KR20010010111A - Method of controlling sterilization spin drun for a washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for controlling the sterilization of a washing tub of a washing machine is provided to clearly and sanitarily accomplish the washing by sterilizing the germs existing in the washing tub. CONSTITUTION: After determining whether the washing is completed or not, if the washing is completed, a detergent and a sterilization material are introduced into a washing tub. The detergent and the sterilization material introduced into the washing machine are resolved by driving a pulsator for a predetermined time. The water is supplied again so that the level of the water in which the detergent and the sterilization material is resolved reaches a standard level. If the level of the water reaches the standard level, the pulsator is driven to sterilize the washing tub with the washing water in which the detergent and the sterilization material are resolved.

Description

Method of controlling sterilization spin drun for a washing machine

The present invention relates to a washing tank sterilization control method of a washing machine, and in particular, when washing is completed, a detergent and a disinfectant are introduced into the washing tank to generate water flow to sterilize various fungi remaining in the washing tank so that washing can be performed more cleanly and sanitarily. A washing machine sterilization control method of a washing machine.

In general, a washing machine performs washing strokes, rinsing strokes, and dehydrating strokes by rotating a washing tank and a pulsator through a driving force of a motor. A device for washing by putting washing water and laundry together inside the washing tank and stirring them to be.

As shown in FIG. 1, the washing machine is provided with a water tank 2 and a washing tank 3 inside the main body 1, and a pulsator 4 for stirring the washing water is provided inside the washing tank 3. It is prepared. In addition, a washing motor 5 for driving the washing tank 3 and the pulsator 4 is installed below the water tank 2, and a driving force of the washing motor 5 is transmitted to the center of the bottom of the water tank 2. The clutch 6 which controls power transmission so that the washing tank 3 and the pulsator 4 can be selectively driven is provided. In addition, a detergent input part 8 for introducing detergent for washing laundry is provided on one side of the upper part of the main body 1, and a water supply valve 7 is installed on one side upper part of the detergent input part 8. Detergent in the detergent box of the detergent inlet (8) is guided into the washing tank (3) by the wash water supplied through the water supply valve (7). Washing water used during washing is discharged through the drain valve (9).

In the conventional strength configured as described above, after the laundry is put into the washing tank 3, the water supply valve 8 is opened to wash the water into the detergent inlet 8 to supply the detergent into the washing tank 3, and then washing. As the pulsator 4 provided in the lower part of the washing tank 3 rotates by the rotation of the motor 5, washing is performed as the washing water filled therein is stirred.

However, since the conventional washing machine does not sterilize the washing tank separately after a series of washing processes by the washing stroke, the rinsing stroke, and the dehydration stroke, the bacteria grow in the washing tank. In particular, when the summer or the washing machine is not used for a long time, as the environment suitable for bacterial growth is created, the bacterial breeding is further increased in the washing tank. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the laundry is performed unsanitarily such as contamination.

Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to put a detergent and a disinfectant into the washing tank when the washing is completed to generate water flow to sterilize the washing tank to sterilize the various fungi remaining in the washing tank To provide a washing tank sterilization control method of a washing machine to sterilize.

1 is a side cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of a conventional washing machine,

2 is a control block diagram for a washing machine applied to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating a washing tank sterilization control method of a washing machine according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

1: body 2: tank

3: dehydration tank 4: pulsator

5: washing motor 5a: belt

6: clutch 7: detergent dispenser

8: water supply valve 9: drain valve

10: control unit 20: function selection unit

30: water level detection unit 40: weight detection unit

50: water supply valve drive unit 60: washing motor drive unit

70: drain valve drive unit 80: display unit

An object of the present invention as described above comprises the steps of determining whether the washing is complete in the washing machine to perform a rinsing and dehydration of the laundry after the laundry is put into the washing tank; When the washing in the step is completed, the first step of supplying detergent and fungicide into the washing tank; Driving a pulsator for a reference time to dissolve a detergent and a disinfectant in a washing tank; Supplying secondary water such that a detergent level and a disinfectant solution in the washing tank reach a reference level; And pulsator driving when the water is supplied to the reference level in the step to sterilize the washing tank with the washing water in which detergent and sterilizing agent are dissolved.

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The internal structure of the washing machine applied to the present invention will be described with reference to the internal structure of the conventional washing machine shown in FIG. 1, and the same reference numerals are assigned to components having the same function. In the washing machine according to the present invention, a water tank 2 and a washing tank 3 are provided inside the main body 1, and a pulsator 4 for stirring the washing water is provided in the washing tank 3. In addition, the washing motor 5 is installed below the water tank 2 to generate power for driving the washing tank 3 or the pulsator 4, and the clutch 6 provided at the lower portion of the washing tank 3 is a belt. The driving force is transmitted through 5a to selectively drive the washing tank 3 and the pulsator 4.

2 is a block diagram of a washing machine applied to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the present invention includes a control unit 10 for controlling the overall operation of the washing machine, a function input unit 20 for setting respective functions of the washing machine, and a water level sensing unit for detecting the water level supplied to the washing tank. 30, a weight sensing unit 40 for sensing the weight of the laundry and washing water introduced into the washing tank 3, and a water supply valve driving unit 50 for driving a water supply valve for supplying the washing water to the washing tank 3; And a washing motor driving unit 60 for driving the washing motor 61, a drain valve driving unit 70 for driving the drain valve 71, and a display unit 80 for displaying the current operating state and various information of the washing machine. do.

The water supply valve driving unit 50 according to the present invention has a first driving unit 50a for driving the first water supply valve 51 installed on the detergent storage box when the detergent is supplied to the washing tank 3, and the disinfectant washing tank 3 The second driving unit (50b) for driving the second water supply valve 52 is installed on the top of the sterilant storage box when supplied to). The first and second water supply valves 51 and 52 are commonly connected to an external water supply source and are provided on an upper side of the main body 1 and are provided from the first and second driving units 50a and 50b. It can be implemented as a solenoid valve opened and closed by a drive signal.

In addition, the present invention is provided with a detergent storage box and a disinfectant storage box for introducing the detergent and the sterilizer into the washing tank (3). Of course, it is possible to adopt a method of supplying the detergent and the disinfectant to the washing tank (3) by putting the detergent and the disinfectant together in one detergent box and supplying the detergent and the disinfectant to the washing tank (3). In view of this, the present invention separates the detergent and the disinfectant and stores them separately and when the two water supply valves are used, the control unit 10 supplies only the detergent when washing, and performs washing according to a conventional washing routine, while washing is completed. When the detergent and the sterilizer is automatically put into the washing tank (3) to sterilize the washing tank (3).

To this end, the outlet of the first water supply valve 51 is located in the upper part of the detergent storage box, and the outlet of the second water supply valve 52 is located in the upper part of the sterilant storage box. In such a storage container for detergents and sterilizers, an opening groove is formed at one side so that the washing water supplied from the upper side can be supplied to the washing tank 3.

The control unit 10 is to control the overall operation to sterilize the washing tank 3, first, if there is no laundry in the washing tank 3, the control unit 10 determines that the washing is completed, the first water to the washing water and detergent After the dehydration tank is put into the washing tank 3, the pulsator 4 is driven and dissolved. Subsequently, the controller 10 drives the pulsator 4 after the second water is supplied to the washing water until the reference water level is set in advance for more effective sterilization, wherein the reference water level is the entire washing tank 3. Setting more than half of the height above the water level can increase the sterilization effect.

At this time, the control unit 10 is set to a fairly long stirring cycle compared to the cycle for stirring the left and right to wash the laundry. For example, the washing motor 5 is driven to rotate the pulsator 4 for about 1 second and then the pulsator 4 is rotated to the right for about 1 second to prepare a general washing process. When sterilizing the washing tank 3, the pulsator 4 is left rotated for about 2 seconds and then the pulsator 4 is rotated to the right for about 2 seconds. This is to increase the period in which the washing water flows in one direction by lengthening the stirring cycle of the pulsator 4 to suppress the generation of vortices and to effectively remove the fine foreign matter and various fungi stuck to the surface of the washing tank 3. As such, the control unit 10 supplies washing water, injects detergent and sterilizing agent, and then drives the pulsator 4 to sterilize the washing tank 3 for a predetermined time, preferably for about 15 minutes. Will be performed.

In addition, the control unit 10 drives the pulsator 4 to sterilize the washing tank 3, and then drains and supplies water to completely remove residues of various fungi remaining by performing rinsing and dehydrating strokes. . At this time, the control unit 10 performs the rinsing stroke and the dehydrating stroke as the set number of times, in the embodiment to perform the rinsing stroke twice in succession about two minutes, and then perform the dehydrating stroke for about one minute.

Hereinafter, the washing tank sterilization control method of the washing machine according to the present invention will be described according to the operation flowchart of FIG.

First, when the control unit 10 outputs a control command to the washing motor driving unit 60 to drive the washing motor 5, the washing motor 5 gradually increases in the stationary state, and thus the pulsator 4 is driven by receiving power through the clutch 6 (step 100).

Subsequently, the controller 10 detects the weights of the laundry and the washing water introduced into the washing tub 3 according to the time taken for the rotational speed of the washing motor 5 to reach the target rotational speed. That is, the control unit 10 when the value of counting the number of pulses input from the hall sensor of the weight sensing unit 40 for detecting the rotational speed of the washing motor 61 reaches a reference value corresponding to the preset target rotational speed Since the time taken depends on the weights of the laundry and the wash water, the weight of the laundry and the wash water is detected by comparing the time required with the reference value (step 101). Subsequently, the controller 10 determines whether the washing is completed according to the weight of the laundry and the washing water detected (step 102).

As a result of the determination in step 102, if there is laundry and laundry in the washing tank, the control unit 10 washes the laundry according to the washing routine (step 103). As a result of the determination in step 102, if there is no laundry in the washing tub, that is, if the time required for the controller 10 to reach the target rotation speed of the rotational speed of the washing motor 5 is within the reference value, the controller 10 Detergent and disinfectant are introduced into the washing tank 3, and the controller 10 controls the first and second driving units 50a and 50b of the water supply valve driving unit 50 to control the first and second water supply valves 51. 52) is opened to supply an appropriate amount of washing water to the primary water. At this time, the washing water supplied from the outlet of the first water supply valve 51 is guided to the detergent storage container and then introduced into the washing tank 3 together with the detergent, and the washing water supplied from the outlet of the second water supply valve 52 is After being guided to the sterilant storage container, the sterilant is introduced into the washing tank 3 (step 104).

Subsequently, the controller 10 stirs the pulsator 4 from side to side to dissolve the detergent and the disinfectant added with the wash water (step 105). Subsequently, the controller 10 determines whether the time required for dissolving the detergent and the disinfectant reaches a preset reference time, wherein the reference time may be set by experiment in consideration of the input amount of the detergent and the disinfectant and set to about a few minutes. Preferably, step 106.

If the judgment result of step 106 does not reach the reference time, the process returns to step 105 to continue dissolving the detergent and the disinfectant, whereas if the judgment time of step 106 reaches the reference time, the detergent and fungicide are completely dissolved in the wash water. The water supply valve driver 50 controls the first driver 50a of the water supply valve 50 to open the first water supply valve 51 to supply second wash water (step 107). Subsequently, the control unit 10 determines whether the water level supplied to the washing tank 3 detected by the water level detecting unit 30 is a reference level, wherein the reference water level corresponds to half of the height of the washing tank 3. It is set above or above (step 108).

As a result of the determination of step 108, if the reference level is not reached, the flow returns to step 107 to continue to supply the washing water, whereas when the determination of the step 108 reaches the reference level, the control unit 10 includes a washing motor driver ( 60, the washing motor 61 is rotated forward and backward, and the pulsator 4 is rotated left and right to generate water flow by stirring the washing water in which detergent and disinfectant are dissolved, wherein the pulsator 4 Is usually set to about two times longer than the stirring cycle in the washing routine, the operation of generating water flow in accordance with the driving of the pulsator 4 is performed for about 15 minutes (step 109).

Subsequently, the control unit 10 controls the drain valve driving unit 70 to open the drain valve 71 to discharge the wash water (step 110).

Subsequently, the controller 10 controls the first driving unit 50a to open the first water supply valve 51 to supply a predetermined amount of washing water to the washing tank 3, and then to drive the pulsator 4 to wash the washing tank. After rinsing (3), the rinsing operation is performed twice in succession about two minutes, and then the drain valve 71 is opened to discharge the washing water used in the rinsing stroke (step 111).

Subsequently, the control unit 10 controls the washing motor driving unit 60 to rotate the washing motor 61 in one direction, and accordingly, the washing tank 3 performs the dewatering stroke of rotating at high speed for about 1 minute and then ends. (Step 112).

In the above-described embodiment, the controller 10 is programmed to automatically perform the sterilization operation on the washing tank 3 when the washing of the laundry is completed. However, without being limited thereto, a specific function key for sterilizing the washing tank 3 is provided in the function input unit 20, and the control unit 10 enters the washing tank 3 whenever the user selects and inputs the specific function key. Sterilization operation can be performed.

In the present invention as described above, when the washing is completed, the detergent and the disinfectant added to the washing tank 3 is dissolved, and then the stirring cycle of the pulsator 4 is increased to increase the section in which the washing water flows in one direction to suppress the generation of vortices and the washing tank. (3) Effectively removes fine foreign matter and various fungi stuck to the surface, and performs rinsing and dehydrating strokes as many times as the set number of times to completely remove residues of various fungi remaining in the washing tank. Therefore, the present invention has the effect of preventing the breeding of bacteria in the washing tank, washing more clean and hygienic when performing the next washing.

Claims (5)

In the washing machine to perform a rinsing and dehydration of the laundry after putting the detergent in the washing tank to perform the washing, Determining whether the washing is completed; When the washing in the step is completed, the first step of supplying detergent and fungicide into the washing tank; Driving a pulsator for a reference time to dissolve a detergent and a disinfectant in a washing tank; Supplying secondary water such that a detergent level and a disinfectant solution in the washing tank reach a reference level; And When the water supply to the reference level in the step pulsator driving the washing tank sterilization control method comprising the step of sterilizing the washing tank with the washing water dissolved detergent and sterilizer. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving of the pulsator to sterilize the washing tank, In order to remove the foreign matter and various fungi stuck to the surface of the washing tank by increasing the flow of washing water in one direction, the stirring cycle of the pulsator is set to two times or more than the time period in which the washing cycle is stirred left and right Washing tank sterilization control method. According to claim 1 or 2, after performing the step of driving the pulsator to sterilize the washing tank to perform a rinsing stroke and dehydration stroke to set the number of times to completely remove the residue of various fungi remaining in the washing tank Washing tank sterilization control method of the washing machine characterized in that it further comprises a step. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the washing is completed Outputting a control command to the washing motor drive unit to increase the rotational speed of the washing motor and drive the pulsator, and the value of counting the number of pulses input from the hall sensor of the weight sensing unit for detecting the rotational speed of the washing motor Detecting the weight of the laundry and the wash water by comparing the time required to reach the reference value corresponding to the target rotational speed with the reference value, and determining that the laundry is completed when the laundry is not in the washing tank as a result of detecting the weight. Washing tank sterilization control method of the washing machine comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of supplying water to the washing tank to a reference level is a washing tank sterilization control method of the washing machine, characterized in that the water level is equal to or more than half of the height of the washing tank of the level set during the washing.