JPH0817870B2 - Washing machine controller - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention automatically detects the load amount applied to a condenser type induction motor, that is, the amount of cloth, and determines the strength of the water flow of the washing machine, the rinsing time, the rinsing frequency, and the dehydration. The present invention relates to a washing machine control device for automatically controlling time and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional control device for a washing machine that detects the amount of cloth and controls the washing machine is, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-156491, a state in which some water is supplied before regular water supply. Alternatively, the terminal voltage of the capacitor type induction motor is detected while the capacitor type induction motor is continuously energized at the time of dehydration or the like, and the cloth amount is determined by the rise time of the voltage.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional configuration, for example, in the case where the amount of cloth is detected by continuously energizing the condenser type induction motor in a state in which a small amount of water is supplied before the normal water supply, Previously, an extra process was required, and considering the water supply time and load amount detection time, there was a problem that it was longer than the regular time. In addition, when the amount of cloth is detected at the time of dehydration, there is a problem that the detected amount of cloth is limited only to the setting of the dehydration time.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a washing machine control device that does not require an extra step of detecting the amount of cloth and can use the amount of cloth detection data in steps other than the dehydration step. .

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the control device for a washing machine according to the present invention is provided when ON / OFF of a condenser type induction motor during intermittent dehydration after the washing process is repeatedly controlled. The load amount detecting means for determining the load amount applied to the condenser type induction motor only when the motor driving means is turned on is provided, and the control means for controlling the entire washing machine is provided with the load amount detecting means.
During intermittent dehydration performed after the washing process, the motor drive means
The time it takes for the voltage across the capacitor to reach a specified value after being turned on is measured by the timer means, and the load amount detection means judges the magnitude of the load amount based on the size of this measurement time to determine the appropriate water flow strength. In this configuration, a control circuit for selecting and controlling the rinsing time, the number of times of rinsing, the dehydration time, etc. is provided.

Operation With the above configuration, the load amount can be detected in the existing intermittent dehydration process without providing an extra process, and the automatic operation can be performed based on the detected load amount after the rinsing process.

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a capacitor, which is connected between the windings of the capacitor-type induction motor M. The condenser type induction motor drives a washing / dehydrating tub (not shown) for loading laundry or a pulsator arranged at the bottom of the tub. Further, the condenser type induction motor M is connected to the AC power source 1 via the motor driving means 2 made of a switching semiconductor. There is provided a voltage detecting means 3 for detecting the voltage across the capacitor 1 only when the motor driving means 2 is turned on. The output of the voltage detecting means 3 is transmitted to the timer means 4 via the control means 6. The timer means 4 measures the time from when the motor driving means 2 is first turned on until the voltage across the capacitor 1 reaches a predetermined value. The time measured by the timer means 4 is transmitted to the load amount detection means 5 via the control means 6 to obtain the load amount applied to the condenser type induction motor M. The control means 6 controls the entire process, and energizes the induction motor M via the motor drive means 2.

The control device for the washing machine having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the washing process is completed, the rinsing process is started. First, after the washing is completed, the water containing the detergent remaining in the washing tub is discharged. And in order to further disperse the water containing the detergent contained in the clothes by centrifugal force,
The motor type driving means 2 rotates the condenser type induction motor M at a high speed. At this time, the motor drive means 2 controls the condenser type induction motor M to repeatedly turn ON and OFF periodically so that the clothes in the washing tub are not unbalanced. Such a dehydration method is hereinafter referred to as intermittent dehydration. The change over time in the voltage across the capacitor 1 after the start of this intermittent dehydration is as shown in FIG. Here, V _{O in} FIG. 2 is the voltage across capacitor 1 immediately after the start of intermittent dehydration, and T is the voltage across capacitor 1 that increases by a constant value V _α immediately after the start of intermittent dehydration V _O + V
It is the time to reach _α .

Immediately after the intermittent dehydration is started, V _O is measured by the voltage detecting means 3, and at the same time, the timer of the timer means 4 is started to start counting the time. After that, the voltage V across the capacitor 1 is measured by the voltage detector 3 only when the capacitor induction motor M is ON, and the data is transferred to the load communication detector 5 each time. Here, it is determined whether or not V ≧ V _O + V _α holds, and V ≧ V _O
If + V _α is not established, the process returns to the control routine of the condenser type induction motor M. If V ≧ V _O + V _α is satisfied, the timer of the timer means 4 is stopped and the course is classified into three courses according to the size of the counted time T. That is, if O <T <t ₁ , the load is considered to be small, and the subsequent steps are set to the course A for control. Similarly, t ₁ ≤
If T <t ₂ , the load amount is regarded as medium and set to the course B, and if t ₂ ≦ T, the load amount is regarded as large and the course C is set. Here, t ₁ and t ₂ are predetermined values, and the set course is, for example, the course shown in the table below. Based on this data, the control means 6 controls the subsequent rinsing step and dehydration step. The motor driving means 2 and the like are controlled in the process.

In this embodiment, the load amount is detected at the time of intermittent dewatering at the beginning of the rinsing process, and the strength of the water flow, the rinsing time, the number of rinsing times, and the dehydration time in the subsequent processes are applied to a method of controlling them by dividing them into three courses. However, it can be applied in all steps from the end of washing to the end of dehydration.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to detect the load amount, that is, the amount of laundry in the existing process without the need to provide an extra process, and to detect the laundry after the rinsing process. Water intensity, rinsing time,
The number of rinses, dehydration time, etc. can be automatically corrected.

Further, in the present invention, since the load amount is detected when the energization of the condenser type induction motor is intermittent by the motor driving means, the load amount is appropriately detected without imbalance in the clothes in the washing tub when the load amount is detected. Can be detected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a controller for a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a graph showing changes with time in voltage across a capacitor at the start of the capacitor type induction motor, and FIG. 3 is the same control. It is a flow chart which shows control of a device. M ... Capacitor type induction motor, 1 ... Capacitor, 2 ... Motor drive means, 3 ... Voltage detection means, 4 ...
... Timer means, 5 ... Load amount detection means, 6 ... Control means.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Ken Nakamura Ken 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Sadayuki Tamae 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. 56) References JP-A-61-146297 (JP, A) JP-A-59-71777 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A washing / dehydrating tub, a condenser type induction motor for driving the washing / dehydrating tub and a pulsator, a motor drive means for controlling ON / OFF of energization of the condenser type induction motor, and both ends of the condenser. Voltage detection means for detecting the voltage of the motor, a timer means for measuring the time from when the motor driving means is turned on until the voltage across the capacitor reaches a predetermined value, a load amount detection means, and a control for controlling the whole. Means for measuring the time from the turning on of the motor drive means until the voltage across the capacitor reaches a predetermined value by the timer means during the intermittent dehydration performed after the washing step, and the measuring time Washing machine for controlling by selecting the appropriate amount of water flow, rinsing time, rinsing frequency, dehydration time, etc. The control device.