JPS6346717B2

JPS6346717B2 -

Info

Publication number: JPS6346717B2
Application number: JP58217550A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Takatomo Matsumi
Original assignee: Sharp Corp
Current assignee: Sharp Corp
Priority date: 1983-11-17
Filing date: 1983-11-17
Publication date: 1988-09-16
Also published as: JPS60108084A

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】（技術分野）本発明は洗濯機の制御方法に係り、特に布負荷
に応じた洗濯水量の自動設定に関するものであ
る。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field) The present invention relates to a method of controlling a washing machine, and more particularly to automatic setting of the amount of washing water according to the load on cloth.

（従来技術）従来の洗濯機における洗濯水量の設定には、使
用者が布負荷に応じ給水して決める方式と、自動
洗濯機にみられるように、水位設定スイツチを使
用者が操作し、水位設定スイツチに応じた水位ま
で自動的に給水される方式があり、いずれの場合
も使用者が洗濯水量を決める方式である。この
為、使用者の扱いのいかんによつては、洗濯に際
して最適な水量で洗濯が成されない場合が有り、
水量が少ない場合は洗濯が十分行なわれないばか
りでなく、パルセータに布が直接接触する時間が
長くなり、布のいたみが発生するものであつた。
又、水量が多すぎる場合にも、洗濯が十分行なわ
れず、水の損失を招くものであつた。(Prior art) In conventional washing machines, the amount of washing water can be set by the user supplying water according to the load of cloth, or, as in automatic washing machines, the user operates a water level setting switch to set the water level. There is a method in which water is automatically supplied to a water level according to a setting switch, and in either case, the user determines the amount of washing water. For this reason, depending on how the user handles the product, washing may not be done with the optimal amount of water.
When the amount of water is small, not only is washing insufficient, but the time in which the cloth is in direct contact with the pulsator increases, causing damage to the cloth.
Also, when the amount of water is too large, washing is not carried out sufficiently, resulting in water loss.

最近、このような欠点を解消するものとして、
特公昭58−30078号公報に見られるように、洗濯
槽の最低水位まで給水した後、モータを一定時間
駆動して該モータに流れる電流を検出し、その一
定時間当たりの電流の平均値に応じて追加給水を
行うようにしたものが提案されている。 Recently, as a solution to these shortcomings,
As seen in Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-30078, after water is supplied to the lowest water level in the washing tub, the motor is driven for a certain period of time, the current flowing through the motor is detected, and the A system has been proposed in which additional water is supplied.

しかし、洗濯槽に水を給水しただけでは、洗濯
物はすぐに水を吸い込まないため、洗濯物の下に
水がたまるため、洗濯槽に最低水位まで給水した
後、一定時間モータを駆動させてこの時の該モー
タに流れる電流を検出しても、上記洗濯物は水に
浮いているため、パルセータに接触する洗濯物が
少なく、該洗濯物の量を正確に検出することがで
きず、適確な制御を行うことができず、また、適
確な制御を行うためには、上記の制御を複数回行
う必要があり、洗濯時間が長くなり消費電力の浪
費になるという欠点があつた。 However, if you just supply water to the washing tub, the laundry will not absorb the water immediately and the water will accumulate under the laundry. Therefore, after filling the washing tub with water to the lowest water level, the motor should be driven for a certain period of time. Even if the current flowing through the motor at this time is detected, since the laundry is floating on water, there is little laundry that comes into contact with the pulsator, and the amount of laundry cannot be detected accurately, making it impossible to detect the amount of laundry accurately. It is not possible to perform precise control, and in order to perform proper control, it is necessary to perform the above-mentioned control multiple times, resulting in a long washing time and a waste of power consumption.

（目的）本発明は上記のような欠点を解消するものであ
つて、洗濯槽の最低水位まで給水した後、モータ
を所定時間駆動して停止し、該モータの惰性回転
時におけるモータ巻線の誘起電圧の立ち下がり時
間を測定して該立ち下がり時間のレベルを判定
し、該レベルが所定レベル以上の時直接、所定レ
ベル以下の時そのレベル差に応じた水位まで追加
給水した後洗濯動作に移行させることにより、常
に布負荷に応じた適正水量で洗濯、すすぎを実行
させ、布いたみが少なく、節水効果の高い洗濯機
を提供するものである。(Objective) The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and, after supplying water to the lowest water level of the washing tub, the motor is driven for a predetermined time and then stopped, and the motor windings are reduced during inertial rotation of the motor. The fall time of the induced voltage is measured to determine the level of the fall time, and when the level is above a predetermined level, water is supplied directly, and when it is below a predetermined level, additional water is supplied to a water level corresponding to the level difference, and then the washing operation is started. By shifting the washing machine, washing and rinsing are always carried out with an appropriate amount of water depending on the load on the cloth, and a washing machine that causes less cloth staining and has a high water-saving effect is provided.

（実施例）以下本発明の実施例を図面に基づいて説明す
る。(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

図において、１は洗濯槽、２は洗濯物を撹拌す
る為のパルセータで、モータ３によつて駆動され
る。４はモータ３を制御するモータ制御部であ
る。５は洗濯槽１に水を供給する為の給水弁であ
り、給水弁制御部６によつてオン―オフ制御され
る。８はモータ３の誘起電圧検出部であり、モー
タ３への通電をしや断し惰性回転時にロータの残
留磁気によつて巻線に誘起される誘起電圧を検出
する。この検出した電圧がある所定の値に立ち下
がるまでの時間をタイムカウンター部９で測定す
る。そしてこの立ち下がり時間のレベルをレベル
判定部１０で判定し、この立ち下がり時間レベル
によつて給水弁制御部６が動作し、給水量を調節
する。７は洗濯槽１の給水水量を検知する水量検
知部である。 In the figure, 1 is a washing tub, 2 is a pulsator for stirring the laundry, and is driven by a motor 3. 4 is a motor control section that controls the motor 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes a water supply valve for supplying water to the washing tub 1, which is controlled on-off by a water supply valve control section 6. Reference numeral 8 denotes an induced voltage detection section of the motor 3, which detects the induced voltage induced in the windings by the residual magnetism of the rotor when the motor 3 is turned off and is inertly rotated. A time counter section 9 measures the time until the detected voltage falls to a certain predetermined value. The level of this fall time is determined by the level determining section 10, and the water supply valve control section 6 operates based on this fall time level to adjust the water supply amount. 7 is a water amount detection unit that detects the amount of water supplied to the washing tub 1.

上記構成において、次にその動作を説明する。
洗濯スタートスイツチ（図示せず）が投入される
と、給水弁５が働き、洗濯最低水位まで給水され
ると、水量検知部７により給水弁制御部６が働
き、給水弁５がオフ状態となつて給水が停止され
る。そしてモータ制御部４によりモータ３をある
所定の時間駆動し停止させる。モータ３への通電
をしや断すると、モータ３は惰性で回転し、この
時ロータの残留磁気によつて巻線に誘起電圧が発
生し、この電圧は惰性の回転数により変わる。即
ち、布負荷が重いときは回転が速く低下し、従つ
て誘起電圧の降下速度も速くなる。この電圧をモ
ータ誘起電圧検出部８で検出し、タイムカウンタ
ー部９でモータへの通電をしや断してからこの電
圧がある所定の電圧値まで立ち下がる時間を測定
する。そしてレベル判定部１０で、この立ち下が
り時間レベルと所定の値とのレベル差を判定す
る。この時、水量に対して布負荷が多い場合は、
布がパルセータ２に接触する為、モータ３の負荷
が大きくなり、その結果、立ち下がり時間は短か
くなる。水量を一定にした場合の布負荷と立ち下
がり時間の関係を第２図に示す。すなわち、立ち
下がり時間を知ることにより布負荷量を知ること
ができる。一方、布負荷に対する洗濯最適水量は
個々の洗濯機の性能によつて決まつているから、
立ち下がり時間により最適水量を求めることがで
きる。第２図で低・中・高の３つの水量設定でき
る例を説明する。布負荷がＡ以下の時は低水量、
Ａ〜Ｂの間の時は中水量、Ｂ以上の時は高水量が
最適水量である。低水量を給水した状態で立ち下
がり時間を測定するから、レベル判定の所定の値
はT₁となる。立ち下がり時間Ｔが、Ｔ≧T₁の時
は低水量のままで洗濯行程に移る。そしてＴ＜
T₁の時は、そのレベル差｜T₁―Ｔ｜≦Δtならば
中水量まで追加給水してから洗濯行程に移る。｜
T₁―Ｔ｜＞Δtならば高水量まで追加給水してか
ら洗濯行程に移る。第２図では３つの水量設定の
例を示したが、ΔtをΔt₁，Δt₂，Δt₃，…と多段階
に増やせば最適水量の判定レベルを多段レベルに
増やすことが可能である。また、立ち下がり時間
が極端に短かい場合はブザー等で報知することが
可能である。 The operation of the above configuration will now be described.
When the washing start switch (not shown) is turned on, the water supply valve 5 is activated, and when the water is supplied to the lowest washing water level, the water amount detection section 7 activates the water supply valve control section 6, and the water supply valve 5 is turned off. The water supply will be stopped. Then, the motor control unit 4 drives the motor 3 for a predetermined period of time and then stops the motor 3. When the power supply to the motor 3 is interrupted, the motor 3 rotates by inertia, and at this time, an induced voltage is generated in the windings due to the residual magnetism of the rotor, and this voltage changes depending on the rotation speed of the inertia. That is, when the fabric load is heavy, the rotation decreases quickly, and therefore the rate of drop of the induced voltage also increases. This voltage is detected by a motor induced voltage detection section 8, and a time counter section 9 measures the time required for this voltage to fall to a predetermined voltage value after the motor is no longer energized. Then, the level determining section 10 determines the level difference between this fall time level and a predetermined value. At this time, if the fabric load is large compared to the amount of water,
Since the cloth comes into contact with the pulsator 2, the load on the motor 3 becomes large, and as a result, the fall time becomes short. Figure 2 shows the relationship between fabric load and fall time when the amount of water is constant. That is, by knowing the fall time, the fabric load amount can be known. On the other hand, the optimum amount of water for washing with respect to the cloth load is determined by the performance of each washing machine.
The optimum amount of water can be determined by the fall time. An example in which three water amounts can be set, low, medium, and high, will be explained with reference to FIG. When the fabric load is below A, the water flow is low.
When the water amount is between A and B, the medium water amount is the optimal water amount, and when it is B or more, the high water amount is the optimal water amount. Since the fall time is measured with a low amount of water being supplied, the predetermined value for level determination is _T1 . When the falling time T is T≧T ₁ , the washing process continues with the low water amount. And T<
At T ₁ , if the level difference |T ₁ -T|≦Δt, additional water is supplied to the medium water level and then the washing process begins. ｜
If T ₁ - T | > Δt, additional water is supplied to a high water volume and then the washing process begins. Although FIG. 2 shows an example of three water volume settings, if Δt is increased in multiple stages such as Δt ₁ , Δt ₂ , Δt ₃ , . . . , it is possible to increase the optimum water volume determination level to multiple levels. Furthermore, if the fall time is extremely short, it is possible to notify with a buzzer or the like.

尚、電源電圧の変動を検出し、電源電圧に応じ
て立ち下がり時間の判定レベルが変わる様に電源
電圧補償回路を設けることにより電源電圧変動に
影響されず、常に適正な水量での運転が可能とな
る。また電源周波数により判定レベルを変えるこ
とにより周波数の影響も除去できる。また上記の
様に、立ち下がり時間により布負荷量を知ること
ができるから、布負荷量に応じて洗濯物を撹拌す
る強さを変えることにより、洗濯水流の強度を適
正に制御することができる。すなわち、布負荷が
少ない場合は弱水流で運転し、布負荷が多くなる
につれて水流強度を強くしていけば、洗濯物のい
たみが少なく、洗濯不足もない適正水流での洗濯
が可能となる。また、脱水時間を布負荷に応じて
変えることにより、適正な脱水を行なうことがで
きる。 In addition, by installing a power supply voltage compensation circuit that detects fluctuations in the power supply voltage and changes the fall time judgment level according to the power supply voltage, it is possible to operate with the appropriate amount of water at all times without being affected by power supply voltage fluctuations. becomes. Furthermore, by changing the determination level depending on the power supply frequency, the influence of frequency can also be removed. In addition, as mentioned above, since the amount of fabric load can be determined by the fall time, the strength of the washing water flow can be appropriately controlled by changing the strength of stirring the laundry according to the amount of fabric load. . That is, if the laundry is operated with a weak water flow when the fabric load is small, and the water flow strength is increased as the fabric load increases, it becomes possible to wash the laundry with a proper water flow with less damage and no insufficient washing. Further, by changing the dehydration time depending on the cloth load, appropriate dehydration can be performed.

（他の実施例）洗濯槽１の最低水位まで給水した後、モータ３
を順方向に所定時間例えば15秒間駆動しこれに引
き続きモータ３を逆方向に0.5秒間駆動して停止
し、その後の惰性回転時における誘起電圧の立ち
下がり時間を測定するようにしてもよい。このよ
うにすれば、順方向の回転により水面近くに浮き
上がつた洗濯物を、逆方向の回転により沈めるこ
とができ、布負荷をより正確に検知することがで
きる。但し、逆方向の駆動時間は、順方向の駆動
時間より短かく、洗濯物及び水が順方向の惰性力
を失なわない範囲内で設定する必要がある。(Other Examples) After water is supplied to the lowest water level of the washing tub 1, the motor 3
The motor 3 may be driven in the forward direction for a predetermined period of time, for example, 15 seconds, and then the motor 3 may be driven in the reverse direction for 0.5 seconds and then stopped, and the fall time of the induced voltage during subsequent inertia rotation may be measured. In this way, the laundry that floats near the water surface due to forward rotation can be submerged by reverse rotation, and the cloth load can be detected more accurately. However, the driving time in the reverse direction must be shorter than the driving time in the forward direction, and must be set within a range where the laundry and water do not lose their forward inertia force.

（効果）以上のように本発明によば、洗濯槽の最低水位
まで給水し、モータを所定時間駆動してその停止
後、該モータの惰性回転時のモータ巻線の誘起電
圧の立ち下がり時間のレベルを判定して洗濯物の
量を検出し、これに応じた水位まで追加給水して
洗濯を行うので、洗濯物に十分水が含まれてお
り、該洗濯物が浮き上がることなく、正確に洗濯
物の量を検知することができ、適確な制御を一度
の検出ででき、洗濯時間を短縮することがで無駄
な電力消費をなくすことができる。(Effects) As described above, according to the present invention, after water is supplied to the lowest water level of the washing tub, the motor is driven for a predetermined period of time, and the motor is stopped, the fall time of the induced voltage in the motor winding during inertial rotation of the motor is The amount of laundry is detected by determining the level of the laundry, and additional water is supplied to the corresponding water level to wash the laundry. This ensures that the laundry contains enough water and that the laundry does not float to the top. The amount of laundry can be detected, accurate control can be performed with a single detection, and by shortening washing time, unnecessary power consumption can be eliminated.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

第１図は本発明の実施例における洗濯機の制御
系を示すブロツク図、第２図は布負荷と誘起電圧
の立ち下がり時間との関係を示す図である。１……洗濯槽、２……パルセータ、３……モー
タ、４……モータ制御部、５……給水弁、６……
給水弁制御部、７……水量検知部、８……モータ
誘起電圧検出部、９……タイムカウンター部。 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the control system of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the cloth load and the fall time of the induced voltage. 1... Washing tub, 2... Pulsator, 3... Motor, 4... Motor control unit, 5... Water supply valve, 6...
Water supply valve control section, 7... Water amount detection section, 8... Motor induced voltage detection section, 9... Time counter section.

Claims

[Claims]

1. A motor for rotating a pulsator to stir the laundry, a control unit for driving the motor, a voltage detection unit for detecting the induced voltage in the motor winding during inertial rotation of the motor, and the detection unit a time counter unit that measures the time until the voltage detected by the voltage falls to a predetermined value; a level determination unit that determines the level of the falling time measured by the time counter unit and detects the amount of laundry; The washing machine is equipped with a water supply valve for supplying water to the washing tub, a water amount detection unit for detecting the amount of water in the washing tub, and a water supply valve control unit that opens and closes the water supply valve, and after supplying water to the lowest water level of the washing tub, The motor is driven for a predetermined time and then stopped, the induced voltage of the motor winding is measured during inertia rotation of the motor, the level of the fall time is determined, and when the level is equal to or higher than the predetermined level, directly When the water level is below the predetermined level, water is additionally supplied to a water level corresponding to the level difference, and then the washing operation is started.