JPH0790072B2 - Automatic washing machine - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine for washing clothes and the like, and more particularly to an automatic washing machine that automatically sets the water level and the like according to the strength of water flow. is there.

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional automatic washing machine detects a water level by a pressure switch composed of a diaphragm and a spring, and a set water level is a mechanical spring displacement setting method.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, since the water level cannot be taken out by an electric signal in the conventional configuration, the detection signal is not transmitted to an electronic control device such as a microcomputer, and the water level setting cannot be program-controlled. There was a point. for that reason,
At a minimum, it was necessary to set the water flow as well as the water level.

The present invention makes it possible to programmatically control the water level by a microcomputer by providing a pressure switch that can electrically extract water level data without using a conventional pressure switch, and to automatically set the water level by setting a water flow setting key. A washing machine is provided.

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a water level sensor that detects the water level in a washing tub and outputs an electric signal, and a water flow setting key that sets the strength of the water flow in the washing tub. And an electronic control device that determines a washing water level and a rinsing water level respectively by a setting signal from the water flow setting key, and controls washing and rinsing based on the determined water level, the electronic control device being set by the water flow setting key. According to the signal, the wash water level is determined to be lower than the rinse water level, and the water level sensor controls the water level in the washing tub so that the wash water level and the rinse water level are determined.

Operation With the above configuration, the water level can be set only by operating the water flow setting key once, and the water level according to the water flow can be program-controlled. In addition, the rinse water level is determined in addition to the wash water level by the setting signal from the water flow setting key, so when the preferred water flow is set by changing the water level between washing and rinsing, the water levels for washing and rinsing are automatically set. It is possible to determine the optimum water level for washing and rinsing.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 5, the automatic washing machine is provided with an operation display panel 2 on the upper front surface of the main body 1, and a lid 3 is detachably provided on the upper surface of the main body 1. A power switch 4 is provided on the rear surface of the upper part. The operation display panel 2 is, as shown in FIG. 3, a water flow setting key 20, a water level setting key 26,
A washing time setting key 21, a rinsing process setting key 22, a dehydration time setting key 23, a course setting key 24, and a start key 25 are provided, and a display device for setting and displaying these setting keys is provided.

Then, at the time of initial setting when the power switch 4 is turned on, the water level is set to high and the water flow is set to medium (standard). When the water flow is set to weak, the water level is set to interlock, and when the water flow is set to hand wash, the water level is set to low. Fourth, the operation of the electronic control unit in the embodiment of the present invention
This will be described with reference to the float chart in the figure. At the initial setting after the power is turned on, the water flow is medium, the water level is high, and the washing is 12
Min, Rinse is standard, Dehydration is 5 min Each setting key 2
Set with 0, 21, 22, 23, 26. Then, when the start key 25 is pressed, the water supply valve operates. If the start key is not pressed, see the key operation sequentially. When the water flow setting key 20 is pressed, the water flow displays 200 to 203 and the water flow are changed, and at the same time, the water level and the water level displays 260 to 263 are changed. When only the water level setting key 26 is pressed, only the water level setting display is changed. The same applies to the other keys. The water supply valve turns on when the start key 25 is pressed, and the water supply time is measured. Other processing is performed depending on the time detected by the water level sensor.

An example of this water level sensor is shown in FIG. The basic principle is to detect changes in the stroke of the diaphragm due to pressure by means of a position detecting photo diode and a photo transistor photo coupler. That is, the water level sensor 6 has a movable slit 61 installed on the diaphragm 60, and a photo diode (abbreviated LED) 63 and a photo transistor (abbreviated PTr) 64 provided facing the fixed slit 62 which is fixed. Is. And LED
The light of 63 passes through the fixed slit 62 and the movable slit 61 and passes through PTr6.
If 4 is reached, the bit is 1; otherwise, the bit is 0. Then, these data are input to the electronic control unit 5. The movable slit 61 is provided with slits 610, 611, 612, 613 having different slit widths and slit positions. Then, these slits are arranged in three columns, and fixed slits 62 are provided so as to face each slit.
Light emitting elements a, b, c composed of LEDs 63, PTr64 are provided. The water level is read depending on whether or not the light of these light emitting elements a, b, c has passed. For example, in the state shown in FIG. 1, all the light emitting elements a, b and c allow light to pass therethrough, so that the water level data becomes 111, which indicates that the water level is empty. When water is supplied into the washing tub, the diaphragm 60 moves upward due to the pressure P, and the slit 611 also moves upward accordingly, so that the passage of the light of the light emitting element b is blocked, and the water level data is the reset water level of 101. Become. When moving further upward, the light of the light emitting element a that has passed through the slit 612 is blocked, and the light emitting element b is newly slit.
Light passes through 613. Therefore, the water level data will be a small water level of 601. After that, as the movable slit 61 moves upward, the water level data from the light emitting elements a, b, c changes, and the water level can be detected, and if this signal is transmitted to the microcomputer for washing control, the water level setting can also be program-controlled. .

Although the above description is an example in which the water level is changed in association with the water flow, a course key is provided, and the water flow, water level, washing time,
Interlocking such as rinsing and dehydration is also possible. In particular, the conventional pressure switch cannot perform sufficient rinsing when the water level is set to a low level, but when washing, the rinsing performance is improved when the water level is low and the rinsing is high. That is, the conventional rinsing was performed only at the initially set water level, but the water level sensor of this embodiment can be used to rinse at any water level.

As described above, the washing water level and the rinsing water level are also controlled according to the water flow, and the washing time, rinsing, and dehydration programs are also controlled.
The process can be optimally controlled up to dehydration.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, by providing the water level sensor that outputs the water level as an electric signal, it is possible to perform the washing operation that incorporates the water level control by the program of the electronic control unit. For example, it is possible to improve the rinsing efficiency by rinsing at a high water level during rinsing. As described above, since the water level in each of the washing and rinsing steps is determined by the water flow setting signal, the water level suitable for each of the washing and rinsing steps can be automatically set, and the washing and rinsing performance can be improved. Further, since the electronic control unit determines the water level by setting the water flow setting key, the water level can be set by one operation of the water flow setting key, which is excellent in usability.

[Brief description of drawings]

1a is a sectional view of a water level sensor of a fully automatic washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1b is a sectional view taken along the line AA 'of FIG. 1a, and FIG. 3 is a front view of the operation display panel, FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the operation of the electronic control unit, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the same. 5 ... Electronic control unit, 6 ... Water level sensor, 20 ... Water flow setting key, 26 ... Water level setting key.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A water level sensor for detecting the water level in the washing tub and outputting an electric signal, a water flow setting key for setting the strength of the water flow in the washing tub, and a washing water level and rinsing by a setting signal from the water flow setting key. And an electronic control unit for controlling washing and rinsing based on the determined water level, the electronic control unit rinsing the washing water level lower than the rinsing water level according to a setting signal from the water flow setting key. And an automatic washing machine for controlling the water level in the washing tub by the water level sensor so that the wash water level and the rinse water level are determined. 2. The automatic washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit determines the control contents of the washing process, the rinsing process and the dehydrating process according to a setting signal from the water flow setting key.