JPS61154697A - 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 a rinsing operation by optically detecting changes in the transparency of a washing liquid.

(Prior art) Recently, various automatic washing machines have been developed that control the rinsing operation by optically detecting changes in the transparency of the cleaning liquid. It was a problem. That is, when controlling the rinsing operation based on the relative difference in transparency between fresh water and cleaning liquid, it is necessary to purely detect the transparency of fresh water, which increases control accuracy. However, although clean water is supplied in the water supply stage before the rinsing operation, the clean water passes through the water tank and reaches the measurement unit, so detergent and dirt that adhere to the water tank during the washing operation and remain even after the water is drained are removed from the clean water. The clarity of fresh water could not be detected purely due to the detergent components and dirt.

(Purpose) The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is intended to enable pure detection of the transparency of fresh water and improve the control accuracy of the rinsing operation.

(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 lid 7 that closes the opening of the valve case 5, a valve body 8 that opens and closes the opening/closing port 6, a spring 9 that always biases the valve body 8 in the closing direction, a solenoid 10 that opens the valve body 8, etc. This is the constructed drain valve. The valve case 5 is made of, for example, a molded product of synthetic resin, and a conduit section 11 is integrally molded so as to be continuous with the opening/closing opening section 6 . This conduit section 11 has connection ports 12 and 13 at the tip and near the opening/closing port 6, and both connection ports 1
A measuring part 14 is provided between 2.13 and another connecting port I5 is provided between the measuring part 14 and the connecting port 12, and the connecting port 12 is directly connected to the drain port 16 at the bottom of the tank 4-Q. The connection port 13 is connected to the circulation port 17 in the lower side wall of the tank l via a pipe 18 to communicate with the inside of the tank l.

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.
a, 22a. 23 is a light source (infrared light emitting diode) press-fitted and held in the transparent cover 21, and 24 is a photosensitive element (phototransistor) press-fitted and held in the other transparent cover 22.

Reference numerals 25 and 26 indicate water supply solenoid valves connected to a water tap or the like, and one water supply solenoid valve 25 constitutes a water supply means for supplying water to the water tank 1. 27 is a water receiving tank that receives water supply from the other water supply solenoid valve 26; 28 is a water receiving tank 27 and a connection port 15;
The water supply electromagnetic valve 26, the water receiving tank 27, and the hose 28 constitute a water supply means for supplying fresh water into the measuring section 14. 29 is the program control unit 3
This is a valve control unit that controls the water supply solenoid valves 25 and 26 according to instructions from 0.

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 inertial rotation of the dehydration tank 2.

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 11 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 machine 4, and control operations such as washing or washing.

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. to move to.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing changes in the transparency of the cleaning liquid during rinsing, where solid line A indicates fresh water and solid line No. 1 indicates 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 transparency and the relative difference X with fresh water reaches a predetermined value. Here, to explain the water supply before the rinsing operation, which is a feature of the present invention, first, the water supply solenoid valve 26 opens prior to the water supply solenoid valve 25, and the water is supplied through the water supply solenoid valve 26, the water receiving tank 27, and the hose 28. Fresh water is supplied into the measuring section 14, and the fresh water that does not pass through the water tank 1 accumulates inside the measuring section 14. After a certain period of time, the water supply solenoid valve 26 is closed and the water supply solenoid valve 25 is opened, and the water tank 1 is closed. Supply water directly into the interior.

Therefore, the transparency of fresh water at the start of the rinsing operation is purely detected and based on this (effect). can be increased.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

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. l: Water tank, 2: Washing and dehydration tank, 14: Measuring unit, 23: Light source, 24: Photosensitive element, 25, 26: Water supply solenoid valve, 2
7: Water tank, 28: Hose.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A measuring section that is in communication with the water tank and through which the cleaning liquid flows, and in which the measuring section detects changes in the transparency of the cleaning liquid using a combination of a light source and a photosensitive element to control the rinsing operation, A first water supply means for supplying water into the water tank, and a second water supply means for supplying water directly into the measuring section without passing through the water tank, and when water is supplied before the rinsing operation, the second water supply means is used as the first water supply. A washing machine characterized by being operated in advance of means.