JPS61154695A - Washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field) The present invention relates to a washing machine that controls washing or rinsing operations by optically detecting the transparency of a washing liquid.

(Prior art) Recently, various washing machines have been developed that control washing or rinsing operations by optically detecting changes in the transparency of the cleaning liquid. It became. In other words, if dirt adheres to the detection window of a device that optically detects the transparency of the cleaning liquid, the dirt on the detection window will greatly affect the transmittance of light, making it impossible to accurately detect the transparency of the cleaning liquid. It was becoming difficult to perform normal control.

(Purpose) The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is possible to accurately check the transparency of the cleaning liquid by keeping the detection window of the measuring section clean by washing with fresh water and by making the light transmittance of the detection window constant. It is designed so that it can be detected.

(Example) Examples of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described in detail below.

First, in Fig. 1, l is a water tank, 2 is a washing and dehydrating tank,
3 is a pulsator; 4 is a valve case 5 having an opening/closing opening 6;
A valve that closes the opening of the valve case 5.

This drain valve is composed of a lid 7, a valve body 8 that opens and closes the opening/closing portion 6, a spring 9 that always urges the valve body 8 in the closing direction, a solenoid IO that opens the valve body 8, and the like. The valve case 5 is made of, for example, a molded product of synthetic resin, and has a conduit portion 11° continuous with the opening/closing portion 6 and integrally molded therein. This conduit section 11 has connection ports 12 and 13 near the tip and opening/closing port 6.
A measuring part 14 is provided between both the connecting ports 12 and 13, and another connecting port 15 is provided between the measuring part 14 and the connecting port 12, and the connecting port 12 is connected to the bottom of the aquarium 1. It communicates with the inside of the tank 1 by directly connecting it to the drain port 16 located in the water tank 1, and by connecting the connection port 13 to the circulation port 17 located in the lower side wall of the water tank 1 via a pipe 18.

As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2, the measuring section 14 has a pair of mounting ports 19.20 facing each other.
20 is sealed with a transparent cover 21.22, and the opposite parts of the transparent cover 21.22 are connected to the detection window 21.
3.22a. Reference numeral 23 denotes a light source (infrared light emitting diode) held in the transparent cover 21, and 24 is a photosensitive element (phototransistor) held in the other transparent cover 22.

Reference numerals 25 and 26 are two-way water supply solenoid valves connected to a water faucet, etc., and one of the water supply solenoid valves 25 supplies water to the water tank 1.
The other water supply electromagnetic valve 26 controls water supply to the measuring section 14 . A water receiving tank 27 receives water supplied from the water supply solenoid valve 26, and is connected to the connection port 15 via a hose 28. Reference numeral 29 denotes a water level detection device for detecting changes in the water level in the water receiving tank 27, which consists of a guide shaft 30 with a built-in reed switch and a float 31 with a built-in magnet that moves up and down as the water level changes. It is in the ON state and turns OFF by the magnet when the water level reaches the specified water level. Reference numeral 32 denotes a valve control unit that controls opening and closing of the water supply solenoid valve 26, and is configured to forcibly close the water supply solenoid valve 26 when the reed switch is turned off.

The fully automatic washing machine according to the embodiment of the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration, and, like conventional fully automatic washing machines, each operation such as water supply, washing, rinsing, and spin-drying is performed sequentially according to a predetermined program. An example of this is shown in FIG. and,
The washing and rinsing operations are controlled by detecting changes in the clarity of the washing liquid, as described below. In addition, the intermediate dehydration and final dehydration operations are divided into the first and second stages; in the first stage, a motor (not shown) rotates the washing and dehydrating tank 2 to perform dehydration, and in the latter stage, the power to the motor is stopped and washing is performed. Dehydration is performed by the inertial rotation of the dehydrating tank 2, and the cleaning of the measuring section 14 is configured to be performed during the later inertial rotation. That is, at the same time, power is turned off to the motor that rotates the washing and dewatering tank 2, and at the same time, power is turned on to the water supply solenoid valve 26 to open the water supply solenoid valve 26.
Open 6.

In the above configuration, during washing or rinsing operation, the rotation of the pulsator 3 causes the cleaning liquid in the water tank 1 to circulate inside and outside of the seedlings 2 through the holes in the washing/dehydration tank 2, and some of the liquid flows through the circulation port 17 and the piping. 18, it circulates through the pipe section II including the measuring section 14 and the drain port 16. Therefore, the measuring section 1
A light source 23 and a photosensitive element 24 detect changes in the transparency of the cleaning liquid flowing through the washing liquid, and control operations such as washing or rinsing.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing changes in the transparency of the cleaning liquid during washing, with the solid line A indicating fresh water and the solid line opening indicating the transparency of the liquid. During washing, the transparency of the liquid in the water tank 1 gradually decreases due to dirt etc. from the laundry, and when there is no change in transparency, it is determined that the washing is complete, the washing operation is completed, and the next step is the draining operation. 0 FIG. 5 is a diagram showing changes in the transparency of the cleaning liquid during rinsing, where the solid line A shows clean water and the solid line C shows the transparency of the liquid.

During rinsing, the liquid in the water tank 1 becomes more transparent as the dirt is gradually diluted, and the end of rinsing is determined when there is no change in the transparency and the transparency has recovered to a predetermined level.

On the other hand, the cleaning of the measuring section 14 is performed when the water supply solenoid valve 26 is opened when the dewatering operation shifts to inertial dewatering in the latter half of the dehydrating operation, and fresh water flows into the measuring section 14 through the solenoid valve 26 and the hose 28, and the detection windows 21a and 22a are cleaned. This is done by washing away dirt that has adhered to the surface. At this time, since the washing/dehydrating tank 2 is rotating inertia, each part including the measuring part 14 is vibrating finely, and the supplied clean water is also vibrated, resulting in the tapping cleaning effect. As a result, dirt can be removed more efficiently than when the water flows quietly over the surfaces of the detection windows 2+a and 22a, resulting in extremely effective cleaning. Therefore, the detection windows 21a and 22a are always kept clean and have constant light transmittance, making it possible to accurately detect changes in the transparency of the cleaning liquid during washing or rinsing operations.

Also, during such cleaning, if the hose 28 is clogged with foreign matter and the water level in the water receiving tank 27 becomes high, the water level detection device 29
operates to close the water supply electromagnetic valve 26, so there is no possibility of water overflowing from above the water receiving tank 27.

Note that the cleaning of the measuring section 14 is not limited to the timing shown in the above embodiment, and the water level detection device 29 also detects a change in the water level and when the specified water level is reached, the water supply valve (water supply solenoid valve 26 ) may be used as long as it can be closed. others,
It goes without saying that the present invention can be modified and implemented as appropriate without departing from the scope of the invention.

(Effects) As described above, according to the present invention, the measuring section can be kept in a clean state by washing with clean water, and the conventional inconvenience caused by remaining dirt can be eliminated and normal control can be performed. Moreover, it is possible to reliably prevent water from overflowing from the water tank due to clogging with foreign matter.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of main parts showing an embodiment of the washing machine of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the measuring section, Figure 3 is a chart of the washing process, Figure 4 is a diagram showing changes in the transparency of the cleaning liquid during the washing operation, and Figure 5 is a diagram showing the change in the transparency of the cleaning liquid during the rinsing operation. It is a figure which shows the change of transparency. I: Water tank, 2: Washing and dehydration tank, I4: Measuring unit, 28: Light source, 24: Photosensitive element, 26: Water supply solenoid valve, 27: Water receiving tank, 28: Hose, 29: Water level detection device. Agent Patent attorney Aihiko Fuku (and 2 others) Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A measuring section is provided in communication with the water tank through which cleaning liquid flows, and the measuring section controls washing or rinsing operations by a combination of a light source and a photosensitive element, and a hose is installed in the measuring section. A water receiving tank communicates with the water receiving tank, a water supply valve that controls the water supply into the tank and supplies clean water into the measurement unit via the water receiving tank and hose, and detects changes in the water level in the water receiving tank and adjusts the specified water level. A washing machine characterized by comprising: a water level detection device that closes a water supply valve when the water level reaches the water level.