JPS6316158B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field) The present invention relates to a method for controlling a washing machine that automatically sequentially performs processes such as water supply, washing, and drainage.

(Prior art) In order to efficiently and completely wash dirty laundry, the amount of detergent, water, and washing time must be set appropriately depending on how dirty the laundry is and the amount of laundry. However, in the past, this was left to the discretion of the user. In this case, depending on how the user handles the laundry, proper washing may not be done, and even if the amount of detergent, water, or washing time is set to a lower amount, the washing will not be done properly, and if the laundry is particularly dirty, washing may not be done properly. When washing items, it may not be possible to remove stains in one wash, so it may be necessary to add detergent and wash the item a second time.

However, conventional washing machines do not have a function that determines whether the washing is being done properly or not, so even if the washing is insufficient, the machine does not notice and simply moves on to rinsing and finishes the washing. It was becoming a thing.

(Purpose) The present invention was made in view of the above points, and by detecting the turbidity of the liquid at the start and end of washing and during drainage, and calculating and comparing these values, it is possible to determine whether the washing condition is appropriate or not. to be able to determine
This was designed to eliminate the drawbacks of the previous model.

Particularly, in the present invention, when it is determined that the washing condition is inappropriate, the washing is automatically performed again, thereby making it possible to provide a product that is more suitable for practical use.

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of a fully automatic washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure,
1 is a water tank, 2 is a washing tank that also serves as a dehydrator, 3 is a pulsator, 4 is a dehydrator and washing motor, 5 is a drain pipe for the water tank 1 into which a drain valve 6 is inserted, and 7 is a drain for supplying water to the washing tub 2 10 is a motor control section that controls the drive of the motor 4; 11 is a drain valve control section that controls drain valve 6 on and off; 12 is a valve; A drain valve controller 13 controls the water supply valve 7 on and off, and a water amount detector 13 detects the amount of water in the washing tub 2 . 15 is a turbidity detection unit that optically detects the turbidity of the liquid in the drain pipe 5 using a detector 14 that combines a light emitting element and a light receiving element; 16 is a storage unit 17 that stores the detected turbidity value; 18 is a time counter; 19 is each control unit 10, 11,
12 and a sequence control unit that controls the detergent injection device 8 and the like to automatically execute steps such as water supply, washing, drainage, rinsing and dehydration in sequence; 20 is a buzzer;
This is a notification part such as a lamp.

The operation of the above configuration will now be described.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the main steps, and FIG. 3 is a model diagram showing the transition of the output level of the turbidity detection section.

Before water supply, the optical path of the detector 14 (drainage pipe 5)
Since there is no water inside, only air, the detection level of the turbidity detector 15 is at a high level (hereinafter referred to as air level). Now, when a washing start switch (not shown) is turned on, the sequence control section 19 gives control signals to each section to execute a series of steps.

First, when entering the water supply process, after a predetermined amount of detergent is dispensed by the detergent dispensing device 8, the water supply valve control unit 12
The water supply valve 7 is opened to start water supply. Then,
Since water enters the optical path of the detector 14 and the light is scattered, the detection level of the turbidity detector 15 will temporarily drop to zero level, but the water level will rise and the optical path will be filled with water. When the water in the optical path becomes stable, the detection level also becomes stable and becomes the clear water level. This fresh water level is lower than the air level.

When the amount of water in the washing tub 2 reaches a predetermined amount, the water amount detection section 13 activates the water supply valve control section 12 to close the water supply valve 7, and water supply is completed. The detection value A of the turbidity detection section 15 at the time of completion of this water supply (same state as at the start of washing) is read by the level determination section 16 and stored in the storage section 17.

When the motor 4 is driven by the motor control unit 10 to rotate the pulsator 3 and start the washing process, the detergent and water are dissolved, and the dirt from the laundry is deposited in the washing liquid, making it cloudy. As a result, the detection level of the turbidity detection unit 15 gradually decreases. and,
When the detection level stops changing over time, the level determination unit 16 detects the end of washing, reads the detection value B of the turbidity detection unit 15 at that time, stores it in the storage unit 17, and further stores the detection value A and the detection value B. The difference between the two values is calculated and the value V ₁ (V ₁ =A−B) is stored in the storage unit 17 . Thereafter, the motor control unit 10 stops the motor 4, and the washing process ends.

Next, the drain valve control unit 11 opens the drain valve 6, and the process moves to the drain process. During washing, many fine bubbles are generated by the detergent and mixed in the washing liquid, but when the pulsator 3 stops, the bubbles move to the water surface. However, when the drain valve 6 opens immediately after the pulsator 3 stops, the discharged washing liquid contains bubbles, and the amount of bubbles mixed is small because the bubbles move quickly to the water surface. It gradually decreases. As the amount of bubbles intervening in the optical path increases, the amount of light scattered by the bubbles also increases, so the detection level of the turbidity detection unit 15 once rapidly drops and then rises again. Therefore, by detecting the minimum value C of the detection level of the turbidity detection unit 15 during drainage, it is possible to know the amount of foam in the washing liquid, that is, the amount of detergent, and how much cleaning ability remains in the washing liquid. You can tell if it's on. The level determination unit 16 detects the minimum value C from the change over time in the detection level of the turbidity detection unit 15 during drainage, and calculates the difference between this minimum value C and a value B stored in the storage unit 17. The calculated value V ₂ (V ₂ =B−C) is stored in the storage unit 17 . As drainage progresses and most of the washing liquid is discharged, the bubbles floating on the water surface pass through the optical path finally, so the detection level of the turbidity detector 15 drops to zero level, and when the bubbles are discharged, the air The water will rise to this level, thereby detecting the completion of the drainage process.

When the drainage process is completed, the level determination unit 16 first determines whether the value _V1 stored in the storage unit 17 is equal to or greater than the predetermined value X, and if it is equal to or greater than the predetermined value X, the value It is determined whether or not V ₂ is less than a predetermined value Y, and when it is less than a predetermined value Y, it is determined that the washing condition is inappropriate (insufficient washing), and the notification unit 20 is activated and the user is instructed to wash the clothes again. While notifying the user that the process will be executed, the water supply, washing, and draining processes including adding detergent as described above are repeatedly executed.

Then, the process moves to the rinsing process when the relationship V ₁ <X or V ₂ >Y is established. Note that the values X and Y, which serve as criteria for determining whether the washing condition is appropriate or inappropriate, are determined in advance based on data obtained through experiments or the like.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing changes in the detection level of the turbidity detector when the laundry is heavily soiled or when the amount of detergent or water is insufficient. As is clear from this figure, when the washing liquid is heavily soiled or when there is insufficient water, the turbidity of the washing liquid is extremely large and the value _V1 is also large. When the washing capacity is lost, there are few bubbles in the washing liquid, and the value V ₂ becomes a small value. Then,
In such a case, the relationship is V ₁ > X, V ₂ < Y,
Determining that the washing is insufficient, operating the notification unit 20,
Repeat washing again.

Note that when a buzzer is used as the notification section 20, the buzzer is made to sound for a certain period of time and then stopped, or it is made to sound intermittently during rewashing and then stopped when the rinse process starts. Also, if a lamp is used, it should not turn on or blink while rewashing is in progress.
In particular, in the case of blinking, it may be switched to lighting when the rinsing process begins to notify that re-washing has been executed. Further, a buzzer and a lamp may be used together as the notification section 20, an example of which is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

The present invention is not limited to fully automatic washing machines, but can be implemented in any washing machine that can automatically perform at least the water supply, washing, and drainage steps in sequence. or,
The time to add detergent may be set after water is supplied. In addition, the present invention can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the invention.

(Effects) As described above, according to the present invention, by detecting the turbidity of the liquid at the start and end of washing and during drainage, and calculating and comparing these values, it is possible to determine whether the washing condition is appropriate or inappropriate. Not only can the drawbacks of the conventional method be overcome, but also the washing can be automatically performed again when the washing condition is determined to be inappropriate, making it more suitable for practical use.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the control system of the fully automatic washing machine according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flowchart of the main steps of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4 show the transition of the detection level of the turbidity detection section of the above. The figure shown in FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the above embodiment and other embodiments. 2... Washing tub, 5... Drain pipe line, 15... Turbidity detection section, 16... Level determination section, 17... Storage section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a washing machine that automatically sequentially performs processes such as water supply, washing, and drainage, a turbidity detection unit that optically detects the turbidity of the liquid in the drain pipe of the washing tub;
and a level determination unit that stores the detected value by the turbidity detection unit in a storage unit and calculates and compares the values to determine the washing condition, and sequentially detects the turbidity of the liquid at the start and end of washing. Furthermore, it detects the minimum turbidity value of the liquid during drainage, and calculates the difference between the detected value at the start and end of washing, and the difference between the detected value at the end of washing and the minimum detected value during drainage. A method for controlling a washing machine comprises determining the condition of washing based on the difference, and controlling the water supply, washing and draining steps to be executed again when the condition of the washing is determined to be inappropriate.