KR100382013B1 - Electric Washer - Google Patents

Abstract

The DC voltage generating circuit 34 which generates DC voltage in the inverter circuit 35 in the control apparatus 27 selectively functions as a double voltage rectifying circuit or a full-wave rectifying circuit by the conduction or non-conduction of a semiconductor alternating current switching element. To the rectifier circuit.

Description

Electric Washer

The present invention relates to an electric washing machine.

Electric washing machines generally include a washing tank and a dewatering tank rotatably installed in an outer tank, a stirring vane rotatably installed at the bottom of the washing tank and a dehydrating tank, and an electric drive device for rotating the washing tank, a dehydrating tank and a stirring vane. And by rotating the washing tank, the dehydration tank and the stirring blade selectively by this electric drive device, the laundry in the washing tank and the dehydration tank is stirred to perform the washing step and the rinsing step (washing step). It rotates at high speed and it is the structure which performs the dehydration process of centrifugal dehydration of laundry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Although an induction motor is generally used as a power source, an electric drive device has been proposed in recent years to be configured to feed a brushless electric motor by an inverter circuit. In addition, an electric washing machine has been proposed that can realize various washing and dewatering operations using a brushless electric motor as an electric motor. An inverter control washing machine is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-121584.

In addition, although it is a completely different technology from a washing machine, for example, in the field of air conditioner technology, a technique for feeding electric motors by inverter control has been proposed. This technique is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-111028.

The electric washing machine using the brushless electric motor of inverter control can perform washing and dewatering process efficiently, but there exists a problem of becoming high price.

One object of the present invention is to economically realize an electric washing machine using a brushless electric motor of inverter control.

Another object of the present invention is to enable a brushless electric motor to be efficiently rotated in accordance with a process.

Still another object of the present invention is to reduce the burden on the semiconductor switching element by reasonably controlling the voltage applied to the semiconductor switching element.

1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of an electric washing machine showing one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of the electric drive device and control device of the electric washing machine shown in Fig. 1;

3 is a DC output voltage characteristic diagram of a DC voltage generating circuit of the electric washing machine shown in FIG.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

2: washing and dehydrating tank

6: electric drive unit

8: dustproof support device

15: water level sensor

21: drain solenoid valve

27: control unit

28: brushless electric motor

33: noise filter circuit

34: DC voltage generation circuit

39: DC voltage control circuit

The present invention relates to a washing tank and a dehydration tank rotatably installed in an outer tank, a stirring vane rotatably installed at the bottom of the washing tank and a dehydrating tank, a brushless electric motor for rotating and driving a washing tank and a dehydrating tank and a stirring van, and generating a DC voltage. A control device having a circuit and an inverter circuit, and controlling the rotation of the brushless electric motor by the control device to selectively drive the washing tank, the dehydration tank and the stirring blade to stir the laundry in the washing tank and the dehydration tank to wash. The electric washing machine which performs the dehydration process of centrifugal dehydration of a laundry by rotating a washing tank and a dehydration tank at a high speed, The said control apparatus is a double voltage rectification circuit by conduction or non-conduction of a semiconductor AC switching element to a DC voltage generation circuit. Or rectifier circuits selectively functioning as full-wave rectifier circuits Provided, and characterized in that by controlling the conduction / default bucket status of the semiconductor switching element in accordance with the alternating current washing process and the squeezing process to change the direct current voltage supplied to the inverter circuit.

The semiconductor alternating current switching element is a two-way thyristor.

Further, the control device is characterized in that the rectifying circuit functions as a full-wave rectifying circuit to supply a relatively low DC voltage to the inverter circuit by maintaining the semiconductor AC switching element in a non-conductive state in a washing step.

In addition, the control device is characterized in that the PWM control by the inverter circuit in the washing step.

In the dehydration step, the control device maintains the semiconductor AC switching element in a conductive state so that the rectifier circuit functions as a double voltage rectifier circuit to supply a relatively high DC voltage to the inverter circuit.

Moreover, the said control apparatus was made to make PWM control the AC voltage supplied to a brushless electric motor by an inverter circuit in the acceleration stage of a brushless electric motor in a dehydration process. It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

The control device is characterized in that the semiconductor alternating current switching element gradually changes the DC output voltage of the DC voltage generating circuit by controlling the conduction angle in the acceleration step of the brushless motor in the dehydration step.

The present invention also provides a washing tank and a dewatering tank rotatably installed in an outer tank, a stirring vane rotatably installed at the bottom of the washing tank and a dehydrating tank, a brushless electric motor for rotating and driving a washing tank and a dehydrating tank and a stirring vane, and a direct current. A control device having a voltage generating circuit and an inverter circuit, and controlling the rotation of the brushless electric motor by the control device to selectively rotate the washing tank, the dehydration tank and the stirring blade to stir the laundry in the washing tank and the dehydration tank. The electric washing machine which performs a washing process and performs the dehydration process of centrifugally dehydrating a laundry by rotating a washing tank and a dehydration tank at high speed, The said control apparatus doubles voltage by the conduction or non-conduction of a semiconductor alternating current switching element to a DC voltage generation circuit. Rectifier circuits selectively functioning as rectifier circuits or full-wave rectifier circuits In contrast, the DC voltage supplied to the inverter circuit is changed by controlling the conduction / non-conduction state of the semiconductor alternating current switching element immediately after the power is turned on and / or according to the washing and dehydration operation state and the standby state.

The DC voltage generating circuit is characterized in that the DC voltage supplied to the inverter circuit is lowered immediately after the power is turned on and / or in the standby state.

1 is a longitudinal side view of an electric washing machine showing an embodiment of the present invention, which illustrates a fully automatic washing machine.

1 is an outer frame of an electric washing machine, and constitutes a case surrounding the inner mechanism. 2 is a washing tank and a dehydration tank installed in an outer frame, and the fluid balancer 3 is provided in the upper corner. The stirring blade 4 is provided inside the bottom part of this washing tank and the dehydration tank 2 so that rotation is possible.

5 is an outer tank, and accommodates the washing tank and the dehydration tank 2 and the stirring blade 4 therein in a rotatable manner. On the outside of the bottom part of the outer tub 5, the electric drive device 6 which incorporates a brushless electric motor is attached by the base plate 7 with steel plate, and the dustproof support device 8 is provided from the upper four ears of the outer frame 1. Suspension support by.

The upper coverr 9 having the clothes input opening 9a is installed on the washing tank and the dehydration tank 2. The upper cover 9 is fitted to the edge of the opening end so as to cover the upper opening of the frame 1 and is attached to the frame 1 by an attachment screw (not shown) together with the front panel 10 and the back panel 11. Attached.

The front panel box 12 positioned in front of the upper cover 9 and formed below the front panel 10 includes an operation panel 13 and an operation panel control device including an input switch group or a display element group that are operation switches. 14 and the water level sensor 15 which generate the water level signal according to the water level in the outer tank 5 are accommodated. Although the illustration of the input switches is omitted, a switch for setting the degree of contamination of the laundry (severe contamination, standard contamination, and low contamination), a switch for setting dry mark clothing washing, a switch for setting blanket washing, and a start With a switch. Other switches for selecting the strength of washing or rinsing water are provided, and switches for indicating the material of the laundry are provided.

The back panel box 16 which is located behind the upper cover 9 and is formed below the back panel 11 is installed. The back panel box 16 houses a water supply solenoid valve 19 that connects the water inlet side to the water inlet 17 and the outlet side to the water inlet 18. The water pouring port 18 is formed to be waterproof toward the opening of the washing tank and the dehydration tank 2. In the back panel box 16, a pump (not shown) for supplying water, such as bath water, to the washing tank and the dehydration tank 2 via a pump, or the water supply solenoid valve 19, as necessary. A filter device (not shown) for removing metal ions from the discharged tap water and supplying it to the water inlet 18 is provided.

The clothes input opening 9a formed in the upper cover 9 has a structure which can be opened and closed by the lid 20.

The drain port 5a formed in the bottom part of the outer tub 5 is connected to the drain hose 22 via the drain solenoid valve 21. In addition, an air trap 5b is provided below the outer tank 5, and the air trap 5b is connected to the water level sensor 15 via an air tube 23 to detect the water level in the outer tank 5. .

Below the frame 1, a synthetic resin base 25 having legs 24 attached to four ears is mounted.

The electric drive device 6 is covered with a cover 26 and is waterproof. This electric drive apparatus 6 is equipped with the brushless electric motor excellent in controllability as a drive electric motor. Power supply to this brushless electric motor is performed by the control apparatus 27 incorporating an inverter circuit. This control apparatus 27 controls feeding to the brushless electric motor according to the instruction | indication from the said operation panel control apparatus 14. Power supply control to this brushless electric motor controls PWM (pulse width modulation) control and PAM (pulse voltage modulation) control.

The control apparatus 27 is mounted and installed in the attachment part 25a formed in the said base 25 so that it may be located under the outer tank 5.

2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the electric drive device 6 and the control devices 14, 27 of the electric washing machine.

The electric drive device 6 includes a clutch mechanism 29 including a brushless electric motor 28 and a reduction gear mechanism. The brushless electric motor 28 outputs the position signal according to the rotation position of a rotor by the rotation position detection element 28a, receives electric power from the three-phase stator winding from the control apparatus 27, and rotates a rotor. The rotation of the rotor is transmitted to the washing tank and the dehydration tank 2 and / or the stirring blade 4 via the clutch mechanism 29.

The operation panel control device 14 mainly comprises a microcomputer 30 having a communication function, detects input from the input switch group 31 provided on the operation panel 13, and controls the control device 27. ), And control processing for turning on / off the display element group 32 is executed.

The control device 27 feeds the brushless electric motor 28 by the noise filter circuit 33, the DC voltage generating circuit 34, and the inverter circuit 35, and supplies water by the auxiliary device driving circuit 35. It is comprised so that electric power may be supplied to the solenoid valve coil 19a, the drain solenoid valve coil 21a, and the clutch coil 29a.

The DC voltage generating circuit 34 includes smoothing capacitors (electrolytic capacitors) 34f and 34g connected in series with the diodes 34b to 34e connected to the reaction device 34a and a two-way thyristor (FLS) as a semiconductor AC switching element. 34h, which is composed of a full-wave rectifier circuit and a double-voltage rectifier composite rectifier circuit, and the two-way thyristor 34h is in a non-conductive state so that the power supply voltage is full-wave rectified to smooth the capacitors 34f and 34g. It functions as a full-wave rectification circuit which charges in series, and by making the two-way thyristor 34h into a conducting state, it rectifies a power supply voltage and functions as a double voltage rectification circuit which alternately charges each smoothing capacitor 34f, 34g. In the state functioning as a double voltage rectifier circuit, when the conduction phase with respect to the AC power supply voltage waveform of the two-way thyristor 34h is changed, the magnitude | size of the charge voltage of the smoothing capacitors 34f and 34g changes. And this DC voltage generation circuit 34 makes DC voltage of the both ends of the smoothing capacitor 34f, 34g in series connection state into DC output voltage.

The inverter circuit 35 is constituted by three-phase bridge connection of a power transistor such as an IGBT using the semiconductor switching element 35a, and supplies a three-phase alternating voltage (current) to the brushless electric motor 28.

The auxiliary device drive circuit 35 connects two-way thyristors 36a to 36c to the water supply solenoid valve coil 19a, the drain solenoid valve coil 21a, and the clutch coil 29a, and these two-way thyristors 36a to By selectively conducting 36c, the water feed solenoid valve 19, the drain solenoid valve 21, and the clutch mechanism 29 are driven.

The control apparatus 27 is equipped with the microcomputer 37 which a washing machine manages main control, and performs a washing | cleaning and a dehydration process. The microcomputer 37 includes a washing and dehydration process control function, a DC voltage generation circuit control function, an inverter circuit control function, an auxiliary device control function, and a communication function with the microcomputer 30.

The microcomputer 37 sets washing and dewatering processes in accordance with the instruction input of the input switch group 31 via the microcomputer 30, and sets the setting state via the microcomputer 30 to the display element group 32. The auxiliary device drive circuit 36 to open and close the water supply solenoid valve 19 and the drain solenoid valve 21 while monitoring the water level in the outer tank 5 by inputting a detection signal of the water level sensor 15 by lighting the light. To control.

Then, the voltage dividing ratio in the detection resistor circuit 38 that detects the DC output voltage of the DC voltage generator 34 is controlled and returned to the DC voltage control circuit 39, so that the DC output voltage becomes a desired value. The directional thyristor 34h is controlled.

Further, the position signal from the rotational position detecting element 28a of the brushless motor 28 is received via the rotational position detecting circuit 40 to detect the rotational position of the rotor of the brushless motor 28. The inverter circuit 35 is driven via the inverter drive circuit 41 so as to feed power in a phase corresponding to the rotational position.

In the washing step, the clutch coil 29a is pressed to maintain the washing tank and the dehydration tank 2 in a stopped state by the clutch mechanism 29, and the stirring blade 4 is brushless. The inverter circuit 35 is controlled to rotate forward and reverse at low speed. Thus, in the washing | cleaning process which rotates the brushless electric motor 28 at low speed, it is preferable that the DC output voltage of the DC voltage generation circuit 34 supplied to the inverter circuit 35 is a comparatively low voltage, and it is a DC voltage generation circuit. In order to make the composite rectifier circuit in (34) function as a full-wave rectifier circuit, the two-way thyristor 34h is controlled to be in a non-conductive state.

The DC output voltage output by the DC voltage generator 34 functioning as a full-wave rectifier circuit is approximately 120 volts. The inverter circuit 35 supplies the three-phase alternating voltage generated on the basis of this voltage to the brushless motor 28 to rotate the brushless motor 28, but limits the output to lower the rotation speed. PWM control the three-phase AC voltage.

In the dewatering step, by setting the clutch coil 29a to the non-excited state, the washing mechanism and the dehydrating tank 2 and the stirring blade 4 are integrally formed by the clutch mechanism 29 by the brushless electric motor 28. The inverter circuit 35 is controlled to rotate the highway forward. Thus, in the dehydration process of rotating the brushless electric motor 28 at high speed, it is preferable that the direct current output voltage of the direct current voltage generator circuit 34 supplied to the inverter circuit 35 is a relatively high voltage, and the direct voltage generator circuit In order to make the composite rectifier circuit at 34 function as a double voltage rectifier circuit, the two-way thyristor 34h is controlled to be in a conducting state.

The DC output voltage output by the DC voltage generation circuit 34 functioning as a double voltage rectifier circuit is approximately 240 volts. The inverter circuit 35 supplies the three-phase alternating voltage generated on the basis of this voltage to the brushless motor 28 so as to rotate the brushless motor 28 at high speed, but in order to gradually increase the rotation speed, PWM control or PAM control of the three-phase alternating voltage is preferred. PWM control is realized by controlling the conduction angle of the semiconductor switching element 35a of the inverter circuit 35 while maintaining the DC voltage generating circuit 34 as a double voltage rectifying circuit and outputting the highest voltage. This is realized by controlling the conduction phase angle of the two-way thyristor 34h in the DC voltage generator 34 to change the DC output voltage. In this DC output voltage control, the microcomputer 37 detects the rotational speed of the brushless electric motor 28 based on the detection signal from the position detection circuit 40, and detects the resistance resistor 38 according to the rotational speed. This is achieved by controlling the partial pressure ratio of.

3 shows the direct current output voltage characteristics of the direct current voltage generation circuit 34. The direct current output voltage changes gradually by controlling the conduction phase angle of the two-way thyristor 34h, but when the conduction state or the non-conduction state is set, the direct current output voltage is relatively high voltage (approximately 240 volts) or relatively low pressure (approximately 120 Bolt).

In addition, the microcomputer 37 of the control device 27 controls the DC voltage control circuit 39 so that the DC output voltage of the DC voltage generator 34 becomes a relatively low voltage immediately after the power is turned on or in a standby state. In the washing and dehydrating driving state, the DC voltage control circuit 39 may be controlled so that the DC output voltage of the DC voltage generating circuit 34 becomes a relatively high voltage.

The control device 27 constructed by using the semiconductor switching element is a semiconductor switching element in order to lighten the burden on the semiconductor switching element in a standby state in which the device is not operated, such as a waiting time immediately after the power is supplied or in a timer reservation operation or the like. It is preferable to keep the voltage applied to the low state. Therefore, the state in which the washing machine is placed in the microcomputer 37 which manages the overall control of the washing machine is judged, and the direct current of the DC voltage generating circuit 34 is applied in a standby state such as a dash time immediately after the power is supplied or in a timer reservation operation. To control the DC voltage control circuit 39 so that the output voltage becomes a relatively low voltage, and to control the DC voltage control circuit 39 so that the DC output voltage of the DC voltage generator 34 becomes a relatively high voltage in the washing and dehydrating operation states. do.

The present invention provides a rectifier circuit that selectively functions as a double-voltage rectifier circuit or a full-wave rectifier circuit by conduction or non-conduction of a semiconductor alternating current switching element by using a direct current voltage generation circuit that generates a direct current voltage in an inverter circuit in a control device. The electric washing machine using the brushless electric motor of inverter control can be realized economically.

In the washing step, the semiconductor alternating current switching element is maintained in a non-conductive state so that the rectifying circuit functions as a full-wave rectifying circuit to supply a relatively low DC voltage to the inverter circuit. By maintaining the conduction state, the rectifier circuit functions as a double voltage rectifier circuit to supply a relatively high DC voltage to the inverter circuit, so that the brushless motor can be efficiently rotated according to the process.

In addition, the load on the semiconductor switching element can be reduced by setting the DC output voltage of the DC voltage generating circuit to a relatively low state immediately after the power is turned on or in the standby state.

Claims (9)

A washing tank and a dehydration tank rotatably installed in the outer tank, a stirring vane rotatably installed at the bottom of the washing tank and the dehydrating tank, a brushless electric motor rotatingly driving the washing tank and the dehydrating tank and the stirring vane, a DC voltage generating circuit and an inverter circuit. And a washing device by controlling the rotation of the brushless electric motor and selectively rotating the washing tank, the dehydrating tank, and the stirring blade by the control device to agitate the laundry in the washing tank and the dehydrating tank to perform a washing process. In the electric washing machine which performs the dehydration process of centrifugal dehydration of laundry by rotating a dehydration tank at high speed, The control device includes a rectifying circuit selectively functioning as a double-voltage rectifying circuit or a full-wave rectifying circuit by conduction or non-conduction of a semiconductor alternating current switching element in a DC voltage generating circuit, wherein the semiconductor alternating current is changed in accordance with a washing process and a dehydration process. An electric washing machine characterized by changing a DC voltage supplied to an inverter circuit by controlling the conduction / non-conduction state of a switching element. The electric washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor alternating current switching element is a two-way thyristor. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the washing step, the control device maintains the semiconductor alternating current switching element in a non-conductive state so that the rectifier circuit functions as a full-wave rectifier circuit to supply a relatively low DC voltage to the inverter circuit. Electric washer. The electric washing machine according to claim 3, wherein the control device performs PWM control by the inverter circuit in a washing step. 2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the dehydration step, the control device maintains the semiconductor AC switching element in a conductive state so that the rectifier circuit functions as a double voltage rectifier circuit to supply a relatively high DC voltage to the inverter circuit. Electric washer. The electric washing machine according to claim 5, wherein the control device performs PWM control of an AC voltage supplied to the brushless motor by an inverter circuit in an acceleration step of the brushless motor in the dehydration step. 6. The control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control device is configured to gradually change the DC output voltage of the DC voltage generating circuit by controlling the conduction angle of the semiconductor AC switching element in the acceleration step of the brushless motor in the dehydration step. Electric washer. A washing tank and a dehydration tank rotatably installed in the outer tank, a stirring vane rotatably installed at the bottom of the washing tank and the dehydrating tank, a brushless electric motor rotatingly driving the washing tank and the dehydrating tank and the stirring vane, a DC voltage generating circuit and an inverter circuit. And a washing process by stirring the laundry in the washing tank and the dewatering tank by selectively rotating and driving the washing tank and the dehydrating tank and the stirring blade by controlling the rotation of the brushless electric motor by the control device. In the electric washing machine which performs the dehydration process of centrifugal dehydration of laundry by rotating a dehydration tank at high speed, The control device includes a rectifying circuit selectively functioning as a double voltage rectifying circuit or a full-wave rectifying circuit by conduction or non-conduction of a semiconductor alternating current switching element in a DC voltage generating circuit, immediately after power is supplied and / or washing and dehydration operation. The electric washing machine characterized by changing the DC voltage supplied to an inverter circuit by controlling the conduction / non-conduction state of the said semiconductor alternating current switching element according to the state and standby state. The electric washing machine according to claim 8, wherein the DC voltage generating circuit is configured to lower the DC voltage supplied to the inverter circuit immediately after the power is turned on and / or in the standby state.