JPS6415094A - Sensor apparatus of washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To precisely and reliably detect a water level, a washing degree, a rinsing degree, or the like, by providing a rectify-smoothing part for rectify-smoothing outputs at both ends of a coil so as to execute process control by the outputs. CONSTITUTION: Concerning a sensor, at the time of applying the high-frequency electric field of an MHz order to one end of an electrode 7 and the coil 5 by a high-frequency power source 8 so as to generate induced power at both ends of the coil by the mutual operation of an electromagnetic field, resonance characteristic with a maximal value is obtained in a specific frequency. Then, in the case of detecting a water level, when the water level is shifted from the lower end of the coil 5 to its upper end, the resonance characteristic is gradually varied but is nearly proportional to the variation of the water level. Thus, this is detected by a control part 10 to steplessly detect water levels from the lower end to the upper end of the coil 5. A washing degree is detected by utilizing a character that a property is gradually varied and stabilized by and by since oil/fat and sweat stuck to clothes are mixed into washing water with the progress of a washing process. At the time of rinsing, judging is made from how washing water approaches from the property of detergent liquid to that of true water. Consequently, detection can be precise and reliable.