JPS61232891A - Apparatus for detecting washing article quantity 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 Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laundry amount detection device for a washing machine.

Conventional technology Conventionally, in order to detect the amount of laundry, the instantaneous load fluctuation of the motor current when the laundry hits the stirring blade during washing, for example, the motor current is passed through a frequency filter and only the fluctuation is extracted. A method was used to detect the amount of laundry and determine the amount of laundry.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such conventional methods, the situation in which the laundry hits the agitating blades (for example, slipping) changes depending on the type of fabric (for example, cotton or synthetic fibers) during washing, and instantaneous load fluctuations and There is a problem in that the relationship between the amount of laundry (hereinafter referred to as the amount of cloth) is different as shown in FIG. 4, and the amount of laundry cannot be determined just by looking at the instantaneous load fluctuation regardless of the type of cloth. The present invention is intended to solve these problems, and aims to determine the amount of cloth regardless of the type of cloth.

Means for Solving the Problem In order to solve this problem, the laundry amount detection device for a washing machine of the present invention includes a load detection means for detecting the load applied to the stirring blades of the washing machine, and a signal from the load detection means. instantaneous load fluctuation detection means for detecting instantaneous fluctuations in the load; waveform shaping means for shaping the output at a certain level; a counter for counting the number of pulses at the output; This configuration includes a cloth amount determining means for determining the amount of cloth, and a water supply valve control means for controlling the water supply valve using the output thereof.

With this configuration, first, the laundry is placed in a washing tub without water, the stirring blades are driven without water, the instantaneous load fluctuation when the cloth hits the stirring blades is detected, and the output is kept constant. Shape the waveform at the level, count the number of pulses at the output, determine the cloth type, then open the water supply valve, supply water to a certain level, drive the stirring blade, and repeat the above method again. The amount of cloth is determined by counting the pulses during waveform shaping for load fluctuations. At this time, since the type of cloth is clearly determined, the amount of cloth can be determined more accurately.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 is the stirring blade, 2 is the laundry, 3 is the motor, 4
is a load detection means consisting of a current transformer, which detects the load applied to the stirring blade 1. Reference numeral 6 denotes instantaneous load fluctuation detection means consisting of a frequency filter, which detects instantaneous load fluctuations from the signal from the load detection means 4. 6 is a waveform shaping means for shaping the waveform of the output of the means 5 at a certain level; 7 is a counter for counting the number of pulses at the output of the waveform shaping means 6; 8 is a storage section Sa, an arithmetic control section gb, and an input section. Cloth type/cloth amount determining means comprising a cloth type/cloth amount determining means 8c and an output section 8d determines cloth type or cloth amount based on the output of the counter. 9 is a motor drive device, 10 is a water supply valve driving means for controlling the water supply valve 13, 11 is a washing tub, and 12 is a water level detection means.

The operation of the laundry amount detection device for a washing machine configured as described above will be described below.

First, the laundry 2 is put into a washing tub 11 which has no water, and then a small amount of water is supplied by a water supply valve driving means 1o to moisten the laundry 2. Then, the wet laundry 2 is placed on the stirring blade 1. In this state, the motor drive device 9 is driven to rotate the motor 3. Since there is no water or anything between the damp laundry 2 and the stirring blade 10, the laundry 2
The laundry 2 moves due to the friction between the agitating blades 1 and the agitating blades 1. At this time, the load of laundry acts on the stirring blade 1, and the current of the motor 3 connected to the stirring blade 1 fluctuates to some extent. The current is detected by the current transformer of the load detection means 4, and the variation thereof is extracted by the instantaneous load fluctuation detection means 6.

Figure 2 shows the output waveform of the load detection means 4, and Figure 2B shows the output waveform of the instantaneous load fluctuation detection means 6. A waveform shaping means 6 clips the waveform of B at a certain level and performs waveform shaping (the output waveform is shown in FIG. 2C). This waveform is counted by a counter 7, and if it is less than a certain number, it is determined that it is synthetic fiber, and if it is more than that, it is determined that it is cotton. Note that A to G in FIG. 1 correspond to A to C in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows the output waveforms of the instantaneous load fluctuation detection means 6 according to the cloth type using the method described above. As is clear from this waveform, there is a large difference in output level between wet cotton and synthetic fiber. The output level of 0.4 Kg (M, ) for cotton is 3.5 kg (M, ) for synthetic fibers.
Since it is equal to or greater than 6 Kg (M2), the output of B v1
The type of fabric can be determined based on whether it is above or below.

This is considered to be due to the following reasons. In other words, when a small amount of water is applied to the laundry to moisten it without water being supplied to the washing tub, regardless of the amount of cloth, synthetic cloth does not contain much water, so the friction with the stirring blade 1 is small. Since cotton-based cloth tends to contain a large amount of water, friction with the stirring blade 1 becomes large. For this reason, an extreme difference occurs in the amount of fluctuation applied to the stirring blade 1. Note that in the following cases, cotton and synthetic fibers are both v1 or lower and the fabric type cannot be determined, but in this case, the amount of fabric is small, so the amount of water supplied after that is a very small constant amount and there is no need to make a separate judgment.

Next, the water supply valve 13 is opened by the water supply valve driving means 10, water is supplied into the washing tub 11 to a normal low water level as detected by the water level detection means 12, and the laundry 2 is stirred by the stirring blade 1. This variation is detected in exactly the same way as when no water is put into the washing tub 11 described above, but this time water is put into the washing tub 11 and is being stirred, so the water flow hits the cloth against the stirring blade 1. Force is also applied, and various factors such as cloth type, cloth amount, water flow, etc. are also added, and fluctuations occur due to factors different from those mentioned above.

In this case, the relationship between the amount of laundry and the fluctuation of the stirring blade 1 is as shown in FIG. Now, from Figure 4, if v3 appears in the B output, it is either cotton M4 (K9) or synthetic fiber Ms.
(Kp). However, since we have already determined from Figure 3 whether it is cotton or synthetic fiber, we can decide between U4 (Kp) for cotton and Ms (Kp) for synthetic fiber.

Therefore, water is supplied according to the amount determined by either M4 or M5. However, as shown in Figure 4, the output is equivalent to v2 of the B output shown at '+ (K5') for cotton. Synthetic fiber M3 (KP) is impossible to distinguish, so cotton M,
(Nig) and below and synthetic fibers below M5 (Kp) cannot be distinguished.

However, since the amount of cloth is small for M5 (Kp) or less, there is no need to make a distinction and only a minimal constant amount of water can be supplied. For example, the water level may be "low" or "low" depending on the amount of cloth.

Can be set to "medium" or "high".

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the type of cloth can be accurately determined and the water level corresponding to the weight in the washing tub can be automatically set, and the effects are outstanding.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
Figures A-C are waveform diagrams of various parts in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the weight of cloth and the output of the instantaneous load fluctuation detection means when there is no water in the washing tub of the present invention, and Figure 4. is a characteristic diagram when there is water in the washing tub. 1...Agitating blade, 2...Laundry, 3...
-...Motor, 4...Load detection means, 5...
... Instantaneous load fluctuation detection means, 6 ... Waveform shaping means, 7 ... Counter, 8 ... Cloth type and cloth amount determination means. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person No. 1
Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] load detection means for detecting the load applied to the stirring blade; instantaneous load fluctuation detection means for detecting instantaneous fluctuations in the load from a signal from the load detection means; and waveform shaping for shaping the output at a certain level. A washing machine comprising a counter for counting the number of pulses based on the output thereof, a cloth amount determining means for determining the amount of cloth using the output, and a water supply valve control means for controlling a water supply valve using the output. Laundry amount detection device.