JPH0824198A - Dish washing and drying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a dish washing and drying machine which can sufficiently remove dirt and which is a resource saving type so as to prevent power and time from being wasted, by detecting a degree of contamination of washing water so that a controller determines a time of a washing step with the use of detergent. CONSTITUTION:After dishes are set in a dish cage 2 within a washing space 1, an operation switch is turned on, a circulating pump 4 is driven to jet washing water from a washing nozzle 5 for a predetermined time. As a result, dirt sticking to the upper side of the dishes is removed into the washing water which therefore becomes muddy. Accordingly, a contamination detecting sensor 8 detects a degree of muddiness of the washing water. Further, a time of a washing step using detergent is determined from the degree of muddiness, and on the basis of the value, this washing step is controlled. Thus, the control of the washing step with the use of detergent can be controlled by the sensor 8, and even though the washing water is clean thereafter, the output of the sensor 8 is compared with a reference value in order to compensate the control value thereafter.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is applied to a dishwasher that performs a prewashing step → a detergent washing step → a rinsing step → a drying step.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional dishwasher / dryer is shown in FIG. 1 is a washing cabinet, 2 is a tableware basket, 3 is a washing water tank, 4
Is a circulation pump, 5 is a cleaning nozzle, 6 is a detergent tank, and 7 is an electric heater. In this operation mode, first, pre-washing is performed several times, and then detergent is injected from the detergent tank 6 into the washing water tank 3. Then, the circulation pump 4 is driven to wash the detergent for a certain period of time, then, after the cleaning water is drained, tap water or warm water is stored in the cleaning water tank 3 and then the circulation pump 4 is driven several times. This is an operation method in which the rinsing and washing are repeated, and then the rinsing water is drained, and then hot air is blown into the refrigerator to perform drying for a certain period of time. The electric heater starts heating the washing water at the same time when the washing with the detergent is started to keep the washing water heated at 60 ° C. where the activity of the detergent becomes high. In addition to the above control method, there is also a method in which only the end time of the detergent washing process is arbitrarily set regardless of the temperature of the washing water.

[0003]

However, the above conventional dishwasher / dryer has the following drawbacks.

A. If the washing water is heated up to 60 ° C, it will be 60
Heating up to ℃ wastes power and time.

B. In the case of a system that operates only by setting the detergent washing time, the detergent activity is insufficient because the water temperature is low, and dirt is not removed sufficiently, or on the contrary, it is a wasteful washing operation Sometimes, and again in this case wasting power and time.

C. When the dirt level detection sensor is installed in the wash water tank and the temperature or time of the wash water is controlled by this dirt level detection sensor, if dirt accumulates on the surface of the dirt level detection sensor itself, this accumulated amount of dirt The output will be high. As a result, the detergent washing time becomes long.

An object of the present invention is to provide a resource-saving dishwasher which is capable of sufficiently removing dirt, and which does not waste electric power and time, and proposes a dishwasher which does not deteriorate in performance over time. That is.

[0008]

The constitution of the dishwasher / dryer according to the present invention is as follows. A dishwasher that has a dirt level detection sensor installed in the wash water tank and controls detergent washing from the dirt level of the wash water detected by the dirt level detection sensor when the water in the wash water tank is clear. A dishwasher / dryer that compares a dirt level output from a dirt level detection sensor with a preset reference value and adds a correction circuit to correct the control value for the next detergent washing based on the compared value. An alarm means may be added so as to output an alarm when the compared value is a certain value or more and cleaning is required. As the warning means, a warning lamp, a buzzer, a warning display, etc. can be considered.

[0009]

When the dishes are put in the dish basket in the washing cabinet and the operation switch is turned on, the circulation pump is driven and the washing water is jetted from the washing nozzle for a certain period of time. As a result, the stains on the upper side of the dishes are removed and mixed into the wash water, and the wash water becomes turbid. The dirt level detection sensor detects this dirt level and outputs it to the controller side. Based on this dirt level, the controller determines the detergent wash process time, for example, if the stain is severe, the time is longer, and if the stain is less, the detergent wash process time is determined and the detergent wash process is controlled based on this value. To do. In addition,
The dirt level detection sensor may detect the dirt level at the time by ejecting washing water from the cleaning nozzle for a certain time as described above, but after a certain time has passed since the start of the detergent washing process. You may make it detect.

As described above, the detergent washing process is controlled by the stain degree detecting sensor, and after that, for example, after the rinsing step is completed and the wash water is almost clear, the output of the stain degree detecting sensor is again obtained. Is detected, and the output value at this time is compared with the reference value input in advance. For example, when both dirt levels are almost the same, dirt is not accumulated on the surface of the dirt level detection sensor (not deteriorated. ) And the control value of the detergent washing process is not corrected. However, when the compared difference is a certain value or more, the control value from the next time is corrected based on this value. Since the degree of deterioration of the dirt degree detection sensor gradually progresses with the passage of time, it is better to make a comparison every time, but it may be made every certain number of times of operation or every time.

Aged deterioration of the dirt level detection sensor can be confirmed in advance by experimental data, and a threshold value is determined based on this and used as the next threshold value.

When it is determined that dirt has accumulated on the surface of the dirt degree detection sensor and has become so clean as to be cleaned, the alarm means is driven.

The dirt level of the dirt level detection sensor itself is detected by
After the rinsing is completed, hot water or water may be supplied again to the cleaning water tank and this water may be used.

[0014]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 shows an example of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 is a washing cabinet, 2 is a dish basket, 3 is a washing water tank, 4 is a circulation pump, 5 is a washing nozzle, 6 is a detergent tank, 7 is an electric heater, and 8 is dirt attached to the washing water tank 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the dirt level detection sensor 8 is composed of a light emitting element 9 and a light receiving element 10. The dirt level is determined from the difference in the light quantity emitted by the light emitting element 9 from the light quantity received by the light receiving element 10. Can be detected. 11 is an alarm means 1
2 is a controller provided with this controller, and performs the following control.

When the dishes are put in the dish basket 2 in the washing cabinet 1 and the operation switch is turned on, the circulation pump 4 is driven to jet the washing water from the washing nozzle 5 for a certain period of time. As a result, dirt on the upper side of the tableware is removed and mixed into the wash water, and the wash water becomes turbid. Therefore, the dirt level detection sensor 8 detects this dirt. Then, the detergent washing process time is determined from the degree of dirt, and the detergent washing is controlled based on this value. The dirt level detection sensor 8 may detect the dirt level by injecting cleaning water from the cleaning nozzle 5 for a certain period of time as described above to detect the dirt level at that time, but the detergent washing process is started. You may make it detect after a fixed time passes.

As described above, the dirt level detection sensor 8
The detergent washing process is controlled by, and after that, for example, after the rinsing process is finished and when the washing water is almost clear, the output of the dirt degree detection sensor 8 is detected again, and the output value at this time is input in advance. For example, when both dirt levels are substantially the same, the dirt level detection sensor 8 determines that dirt is not accumulated (not deteriorated) on the surface and determines the control value for the detergent washing process. Is not corrected. However, when the compared difference is a certain value or more, the control value from the next time is corrected based on this value. Since the degree of deterioration of the dirt degree detection sensor 8 gradually progresses with the passage of time, it is better to make a comparison every time, but it is also possible to make a comparison every fixed number of times of operation or every time.

The aged deterioration of the degree of dirt can be confirmed in advance by experimental data, and a threshold value is determined based on this and used as a threshold value in the calculation in the next detergent washing step.

When it is determined that dirt has accumulated on the surface of the dirt level detection sensor 8 and has become clean enough to be cleaned, the alarm means 12 is driven.

FIG. 3 is a flow sheet showing an operation example. When the operation switch is turned on, the operation is started (step 100) and prewashing is performed (step 101).
Next, the detergent washing process time is corrected based on the stain degree detected by the stain degree detection sensor 8 (step 10).
2) Next, detergent washing is performed (step 103), then rinse washing is performed (step 104), hot water is supplied (step 105), and then the contamination degree detection sensor 8 detects the contamination degree. Then, the contamination degree D is compared with the threshold value D ₁ (step 107), and if NO, heat rinsing is performed (step 108) and all the cleaning is completed (step 109).

On the other hand, the result of comparison in (step 107) is YE.
In the case of S, the dirt level detection sensor 8 is dirty to the extent that it cannot be measured, and the threshold value D indicating whether or not the output from the sensor 8 is uncontrollable
₂ and D are compared (step 110), and if NO, the alarm means 12 is driven (step 111), this is stored (step 112), and the automatic detergent washing step is canceled (step 113), and the detergent is manually washed. The washing is performed, the B mode operation is stored next time (step 114), the heating rinsing is performed (step 108), and the operation is completed (step 109). The dirt level detection sensor 8 cannot measure, that is, Y
When it is judged as ES, an alarm is displayed (step 1
15), this is stored (step 116), determination of automatic setting cancellation is made (step 117), if YES the memory is erased (step 118) and the next A mode operation is stored (step 120), Heat rinsing is performed (step 108) and completed (step 109).
If the automatic release is NO, the C mode operation will be stored next time.
Heat rinsing is performed (step 108) and completed (step 109).

The above is an example of A and B mode operation.
In case of C mode operation, start operation (step 121) →
After the pre-washing (step 122), the time-extended detergent washing is performed (step 123), and the rinsing step of the A and B modes is performed (step 104).

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the dirt level of the dirt level detection sensor itself is detected and the detergent washing process time is corrected according to the dirt level. Even when dirt has accumulated over time, it is not possible to mistakenly judge that dirt is severe and set the detergent washing process time longer than it actually is. Therefore, it is possible to save the operating cost (electric power cost) and the operating time that are set long based on this erroneous recognition. In addition, when the dirt accumulated in the dirt degree detection sensor is so severe that cleaning is required, the alarm means is driven, so that it can be immediately dealt with.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a dishwasher / dryer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a dirt degree detection sensor.

FIG. 3 is a flow sheet of an operation example.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a conventional dishwasher / dryer.

[Explanation of reference symbols] 1 washing cabinet 2 tableware basket 3 washing water tank 4 circulating pump 5 washing nozzle 6 detergent tank 7 electric heater 8 dirt level detection sensor 9 light emitting element 10 light receiving element 11 controller 12 alarm means

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A dishwasher in which a dirt level detection sensor is installed in the wash water tank, and washing of the detergent is controlled based on the dirt level of the wash water detected by the dirt level detection sensor. If a stain degree output from the stain degree detecting sensor is compared with a preset reference value, a correction circuit for correcting the control value for the next detergent washing based on the compared value is added. A dishwasher consisting of. 2. The dishwasher / dryer according to claim 1, further comprising alarm means for outputting an alarm when the comparison value is a certain value or more. 3. The dishwasher / dryer according to claim 2, wherein the means for outputting an alarm is an alarm display lamp. 4. The dishwasher according to claim 2, wherein the means for outputting an alarm is a buzzer. 5. The dishwasher according to claim 2, wherein the means for outputting an alarm is a warning display. 6. The contamination degree detection sensor comprises a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and is configured to detect the contamination degree from the difference between the amount of light emitted by the light emitting element and the amount of light received by the light receiving element. 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 dishwasher.