KR100479089B1 - an electrode sensor of washer - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrode sensor of the washing machine according to the present invention is provided with an air chamber in which the washing water is introduced into one side of the outer tub in which the washing water is fresh water, is formed to protrude upward from the sensor housing to be in contact with the washing water. In the electrode sensor comprising a two-electrode, the sensor housing is formed so that the surface protruding the first and second electrodes are inclined, the first and second electrodes are located on the upper side, the first and second electrodes The foreign matter precipitated in the space separated from the is formed to be washed down, since the error of the conductivity measurement value between the first electrode and the second electrode generated when measuring the conductivity of the wash water is reduced, so that the correct hardness value of the wash water It can be seen that the amount of detergent suitable for the laundry capacity can be added to improve the washing performance, as well as to reduce the environmental pollution has the advantage.

Description

Electrode sensor of washing machine {an electrode sensor of washer}

The present invention relates to an electrode sensor for measuring the conductivity of the water supplied to the washing machine, and more particularly, to improve the structure so that foreign matters deposited on the upper side of the electrode sensor to improve the structure of the washing machine to reduce the occurrence of errors when measuring the conductivity of the wash water It relates to an electrode sensor.

Generally, a washing machine is a device for removing dirt by applying an appropriate detergent and a mechanical force when the laundry is stained. As shown in FIG. 1, an outer tub 20 in which the wash water is fresh and inside the tub 20 An inner tub 22 rotatably positioned to accommodate laundry, a washing vane 24 rotatably installed at the center of the inner tub 22 to cause washing water in the wash water, and a lower side of the outer tub 20. A motor and clutch 26 mounted to selectively rotate the inner tub 22 or the washing vane 24, a control unit 27 for adjusting the washing stroke of the washing machine and controlling the operation of the washing machine, and the control unit 27 It consists of a water supply / drain valve, etc. that are turned on / off in accordance with the signal of, to perform the washing stroke of the laundry.

In order to perform the washing process smoothly, a conventional washing machine generally includes a quantity sensor for detecting a quantity of laundry contained in the outer tub 20, and a level sensor for measuring the level of fresh water in the outer tub 20.

In recent years, a washing machine has been developed in which an electrode sensor detecting a difference in conductivity due to a conductive material included in washing water is installed at a lower side of a washing machine, and a detergent amount or a washing time and a course are determined according to water hardness.

However, in the washing machine, the electrode sensor is installed on the lower side of the washing machine, and deposits generated through oxidation or reduction of laundry residues or conductive materials generated during the washing process accumulate around the electrodes, and thus are measured on the electrode sensor. Since an error occurs in the conductivity value of the wash water, it is difficult to accurately measure the hardness of the wash water, so the detergent is under or excessively poured, or an improper washing process is performed to damage the cloth or to reduce the washing efficiency, There is a problem that the pollution degree is intensified.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems of the prior art, the upper surface of the electrode sensor is formed to be inclined so that the foreign matter deposited on the upper side of the sensor flows to the lower side so that the precipitated foreign matter is washed down to the outside of the conductivity of the wash water. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrode sensor of a washing machine that can input the correct detergent amount during washing, improve washing performance as well as reduce environmental pollution since the error value generated during the measurement is reduced.

The electrode sensor of the washing machine according to the present invention for solving the above problems is provided with an air chamber in which the washing water is introduced into one side of the outer tank in which the washing water is fresh water, protrudes upward from the sensor housing to be in contact with the washing water, An electrode sensor including first and second electrodes spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval, wherein the sensor housing is formed such that a surface on which the first and second electrodes protrude is inclined, and the first and second electrodes are positioned upward. , The foreign matter precipitated in the spaced space of the first and second electrodes is formed to be washed down.

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Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing a washing machine according to the present invention, Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of portion A of FIG.

2 and 3, the washing machine according to the present invention is provided with an outer tub 60 in which washing water is hung by hanging through a plurality of hook members 52 in the cabinet 50 to form an exterior, An inner tub 62 in which the inner laundry of the outer tub 60 is accommodated is rotatably positioned. In addition, the inner side of the inner tank 62 is rotatably installed washing blades 64 causing washing water in the wash water, and the inner side of the outer tank 60, the inner tank 62 or washing blade 64 is selectively selected. The motor 66 and the clutch are rotated.

In addition, a control unit 67 for controlling the washing operation of the washing machine and the operation of the washing machine is installed at the upper rear portion of the cabinet 50, and the washing liquid is supplied to the outer tub 60 at the upper rear side of the cabinet 50. A water supply valve (not shown) is installed, and a drain hose 68 and a drain valve 69 at a lower portion of the outer tub 60 to discharge the washing water inside the outer tub 60 at the lower side of the outer tub 60. Is installed, the upper cover 70 that prevents the laundry from being separated to the outside of the washing machine at the same time to prevent the safety accident is installed on the upper portion of the cabinet 50 to be opened and closed.

In addition, the washing machine further includes a sensing means installed to detect the operation and washing state of the washing machine for smooth washing.

The sensing means includes a quantity sensor for sensing the quantity of laundry contained in the inner tub 62, a level sensor 75 for sensing the level of the wash water freshly contained in the outer tub 60, and a conductive material included in the washing water. It is configured to include an electrode sensor 80 for detecting the difference in conductivity.

To this end, the lower side of the outer tub 60, the washing water access hole 92 is formed to form an air chamber 90 through which the washing water is entered, the water level sensor 75 is installed on the upper end of the air chamber 90 By measuring the air pressure compressed in the air chamber 90 to detect the washing water level in the outer tub 60, the electrode sensor 80 is sealed at the lower end of the air chamber 90 is leaking wash water Prevent it.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 3, the electrode sensor 80 is fixed to one side of the sensor housing 81 mounted at the lower end of the air chamber 90 and to one side of the sensor housing 81 to be spaced a predetermined distance apart. And first and second electrodes 85 and 86 disposed to protrude to contact the wash water.

Here, the sensor housing 81 is formed to be inclined so that the foreign matter precipitated to flow down to the lower side so that the current value that is energized by the foreign matter precipitated between the first electrode 85 and the second electrode 86 does not change, An error does not occur in the conductivity value measured due to the precipitate deposited between the first electrode 85 and the second electrode 86.

In particular, the sensor housing 81 of the present invention is the upper surface is rounded to the upper side, the foreign matter flows out due to the flow of the self-weight and wash water, the difference caused by the flow rate of water in the air chamber inside the sensor The foreign matter precipitated on the upper side of the housing 81 is made to be washed away from the upper surface of the high speed flow rate to the lower side.

Here, the sensor housing 81 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an open bottom surface and a sensor housing main body 82 having an electrode hole through which the first and second electrodes 85 and 86 pass through the upper surface, and the sensor housing. A sealing member 83 which is filled in the main body 82 to fix the first and second electrodes 85 and 86 and at the same time seals the sensor housing main body 82 to prevent the wash water from leaking through the electrode hole; The sensor member cover 84 is inserted into the bottom surface of the sensor housing main body 82 so that the sealing member 83 is in close contact with the sensor housing main body 82, and compresses the sealing member 83. After the sealing member 83 is filled in the sensor housing main body 82 so that no leakage occurs through the electrode sensor 80, the sealing member 83 is pressed by the sensor housing cover 84. .

In general, the sealing member 83 is preferably made of a rubber member having excellent adhesion so as to easily adhere to the inside of the sensor housing body 82.

On the other hand, the sensor housing cover 84 has a connector 89 having a part of the first and second electrodes 85 and 86 exposed at a lower end thereof, so that a signal line is formed on the first and second electrodes 85 and 86. 78 is made to be easily connected.

Looking at the operation of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

First, after the upper cover 70 of the washing machine is opened, the laundry is put into the inner tank 62, the upper cover 70 is closed, and the washing machine is operated to operate the control unit 67 so that the washing water is introduced into the outer tank 60. do.

Here, the washing water introduced into the outer tub 60 is introduced into the air chamber 90 through the entrance hole 92 formed under the outer tub 60, and the washing water introduced into the air chamber 90. As a result, the electrode sensor 80 mounted below the air chamber 90 is immersed in the wash water.

As described above, when the electrode sensor 80 is immersed in the wash water, the conductivity value is measured when current flows between the first electrode 85 and the second electrode 86, and the microcomputer (micro) is transmitted through the signal line 78. Is delivered.

In more detail, when the first electrode 85 and the second electrode 86 are submerged, current flows, and an oxidation and a reduction reaction are performed between the first electrode 85 and the second electrode 86. The minerals contained in the wash water precipitate or the laundry contaminants precipitate.

Then, the foreign matter precipitated as described above is washed out to the outside by the self-weight or washing water flow of the foreign matter along the inclined surface of the sensor housing main body (82).

As described above, the electrode sensor of the washing machine according to the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated drawings. However, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments and the drawings disclosed herein, and the materials can be made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope of the present invention. Of course, various modifications can be made, including.

For example, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the electrode sensor of the washing machine according to the present invention, the electrode sensor 180 is a sensor housing 181 mounted to the lower end of the air chamber 190, and The first and second electrodes 185 and 186 are fixed to one side of the sensor housing 181 and disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval, and protruded to contact the wash water, and the upper surface of the sensor housing 181 is settled. It is also possible to be configured to be sharply formed to the top to facilitate the foreign matter to flow down.

That is, the sensor housing 181 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an open bottom surface, and a sensor housing main body 182 having two electrode holes through which the first electrode 185 and the second electrode 186 penetrate. A sealing member 183 that is filled in the sensor housing main body 182 to fix the first and second electrodes 185 and 186 and seals the sensor housing main body 182 so that washing water does not leak through the electrode hole. ) And a sensor housing cover 184 inserted into the bottom of the sensor housing main body 182 to compress the sealing member 183 so that the sealing member 183 is in close contact with the sensor housing main body 182. The upper surface of the sensor housing main body 182 has a vertical cross-sectional shape formed in a triangular shape with a sharp central point at the center thereof to minimize the area where foreign matters are deposited and at the same time, the foreign matters that are precipitated are easily flowed to the lower outer side. The.

The electrode sensor of the washing machine according to the present invention configured as described above is inclined so that the foreign matter precipitated between the first and second electrodes is washed away, and the first electrode generated when measuring the conductivity of the wash water; Since the error of the conductivity measurement value between the second electrodes is reduced, it is possible to know the hardness value of the correct washing water, so that an appropriate amount of detergent can be added to the washing capacity, thereby improving washing performance and reducing environmental pollution. There is an advantage.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a typical washing machine,

2 is a sectional view showing a washing machine according to the present invention;

3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of portion A of FIG. 2.

4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment in which an electrode sensor of a washing machine according to the present invention is shown.

<Explanation of symbols on main parts of the drawings>

50: cabinet 52: hook member

60: outer shell 62: inner shell

64: washing wing 67: control unit

68: drain hose 69: drain valve

70: upper cover 75: water level sensor

78: signal line 80: conductivity sensor

81: sensor housing 82: sensor housing body

83: sealing member 84: sensor housing cover

85: first electrode 86: second electrode

89: connector 90: air chamber

92: access hole C: foreign matter

Claims (3)

An air chamber is installed on one side of the outer tank in which the wash water is fresh water, is formed to protrude upward from the sensor housing to contact the wash water, the electrode sensor comprising a first electrode and a second electrode spaced at a predetermined interval To The sensor housing is formed such that the surface protruding from the first and second electrodes is inclined, and the first and second electrodes are positioned on the upper side, so that the foreign matter precipitated in the spaced apart space of the first and second electrodes is washed downward. Electrode sensor of the washing machine, characterized in that formed to go down. The method of claim 1, The upper surface of the sensor housing is protruded upward, the electrode sensor of the washing machine, characterized in that it is formed to have a predetermined curvature. The method of claim 1, The upper surface of the sensor housing protrudes upwards, is formed in a '∧' shape, the electrode sensor of the washing machine, characterized in that each electrode is formed on each surface of the '∧'.