JPS61206494A - Turbidity detector of 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] This invention introduces washing water in a washing tub into a circulation waterway of a connecting pipe and a conduit pipe formed below the washing tub, and reduces the turbidity of the water in the circulation waterway. The present invention relates to a turbidity detection device for a washing machine that detects turbidity using an optical detection means.

<Summary of the Invention> In summary, this invention separates air bubbles from the washing water that is led to the optical detection means of the turbidity detection device of the washing machine by forming a container part in a part of the communication pipe, This improves the detection function.

<Prior Art and Its Disadvantages> In recent years, washing machines have been increasingly automated in order to simplify the work of users. A turbidity detection device for washing machines has been devised to further effectively advance the above-mentioned automation. As shown in FIG. 3, the above-mentioned turbidity detection device is equipped with a conductive pipe 5 that communicates the washing tub 1 with a part of the communicating pipes 1 and 8 that communicate the washing tub 1 and the drain port 17. It constitutes a water circulation channel for water 2. A photosensor consisting of a light emitting element 12 and a light receiving element 13 is disposed facing each other in a part of the conductive tube 5, and the light beam of the light emitting element 12 passes through the window 14 and the washing water and is transmitted to the light receiving element 13. Light is received. In addition, a barrier 19 is provided near the connecting pipe on the bottom of the washing tub 1.
During a washing operation or a rinsing operation, the rotation of the pulsator 3 causes the washing water to flow as shown by the arrow in the figure. At this time,
The output of the light receiving element 13 varies depending on the degree of contamination of the washing water flowing in the conductive pipe 5. When the washing water is highly transparent, the output of the light receiving element 13 is large, and when the washing water is turbid and has low transparency, the output of the light receiving element 13 is large. When the dirt is completely removed from the laundry and is diffused and suspended in the washing water, the output of the light-receiving element hardly changes and an equilibrium state is reached after a certain period of time has elapsed. In other words, by detecting this equilibrium state, it is possible to know when the washing work has finished.

However, none of the above-mentioned conventional turbidity detection devices is designed to remove air bubbles generated in washing water by rotation of a pulsator during washing operations, and the air bubbles pass through an optical detection means disposed in a conduction pipe. In this case, the light rays from the light emitting element 12 are reflected diffusely and become unstable, making it impossible to detect the equilibrium state of the output value, which has the drawback that the above-mentioned device cannot be used effectively.

<Object of the Invention> In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the object of the present invention is to effectively operate the optical detection means of the turbidity detection device of the washing machine and stabilize the output of the detection means, thereby facilitating the equilibrium state. An object of the present invention is to provide a turbidity detection device for a washing machine that can detect turbidity and realize automation of washing work.

<Configuration and Effects of the Invention> The present invention provides a conduit pipe that communicates a part of a conduit pipe that communicates between a washing tub and a drain port with the washing tub, and an optical detection means in a part of this conduit pipe. The turbidity detection device for a washing tub is characterized in that a container portion is formed by enlarging a cross-sectional area of a portion of the communicating pipe.

With the above-described configuration, air bubbles in the washing water can be collected in the container section in front of the optical detection means, and only washing water that does not contain air bubbles can be passed between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the optical detection means. can. Therefore, it is possible to prevent diffused reflection caused by air bubbles, to prevent the output of the light receiving element from becoming unstable due to this, and to easily detect the end of the washing process, making it possible to effectively automate the washing process. can.

<Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic structure of a turbidity detection device for a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. A drain valve 9 is provided above the drain port 17 and has a valve body 6 and an elastic body 7 that biases the valve body 6 in the direction of arrow B. A communication pipe 5 is disposed between a part of the communication pipe 1B and the washing tub l to communicate the two. Window sections 14 facing each other are formed in a part of the conductive tube 5, and a light emitting element 12 and a light receiving element 13 of a photosensor are disposed inside each window section 14. A photosensor consisting of the light receiving element 12 and the light emitting element 13 is an optical detection means. A rod 16 is fixed to the valve body 6, and a sponge 15 that comes into contact with the surface of the window 14 is fixed to the end of the rod 16. An actuator 1) of a solenoid 10 is engaged with a rod 8 fixed to a side surface of seven elastic bodies of the valve body 6. With the above configuration, when the washing water 2 is drained, the solenoid 10 is turned on and the actuator 1) is moved in the direction of the arrow A. The above operation moves the valve body 6 in the direction of arrow A, opening the space between the communication pipe 18 and the drain port 17. When the drain operation is completed, the solenoid 10 is turned off, and the elastic force of the elastic body 7 in the direction of arrow B moves the valve body 6 to close the space between the communication pipe 18 and the drain port 17. As the valve body 6 moves in the direction of arrow A or B, the sponge 15 also moves in the direction of arrow A or B and slides on the window section 14 to clean the surface of the window section so that optical detection by the photosensor can be performed normally. Do it like this.

A portion of the communication pipe 18 has an enlarged cross-sectional area to form a container portion 20. A barrier 19 is fixed on the bottom of the washing tub 1 near the conduit 18 to effectively allow washing water to flow into the conduit 18 as the pulsator 3 rotates.

With the above-mentioned configuration, during the washing operation, the pulsator 3 rotates, and the washing water 2 circulates within the conduction pipe 18 and the conduction pipe 5 as shown by the arrows in the figure. Bubbles 21 generated in the washing water during the washing operation remain in the container portion 20 when passing through the conduit 18, and only liquid flows into the conduit 5. For this reason,
The light beam from the light emitting element 12 reaches the light receiving element 13 without being diffusely reflected by bubbles, and the output of the light receiving element 13 is stabilized.

The bubbles 22 remaining in the container portion 20 gradually grow larger. The upper surface of the container part 20 is sloped with the conduit pipe 18 facing upward, and the grown air bubbles are exhausted from the washing tub 1 to the outside through the conduit pipe 18.

FIGS. 2(A) to 2(C) show another embodiment of the container portion of the turbidity detection device for the washing machine.

As shown in FIG. 2(A), the conduit pipes 18 and 18' are arranged eccentrically above and below the container portion 20. The above configuration allows the bubbles 21 to remain in the container portion 20 more effectively.

What is shown in FIG. 2(B) is one in which barrier plates 23 and 24 are disposed within the container portion 20 shown in FIG. 2(A).

The above configuration makes it possible to more effectively prevent air bubbles from remaining in the container part 20 and prevent them from flowing into the lower conduit 18'. FIG. It is something. As shown in the figure, the barrier plate 23 is
By disposing it in the container section 20 having the configuration shown in the figure,
The residual effect of bubbles can be improved.

As described above, according to the present invention, air bubbles generated in the washing liquid remain in the container to prevent them from flowing into the position where the optical detection means is disposed, and to prevent diffuse reflection of light from the light emitting element. , it is possible to stabilize the output of the light receiving element.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic structure of a turbidity detection device for a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2A to 2C are part of the turbidity detection device for a washing machine described above. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a schematic structure of a conventional turbidity detection device for a washing machine, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing a turbidity detection device for a washing machine. It is a graph showing a change over time in the output of the light receiving element of the optical detection means that constitutes a part. 1-washing tub, 5-conducting tube, 12-light emitting element, 13-light receiving element, 18-conducting tube, 2o-container part.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A part of the communication pipe that communicates between the washing tub and the drain port is provided with a communication pipe that communicates between the washing tub, and a part of the communication pipe is equipped with an optical detection means. A turbidity detection device for a washing tub, wherein a container portion is formed by enlarging a cross-sectional area of a part of the communication pipe. (2) The turbidity detection device for a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the container section has an upper surface inclined with the communicating pipe side facing upward. (3) The turbidity detection device for a washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the container portion includes a barrier plate therein.