further to the right, it will be “3 minutes”, and vice versa. If "" is a candidate, turning it to the left will cause "return to course selection", and turning it further to "return to the previous". Here too, when selecting a candidate option, the dial is pushed in the same manner as in the selection of the laundry course. When the dehydration time is selected, the selection step ends and the display shown in FIG. 9 before the washing is started.

In the display before the start of washing, there are two options of "start / cancel". If washing is to be performed here, start is selected, and if the setting is cancelled, cancel is selected and the process returns to the washing course selection step. As for the option to be a candidate, the dial is rotated left and right as in the above, and when the option is selected, the dial is pushed.

In this embodiment, the liquid crystal dot matrix is used for the display portion, but it can be realized by using other parts. Further, although the choices at each selection stage are displayed only for the choices at each selection stage, all the choices display portions may be set in advance in the display portion and displayed at each selection stage.

[0017]

As is apparent from the above description, in the claims of the present invention, the number of buttons is one, and the display is also one, which is a simple structure and the user does not feel that it is difficult to use. . In addition, since the number of buttons is one, a different button is not accidentally pressed, and even a child or a person who normally does not use a washing machine can easily use the washing machine. Further, since the display portion of the option at each selection stage is small, it can be freely designed when designing in which part of the washing machine main body the display portion is provided. Further, since it is not necessary to set the display section in front of the upper portion of the washing machine as in the conventional case, the distance between the washing tub and the outside of the washing machine body can be reduced, and the laundry can be easily taken out. In addition, the selection at each selection stage is just turning the dial and selecting the desired option, so it is faster than pressing the button and it can rotate in either direction, so select the previous option You can select faster than pressing. Also, the time can be set at regular intervals according to the rotation of the dial instead of displaying several patterns as in the past, so you can set the time close to the time you want to set from the given time. You can really choose the time you want, rather than choosing. From the above, the user can set his / her favorite washing method quickly, easily and accurately.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example when selecting a laundry course according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example when selecting a washing time according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example when selecting a water level according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example when selecting the water flow intensity according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example when selecting the number of rinses according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example when selecting a rinse pattern according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example when selecting a dehydration time according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example at the end of the selection stage according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Display 2 Dial type input

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A washing machine having a dial type input section for selecting and deciding a washing method and a display section for displaying only options at each selection stage.