JPS61290991A - Apparatus for detecting optimum water level 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 device for detecting the optimum water level for laundry in a washing machine.

Prior to conventional technology, the washing machine uses an ultrasonic transmitter/receiver installed above the washing tub as an optimum water level detection device to determine whether the water level is at the optimum water level by measuring the distance within the washing 114ff tub. A method is proposed.

Next, the conventional optimal water level detection device for washing in will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 shows the optimal water level detection device for the washing well. In FIG. 3, 1 is an ultrasonic transmitter, 2 is an ultrasonic receiver, 3 is an ultrasonic distance meter, 4 is a water level sensor, 5 is a water supply valve, 6 is a water supply valve drive device, 7 is a motor drive device, 8 9 is a start switch, and 9 is a control device.

The operation will be explained below according to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, put laundry a and detergent into an empty washing tub (11). Then press start switch 8 (12
), then a signal is output from the control device 9 and the water supply valve drive device 6
is driven, the water supply valve 5 opens, and water is supplied into the washing tub (
13) The control device 9 receives the signal from the water level sensor 4 and determines whether the water level has reached a constant level 14) If the water level is constant, the water supply valve drive device 6 is operated by the control device i9 to Start the process of "Turning off the water" (15). Next, the motor drive device 7 is driven by the control device 9, and the process of "stirring the motor to blend the water and cloth" (16) begins.

When the process is completed, the ultrasonic distance meter 3 is activated by the controller @9. As a result, the ultrasonic distance meter 3 calculates the distance from the transceiver 1.2 to the detected object in the washing tub based on the time it takes for the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the ultrasonic transmitter 1 to be received by the ultrasonic receiver 2. Measure (17). The distance measured there and
Compare and determine whether the roughly measured distances from the transceivers 1 and 2 to the constant water level are the same in the control device 9 (18
). If the water level is at the optimum level, the laundry item a will sink below the water surface, and the surface will be at the water level, so the distances will match, and the control device 9 will judge that the water level is at the optimal water level (19).If the water level is not at the optimal level, the laundry item a will be Because they are above the water surface, they are not at the same distance in step (18), so proceed to step ``supply water'' (13), and repeat the same operation as above.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the above configuration, since detergent is initially added, bubbles form on the water surface when measuring distance using ultrasonic waves. Since the ultrasonic waves are absorbed and scattered by the bubbles, it is not possible to accurately measure whether or not the laundry is on the water surface, and it is also difficult to determine whether the water level is at an optimum level.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and even if bubbles are generated, the state of the water surface in the washing tub can be determined by ultrasonic waves.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an optimal water level detection device for a washing machine that can easily detect the optimal water level.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention installs an ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic receiver, and a blower above the washing tub of a washing machine.
connecting the ultrasonic receiver and the ultrasonic receiver to an ultrasonic range finder, connecting the ultrasonic range finder to a IIJtll device, and connecting the control device to a motor drive device, a water valve drive device, and the blower, The system is configured to control each of them, and the optimum water level is determined when the water surface in the washing tub and the water surface according to the data obtained from the ultrasonic distance meter are the same height. By measuring the distance to the water surface using ultrasonic waves while blowing bubbles, it is possible to accurately measure the state of the water surface.

Effect: With this configuration, the detergent is added at the beginning, so
Even if bubbles occur on the water surface when stirring the cloth (laundry) to mix it with the water, the distance can be measured using ultrasonic waves while blowing air with an air blower to remove the bubbles on the water surface. The state on the water surface can be accurately detected, making it possible to detect the optimal water level.

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below based on the adhesive side. 1st
In the figure, 1 is an ultrasonic transmitter, and 2 is an ultrasonic receiver, which are connected to an ultrasonic distance meter 3, and the ultrasonic distance meter 3 is connected to a control device 9, which controls the water level in the washing tub. Detection is connected to the water level sensor 4, the water supply valve drive bag @6 of the water supply valve 5 that supplies water into the washing tank W1, and the motor drive device 7 that drives the motor that rotates the pulsator of the washing tub,
Furthermore, it is also connected to a blower 10 installed above the washing tub.

Next, the operation of this configuration will be explained according to the flowchart shown in FIG. (11) to (1) in the flowchart
The steps up to 9) are the same as those in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 and will therefore be omitted. The difference with Figure 4 is (16) and (
During the step 17), “Send air over the water surface with feed 1” (2
0) is included. In other words, in the process of ``stir the motor and mix the water with the cloth'' (16), bubbles are generated on the water surface, so a blower is used to blow the bubbles away, and then ``the distance is measured using ultrasonic waves'' (17). The process begins.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, even if bubbles are generated, the state of the water surface can be detected using ultrasonic waves, and the optimum water level can be detected, and the practical effects thereof are extremely large.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart thereof, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional optimum water level detection device, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart thereof. 1... Ultrasonic transmitter, 2... Ultrasonic receiver, 3...
・Ultrasonic distance meter, 4... Water level sensor, 5... Water supply valve, 7... Motor drive device, 9... Control device, 10
...Blower agent Yoshihiro Morimoto Figure 1 1σ-1 machine -3 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic receiver, and a blower are installed above the washing tub of a washing machine, and the ultrasonic transmitter and ultrasonic receiver are connected to an ultrasonic distance meter. A sonic distance meter is connected to a control device, and the control device is connected to a motor drive device, a water supply valve drive device, and the blower to control each of them, and the ultrasonic distance between the water surface in the washing tub and the ultrasonic distance is An optimal water level detection device for washing machines that determines the optimal water level when the height of the water surface is the same based on data obtained from the meter. 2. The optimal water level detection device for a washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control device receives a detection signal from a water level sensor that detects the water level of the washing tub.