KR970005740B1 - An washing water level conpensating circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

The water is put into the water tank(4), the start key is inputted, microprocessor(30) detects the weight of the laundry and decides the required water level. Next the water level sensing part(16) operates the water supply drive part(24) to perform supply until the signal of a high potential is inputted, and when deciding the weight sensing part(14) and the level sensing part(6) are out of order, the water tank is reverse rotating a number of times, checking if the signal of the high potential is inputted from the photo-transistor which is one step above the water level set.

Description

Washing machine with failsafe function

1 is a block diagram showing the general configuration of the control unit of the washing machine.

2 is a schematic view of a washing machine having a failsafe function according to the present invention.

3 is a circuit diagram of a washing machine according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

2: water tank, 4: washing tank

4A: through 12: key input

10,30: microprocessor 14: weight sensing unit

16: water level detection unit 18: display unit

20: motor reverse rotation drive part 22: motor

24: water supply drive 26: drainage drive

28: Detergent input unit 40: Laundry service

LDH, LDM, LDL: Light Emitting Diodes PTH, PTM, PTL: Phototransistor

R1-R4: Resistance

The present invention relates to a washing machine having a fail-safe function, and in particular, a washing machine having a fail-safe function capable of properly correcting the washing level by sensing the height of the laundry in the washing tank even when the weight sensor or the water level sensor is fixed. It is about.

In recent years, washing machines that can exert a good washing effect while maximizing user convenience are being actively developed. 1 is a general block diagram of a control device of such a washing machine. For convenience of description, FIG. 1 is a general block diagram of a control device of such a washing machine. For convenience of description, the prior art will be described with reference to some components of FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 2, reference 2 denotes a water tank in which washing water is contained, and 4 denotes a washing tank in which laundry is rotated. On the circumferential surface and the bottom surface of the washing tub 4, a myriad of openings 4A are formed in which the washing water contained in the water tank 2 is introduced into the washing tub 4 and the washing water is drained at the time of dehydration. In place of the lower part of the washing tank 4, the rotary blade 6 for agitating laundry to the left and right at the time of washing | cleaning is mounted.

In FIG. 1, the controller of the washing machine includes a microprocessor 10 for controlling the overall operation of the washing machine, an input alternating current power source, and various electronic circuits used in the washing machine after converting an alternating current from the input alternating current source into a direct current. The power supply unit (not shown) supplied to the power supply circuit supplied to the power supply, the operation mode of the washing machine, the key input unit 12 for selecting the operation mode of the washing machine, and the motor 22 through the reduction gear during washing. Rotation alternately by rotation, the motor reverse rotation drive unit 20 for rotating the motor 22 at high speed when dewatering, the water supply drive unit 24 for supplying the wash water in the water tank (2), the intermediate process of washing In addition, the drainage driving unit 26 for draining the wash water during dehydration and the display unit 18 for informing the user of the selected washing mode or the current washing process is basically provided. Furthermore, in the case of a fully automatic washing machine, it is further provided with various configurations for automatically performing the washing. That is, the weight sensing unit 14 for sensing the weight of the laundry, the water level sensing unit 16 for determining the amount of the wash water to be supplied to the water tank 2 according to the detected weight of the laundry and the weight of the detected laundry Detergent injection portion 28 for injecting the amount of detergent determined in accordance with the washing tank (4) and the like. The water level detecting unit 16 is usually installed at regular intervals in the washing tank 4 to detect the amount of washing water injected into the washing tank 4 by dividing it into high, medium, low and small amounts.

However, in the above conventional washing machine, when the weight detection unit malfunctions or malfunctions to detect the amount of laundry, or when the water level detection unit malfunctions or malfunctions, the amount of washing water introduced into the washing tub is less than that required for actual washing. There was a problem that the washing effect is reduced or the laundry is damaged.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a washing machine having a fail-safe function so that an appropriate amount of washing water can be supplied according to the height of the laundry in the washing tank regardless of the malfunction of the weight sensing unit or the water level sensing unit of the washing machine. Its purpose is to.

Washing machine of the present invention having the above object, a washing tank for storing the wash water, a washing tank rotatably installed in the species to accommodate the laundry, weight sensing means for sensing the weight of the laundry contained in the washing tank, The water supply means for supplying the wash water into the tank according to the weight of the laundry detected by the weight sensing means, and the water level of the wash water supplied into the water tank is sensed to stop the operation of the water supply means when the wash water reaches the target water level. Laundry height sensing means for detecting the height of the laundry accommodated in the washing tank when fixing the water level detecting means, and water level correction means for replenishing the insufficient wash water by resuming the operation of the water supply means according to the detected laundry height And, the laundry height detecting means is installed on the inner surface of the water tank at a predetermined height intervals to the Characterized in that it consists of a light emitting element and a light receiving element that receives light through the through-hole of the washing tank.

In the above configuration, the through hole formed in the cylinder circumference of the washing tub is formed to have a sufficient diameter in consideration of the imbalance of the washing tub. In addition, the light emitting unit may be implemented as a light emitting diode, and the light receiving unit may be implemented as a phototransistor.

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

2 is a view schematically showing a washing machine having a failsafe function according to the present invention. Part of FIG. 2 has already been described in the description of the prior art, and only parts related to the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, in the washing machine according to the present invention, a plurality of through holes 4A are formed at the heights corresponding to the high, middle and low positions of the laundry in the cylinder circumference of the washing tub 4. The through hole 4A is formed to have a diameter of sufficient size in consideration of the imbalance of the washing tank 4 so that light can pass in a diagonal direction. On the other hand, three pairs of light emitting diodes / light receiving transistors (LDH / PTH; LDM / PTM; LDL / PTL) are installed at positions facing the water tank 3 forming the service life of the through-hole 4A of the washing tank 4.

3 is a detailed circuit diagram of a washing machine according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the washing machine of the present invention includes a laundry height sensor 40 and a microprocessor 30 for overall system control. In addition to this configuration, the washing machine of the present invention, according to the water supply unit for supplying the wash water in the water tank (2), the weight sensing unit (14) for sensing the weight of the laundry contained in the laundry tank (4), the weight of the laundry It is provided with a water level detection unit 16 for determining the amount of wash water to be supplied to the water tank (2). The height detecting unit 40 of the laundry includes three light emitting diodes LDH, LDM and LDL connected in series, and three phototransistors PTH, PTM and PTL corresponding to the light emitting diodes LDH, LDM and LDL. Is done. The anodes of the light emitting diodes LDH, LDM and LDL are connected to the DC power supply Vcc via the current limiting resistor R1. The collet terminal of each phototransistor (PTH, PTM, PTL) is connected to the DC power supply (Vcc) via the respective current current limiting resistors (R2, R3, R4). Further, the connection point between the collet terminal of each phototransistor (PTH, PTM, PTL) and each current limiting resistor (R2, R3, R4) is the corresponding input terminal (POH, POM, POL) of the microprocessor 30. Is connected to.

In addition, the microprocessor 30 has a failure detection unit for determining the failure of the weight detection unit 14 and the water level detection unit 16, the laundry height detection unit 40 is the weight detection unit 16 Only works if is faulty. In addition, the microprocessor 30 is provided with a water level correction unit for replenishing insufficient wash water by resuming the operation of the water supply driving unit according to the sensed laundry height.

Hereinafter, the operation of the washing machine of the present invention will be described. First, when the user puts laundry into the washing tank 4 while pressing the start key and turns on the washing machine, the microprocessor 30 determines the required water level by sensing the weight of the laundry through the weight sensing unit 14. Done. Next, the water level detecting unit 16 performs water supply by operating the water supply driver 24 until a high potential signal is input for the required water level. In this state, if it is determined that the weight detection unit 14 and the water level detection unit 16 are broken, the phototransistor PTH, which is one step above the predetermined water supply level, is rotated several times by rotating the microprocessor 30 in the washing tank 4. PTM, PTL) checks whether a high potential signal is input. For example, if the low level is a low level, it checks whether a signal of high potential from the low level phototransistor (PTL) is input. If the low level is a low level, the high level from the high level phototransistor (PTM) is checked. It is checked whether the signal of is input, and if the predetermined level is the middle level, it is checked whether the high potential signal from the phototransistor PTH corresponding to the high level is input. That is, it is checked whether the light emitted from each of the light emitting diodes LDH, LDM, and LDL reaches each of the light receiving transistors PTH, PTM, and PTL via the through hole 4A of the washing tank 4. In this way, if a high potential signal is not input to the microprocessor 30 from the phototransistor corresponding to the current level above the water supply level, the phototransistor is not turned on because the laundry is considered to be on, and the water level is one level higher. Supply water until In other words, it is regarded that the laundry is not completely settled in the wash water due to lack of wash water, and the water is supplied to the water level of the upper stage.

By the above-described configuration, even if the weight detection unit or the water level detection unit is broken or malfunctions, the required washing water is replenished according to the position of the laundry, thereby improving the washing effect and reducing the damage of the laundry.

Claims (1)

A water tank for storing the wash water, a washing tank rotatably installed inside the water tank to accommodate the laundry, weight sensing means for sensing the water content or the weight of the laundry in the washing tank, and the laundry detected by the weight sensing means. The washing machine comprising a water supply means for supplying the wash water into the water tank according to the weight and the water level sensing means for detecting the water level of the wash water supplied into the water tank to stop the operation of the water supply means when the wash water reaches the target water level. In the case of failure of the weight sensing means and the water level sensing means, the laundry height sensing means for detecting the height of the laundry accommodated in the washing tank, and resuming the operation of the water supply means according to the detected laundry height to replenish the insufficient wash water It is provided with a water level correction means, wherein the laundry height detection means is constant on the inner surface of the water tank Washing machine having a fail-safe function, characterized in that it is installed facing each other at a height interval made of a light emitting element and a light receiving element for transmitting and receiving light through the through-hole of the washing tank.