TW202003961A - Washing machine capable of suppressing foaming and improving cleaning performance while suppressing an increase in cost - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a washing machine which is capable of suppressing foaming and improving cleaning performance while suppressing an increase in cost. To achieve the object, the washing machine includes a frame body (2); an outer tank (9) supported in the frame body (2) for retaining the washing water; a water washing and dewatering tank (8) contained therein objects to be washed by water and rotatably supported in the outer tank (9); a driving device (10) for rotationally driving the water washing and dewatering tank (8); and a water supply means (12) for supplying water into the outer tank (9). Comparing the case in which the powder detergent is supplied with the case in which the liquid detergent is supplied, the high-concentration cleaning time before the formal washing is extended, the number of motor rotations during the high-concentration cleaning is increased, or the amount of water during the aforementioned high-concentration washing is reduced.

Description

washing machine

The invention relates to a washing machine.

Patent Document 1 discloses that before the main washing, the rotor is rotated in a state of low water level, and high-concentration washing is performed with a high-concentration detergent solution. [Conventional Technical Literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-209389

[Problems to be solved by the present invention]

Patent Document 1 does not disclose how much time to perform high-concentration washing, but a washing machine that actually performs high-concentration washing for approximately 30 seconds has been proposed. However, it has been known that when the operating time of high-concentration washing is of such a length, even if the time of the subsequent formal washing is lengthened, it is still not easy to remove oily dirt caused by food.

The present invention is to solve the aforementioned conventional problems, and its object is to provide a washing machine that can remove oily dirt caused by food. [Means to solve the problem]

The present invention, one example thereof, is provided with a frame body, an outer tank supported by the frame body to retain washing water, and a washing and dehydrating tank rotatably supported in the outer tank and accommodating the washed objects, and a device The rotating wing at the bottom of the water washing and dewatering tank, the driving device for driving the rotating wing to rotate, and the water supply means for supplying water to the outer tank include: a high-concentration washing process, a formal washing process, and a washing process And the dehydration process, in the high-concentration washing process, the rotor is rotated by the driving device in a state of a lower water level than the formal washing process, and the operating time of the high-concentration washing process is The running time of the washing process is above 0.15. [Effect of invention]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a washing machine that can remove oily dirt caused by food.

Hereinafter, the form for implementing the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiment") will be described in detail while referring to appropriate drawings. In addition, in this description, the same constituent elements are given the same numbers, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of the washing machine (washing and drying machine) of this embodiment.

The washing and drying machine 1 is a vertical type washing machine (vertical type washing and drying machine) in which the rotation axis of the water washing and dewatering tank 8 (refer to FIG. 2) is substantially vertical.

The upper cover 2a is provided on the upper portion of the casing 2 of the washer dryer 1, and the outer cover 3 is provided on the upper cover 2a. The outer cover 3 is opened to the rear side while being bent in a mountain shape, and the opening 2b (refer to FIG. 2) is opened to make the clothes (washed goods) can be washed and dehydrated 8 (FIG. 2) (Reference) access. On the back side of the upper cover 2a, there are a water supply hose connection port 4 from a faucet, and a water suction hose connection port 5 of waste hot water after bathing. On the front side of the upper cover 2a, a power switch 6 is provided, and on the front side of the outer cover 3, an operation display panel 7 composed of an operation switch 7a and a display 7b is provided.

FIG. 2 is a right side cross-sectional view showing a part of the frame and the outer tank cut to show the internal structure of the washer-dryer of this embodiment.

The bottomed cylindrical water washing and dewatering tank 8 is rotatably supported by the outer tank 9, has a plurality of through holes 8b for water and ventilation on its outer peripheral wall, and is open on the upper side. The outer tank 9 has a disc-shaped bottom wall portion 9c and a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 9d and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, and the water washing and dewatering tank 8 is coaxially enclosed and opened at the upper side. In addition, an inner cover 9a is provided on the upper portion of the outer tank 9. By opening the outer cover 3 and the inner cover 9a, the user of the washing and drying machine 1 can enter and exit clothes from the opening 2b into the washing and dewatering tank 8.

A rotating blade 8a is provided on the inner bottom surface of the water washing and dewatering tank 8. In addition, a drive device 10 is provided at the outer center of the bottom surface of the outer groove 9. The driving device 10 includes a motor 10a and a clutch mechanism 10b. The rotating shaft 10c of the driving device 10 penetrates the outer tank 9 and is coupled to the water washing and dewatering tank 8 and the rotary wing 8a. The clutch mechanism 10b transmits the turning power of the motor 10a to the washing and dewatering tank 8 and/or the rotary blade 8a. The motor 10a is provided with a rotation detection device 28 composed of a Hall element or a photointerrupter that detects its rotation, and a motor current detection device 29 for detecting the current flowing in the motor 10a.

The lotion and post-treatment agent input device 11 is provided on the front side of the upper cover 2a. The input of the washing agent and the post-treatment agent is performed between the outer tank 9 and the water washing and dewatering tank 8 by introducing the hose 11a. The water supply unit 12 is provided on the back side of the upper cover 2a. The water supply unit 12 is for supplying tap water from the water supply hose connection port 4 to the detergent/aftertreatment agent input device 11 and a water-cooled dehumidification mechanism (not shown) described later. Furthermore, the water supply unit 12 can pass the tap water from the water supply hose connection port 4 and the bath water from the suction hose connection port 5 (refer to FIG. 1) through the water injection hose 11b, from the outer tank 9 and the washing and dehydration tank Fill the water into the outer tank 9 between 8.

The drop portion 9b provided on the bottom surface of the outer tank 9 is connected in communication with the lower communication tube 13. The lower communication pipe 13 is connected to the washing water drainage channel 15 through the drainage valve 14. By closing the drain valve 14, it becomes possible to store the washing water and washing water in the outer tank 9. Furthermore, by opening the drain valve 14, the water in the outer tank 9 can be drained out of the machine of the washer dryer 1 through the water washing and draining channel 15.

The lower communication pipe 13 is connected to the washing water circulation water channel 18 through the foreign matter removing device 16 and the circulation pump 17 provided in the lower part of the housing 2. In addition, the washing water circulation water channel 18 is connected in communication with the thread removing device 19 provided above the washing and dewatering tank 8. When the circulation pump 17 is driven to rotate in the positive direction, the water in the outer tank 9 flows into the foreign matter removing device 16 through the drop portion 9b and the lower communication pipe 13 to remove the foreign matter, and flows into the suction port of the circulation pump 17. The water discharged from the discharge port of the circulation pump 17 flows into the thread removal device 19 through the washing water circulation water channel 18 to remove the thread waste, and the water (circulation water) from which the thread waste is removed is from the thread removal device 19 toward washing and washing. Water is scattered in the dewatering tank 8.

The drying duct 20 is provided in the longitudinal direction inside the back surface of the casing 2, and the lower part of the duct is connected by the drop portion 9b of the outer groove 9 and the rubber bellows 20a. In the drying duct 20, a water-cooled dehumidification mechanism (not shown) is housed, and cooling water is supplied from the water supply unit 12 toward the water-cooled dehumidification mechanism. The cooling water flows down the wall surface of the drying duct 20 into the falling portion 9b, and is discharged to the outside of the machine through the lower communication pipe 13 and the washing water drainage channel 15.

The outlet of the drying duct 20 is connected to the intake port of the fan 21, and the outlet of the fan 21 is connected to the heater 22. The outlet of the heater 22 is connected to the blowing nozzle 24 through the air duct 23 and the rubber bellows 23a.

In this way, during the drying process, the air in the outer tank 9 can be water-cooled and dehumidified by the drying duct 20 and sucked from the suction port of the fan 21, and the air discharged from the discharge port of the fan 21 can be heated by the heater 22 to reduce the high temperature. The wet air is blown from the blowing nozzle 24 into the washing and dehydrating tank 8.

The air pressure chamber 25a is provided in the outer tank 9 and has a water level sensor 25 that detects the water level of the washing water retained in the outer tank 9 on its upper side. The air supply duct 23 is provided with a temperature sensor 26a that detects the temperature of the wind blown into the water washing and dewatering tank 8 during the drying operation. The drop part 9b of the outer tank 9 is provided with a temperature sensor 26b that detects the temperature of the washing water and the temperature of the air sucked into the drying duct 20 during the drying operation. Between the lower communication pipe 13 and the drain valve 14, a temperature sensor 26c is provided, which detects the temperature of the washing water and the temperature of the air discharged from the washing water drain 15 toward the outside during the drying operation. The upper part of the side surface of the outer tank 9 is provided with an acceleration sensor 27 that detects vibration acceleration by the vibration of the outer tank 9. In addition, the signals detected by the water level sensor 25, the temperature sensors 26a, 26b, 26c, and the acceleration sensor 27 are sent to the control device 100.

Next, the water supply unit 12 will be further described using FIG. 3.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the water supply unit of the washer dryer.

The water supply unit 12 includes: a detergent water supply solenoid valve 12a, a post-treatment agent water supply solenoid valve 12b, a cooling water water supply solenoid valve 12c, an outer tank water supply solenoid valve 12d, a water supply switching solenoid valve 12e, and a bath water pump 12f 、和水水网络单元30。 And water supply unit 30.

The detergent water supply solenoid valve 12a is for passing tap water from the water supply hose connection port 4 through the water inlet 31 through the water supply path unit 30, through the hose 12i (refer to FIG. 2) connected to the water outlet 32, and toward the loading device 11 (refer to FIG. 2) for the detergent input chamber (not shown) to feed water. The tap water that is injected into the detergent input chamber passes through the input hose 11a (refer to FIG. 2) together with the injected detergent, and is injected into the outer tank 9.

The aftertreatment agent water supply solenoid valve 12b is for feeding tap water from the water supply hose connection port 4 through the water inlet 33 through the water supply path unit 30, through the hose 12j (refer to FIG. 2) connected to the water outlet 34, and toward The aftertreatment agent input chamber (not shown) of the apparatus 11 (refer to FIG. 2) feeds water. The tap water filled with water in the post-treatment agent injection chamber passes through the injection hose 11 a (refer to FIG. 2) together with the injected post-treatment agent, and is injected into the outer tank 9.

The cooling water supply solenoid valve 12c feeds tap water from the water supply hose connection port 4 through the hose connected to the flow path 12g to the water cooling dehumidification mechanism (not shown) of the drying duct 20 (refer to FIG. 2) .

The outer tank water supply solenoid valve 12d feeds tap water from the water supply hose connection port 4 from the water injection hose 11b (refer to FIG. 2) connected to the flow path 12h into the water washing and dewatering tank 8.

The feed water switching solenoid valve 12e switches the feed water generated by the outer tank feed water solenoid valve 12d toward the water washing and dewatering tank 8 or between the outer tank 9 and the water washing and dewatering tank 8.

The water quality sensor 40 (conductivity detection means) is the tap water before washing and the conductivity of the washing liquid detected during washing (washing, washing, dehydration), and is arranged on the outer periphery of the bottom wall portion 9c of the outer tank 9 Margin. In addition, the water quality sensor 40 includes a base made of synthetic resin and a pair of electrodes 42A and 42B. The groove of the water quality sensor 40 is directed in the radial direction S (normal direction) of the outer groove 9 ) Extended configuration.

The surface from the peripheral wall portion 9d of the outer tank 9 passing through the groove of the water quality sensor 40 to the bottom wall portion 9c of the outer tank 9 is configured to become an almost continuous surface. For example, during the dehydration process during the water washing operation, part of the washing water discharged from the through hole 8b (refer to FIG. 2) of the water washing and dewatering tank 8 toward the outer tank 9 flows down along the peripheral wall portion 9d of the outer tank 9 , Flows through the cutout portion, the groove portion of the water quality sensor 40, and the bottom wall portion 9c of the outer groove 9.

Figure 4 is a functional diagram of the water quality sensor. The pair of electrodes 42A and 42B are connected to the coil 48a to form a resonance circuit 48. The coil 48a is magnetically coupled to the coil 49a, and the coil 49a is connected to the oscillation circuit 49. The pair of electrodes 42A, 42B, the coil 48a, the coil 49a, and the oscillation circuit 49 form the water quality sensor 40. The oscillation circuit 49 sends a signal equivalent to the conductivity between the electrodes to the microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) 110 of the control device 100 (refer to FIG. 2), and changes the characteristics by the electrostatic capacity of the component, that is, the capacitor To change the resistance value range of water quality that is easy to read.

Fig. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating the configuration of the control device of the washer-dryer of this embodiment. The control device 100 is structured around the microcomputer 110. The microcomputer 110 is provided with an operation mode map database 111, a process control unit 112, a rotation speed calculation unit 113, a clothing weight calculation unit 114, a conductivity measurement unit 115, and a washing amount and washing time determination unit 116, And detergent state determination unit 117, and foam determination unit 118.

The microcomputer 110 has a function of calling the operation mode map in the operation program input from the operation switch 7a from the operation mode map database 111 to start washing or/and drying. The process control unit 112 has a function of operating and controlling each process of the washing process, the washing process, the dehydration process, and the drying process based on the operation mode map called from the operation mode map database 111.

In each process, the process control unit 112 has a function of controlling the water supply unit 12 and the drain valve 14. In addition, the process control unit 112 includes driving and controlling the motor 10a of the driving device 10 through the motor driving circuit 121, switching the clutch mechanism 10b through the clutch control circuit 122, and turning on/off the heater switch 123 The OFF control controls the function of energizing the heater 22, controlling the fan 21 through the fan drive circuit 124, and driving and controlling the circulation pump 17 through the circulation pump drive circuit 125.

The rotation speed calculation unit 113 has a function of calculating the rotation speed of the motor 10a based on the detection value from the rotation detection device 28 that detects the rotation of the motor 10a.

The clothes weight calculation unit 114 has a function of calculating the weight of clothes in the washing and dewatering tank 8 based on the rotation speed calculated by the rotation speed calculation unit 113 and the detection value of the motor current detection device 29. Since the weight of the clothes increases, the rotation load of the washing and dewatering tank 8 increases, and the motor current flowing through the motor 10a needs to be increased. Therefore, the weight of the clothes can be calculated by the motor current and the rotation speed of the motor 10a.

The conductivity measurement unit 115 has a function of measuring the conductivity of tap water and water washing liquid using the detection value from the water quality sensor 40.

The washing amount/washing time determining unit 116 has a function of determining the washing amount and the washing time of clothes based on the conductivity measured by the conductivity measuring unit 115, etc., as described in detail later.

The lotion state determination unit 117 has a function of determining the state of the lotion based on the conductivity measured by the conductivity measurement unit 115 and the like, as described in detail later.

The foaming determination unit 118 has a function of determining the washing time, the amount of water, and the number of motor rotations by the state of the water washing liquid determined by the conductivity measurement unit 115 and the detergent state determination unit 117. Details will be described later.

Next, referring to Fig. 6, the operation process of the washer-dryer of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a process diagram illustrating the operation process of the water washing operation (washing to washing to dehydration) of the washing and drying machine of the present embodiment.

In step S1, the process control unit 112 receives an input of program selection (program selection) of the operation process. Here, the user puts the water-washed product into the water-washing and dewatering tank 8. The user operates the operation switch 7a to cause the process control unit 112 to rotate the rotary wing 8a, and the clothing weight calculation unit 114 of the microcomputer 110 calculates the cloth amount for the clothing before water injection.

In step S2, the process control unit 112 opens the water supply solenoid valve 12d of the outer tank of the water supply unit 12. When the water supply solenoid valves 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d are closed, the hose connected to the water supply hose connection port 4 contains air. This air is compressed at the water channel pressure. When the water supply solenoid valves 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d are opened, when the high-pressure water channel pressure is opened to atmospheric pressure, the air in the tap water will expand rapidly and be ejected. The equipment on the road is damaged, or when water is supplied to the lotion and post-treatment agent input device 11, the lotion and the post-treatment agent may be sprayed off. Therefore, the process control unit 112 opens the outer tank water supply solenoid valve 12d without a sensor or the like in the water supply path, and discharges the compressed air into the outer tank 9 together with the tap water.

In step S3, the washing amount and washing time determining unit 116 displays the amount of washing to be put in and the time required for completion of the washing on the display 7b according to the amount of clothing, the temperature of the tap water, and the hardness of the water. In addition, the water temperature and hardness of the tap water are used: they were detected during the previous washing operation (step S30), and are memorized in the washing amount and washing time determination unit 116. The water temperature and water hardness of tap water only change gradually with the change of outside air temperature, so the water temperature and hardness of tap water measured during the previous washing can be used to determine the amount of wash. In addition, the initial operation after the washing and drying machine is installed is an initial value that does not deteriorate the washing performance (for example, water temperature 15° C., hardness 120 ppm).

In step S4, first, the process control unit 112 opens the detergent water supply solenoid valve 12a to supply the detergent and water along the outer tank 9, and when the predetermined water level is reached, closes the detergent water supply solenoid valve 12a.

The temperature of the lotion-containing water fed in step S5 is measured by the temperature sensor 26b (or the temperature sensor 26c), and the conductivity is measured by the water quality sensor 40.

Here, using FIG. 7 to further explain, the water supply to the outer tank in step S4, and the detergent state determination unit 117 in the measurement of the water temperature and conductivity in step S5.

Fig. 7 is a flow chart for determining the operation time of the detergent melting operation according to the water temperature and conductivity of the tap water.

In step S51, the temperature (water temperature) of the water containing detergent supplied to the water is measured by the temperature sensor 26b (or the temperature sensor 26c). In step S52, the detergent state determination unit 117 is It is judged that the type of lotion is liquid lotion or powder lotion (judgment of lotion state). In addition, the determination of the state of this lotion is described later using FIG. 8. When the measured water temperature is higher than the threshold value t1 (Yes in step S53), the process proceeds to step S54, and when the threshold value is less than t1 (No in step S53), the process proceeds to step S55. Here, since it has been experimentally determined that the melting state of the lotion will vary greatly around about 10°C, in this embodiment, 13°C which is slightly higher than 10°C is set as the threshold value t1 in consideration of unevenness. .

When it is determined in step S54 that the liquid lotion is (Yes), the lotion melting time T0 is set (step S56). When it is determined that it is a non-liquid lotion (No in step S54), the lotion melting time T1 is set (step S57). When it is determined in step S55 that it is a liquid lotion (Yes), the lotion melting time T2 is set (step S58), and when it is determined that it is a non-liquid lotion (No in step S55), the lotion melting time T3 is set (step S59).

Considering the solubility of liquid lotion and powder lotion in water, it is better to dissolve the lotion dissolution time T1 longer than the lotion dissolution time T0, or to dissolve the lotion dissolution time T3 longer than the lotion dissolution time T2, and The detergent with lower water temperature is not easy to melt in water, so it is better to dissolve the detergent time T2 than the detergent time T0, or to dissolve the detergent time T3 than the detergent time T1.

According to this embodiment, the dissolution time of the detergent can be set according to the type of detergent and the water temperature. When the liquid is used for cleaning and when the water temperature is high, the total operating time can be reduced by dissolving the detergent. shorten. In addition, in the present embodiment, another focus is on: before starting the dissolution process of the lotion, by also measuring the conductivity of the liquid fed to the outer tank, the type of lotion can be substantially discriminated. In addition, before the process of dissolving the lotion is started, since the rotary wing 8a and the water washing and dewatering tank 8 are stationary, the electrical conductivity can be measured with high accuracy.

Next, the electric conductivity measurement part 115, the lotion state determination part 117, and the foaming determination part 118 in the lotion state determination of step S52 are demonstrated using FIG. 8. FIG.

Figure 8 is a flow chart for determining the type of detergent by conductivity, estimating the foaming easiness from the result, and switching the washing time, the amount of water, and the number of motor rotations.

In step S521, the conductivity measuring unit 115 measures the conductivity of the water containing the detergent to be fed by the water quality sensor 40. In addition, in order to improve the measurement accuracy when measuring conductivity, the water supply from the outer tank feed valve 12d to the outer tank 9, the circulation generated by the circulation pump 17, the washing and dewatering tank 8, and the rotation of the rotor 8a are stopped Better.

In step S522, when the conductivity is smaller than the threshold value EC1 (Yes), the process proceeds to step S524, and when it is determined that the liquid lotion (concentration) is, the characteristics of the water quality sensor 40 are switched in accordance with it. When the electrical conductivity is equal to or higher than the threshold value EC1 (No in step S522) and is smaller than the threshold value EC2 (Yes in step S523), the process proceeds to step S525 to determine that it is a liquid detergent (wash twice). When the electrical conductivity is equal to or greater than the threshold value EC2 (No in step S523), the process proceeds to step S526, which is determined to be a powder detergent, and the washing time, the amount of water, and the number of motor rotations are changed to switch the washing method. For example, powder lotion has a tendency to foam easily, so compared to the case of liquid lotion (concentration), the washing time can be shortened, and by increasing the amount of water, the concentration of the lotion is thinned, and the rotation of the motor The decrease in the number makes it difficult to foam, it can suppress foaming, prevent the decline of cleaning performance and insufficient cleaning. Liquid lotion (concentrated) tends to be less foamy, so compared to the case of powder lotion, you can increase the washing time, or reduce the amount of water to increase the concentration of the lotion, by increasing the number of rotations of the motor, you can Improve the cleaning performance in a state where the risk of foaming is low. The conductivity of the liquid lotion tends to be in the middle of the powder lotion and liquid lotion (concentration), so by setting the cleaning method in the middle, it can become a proper cleaning method. Therefore, since it is not the foam itself, it can be changed to the most suitable cleaning method by detecting the type of the detergent, so there is no need to provide a sensor for foam detection. Furthermore, it is not necessary to distinguish whether the liquid lotion is of a concentrated type, and the same cleaning method can be used regardless of the type of liquid lotion.

Although not shown, the foaming determination unit 118 is in step S524, step S525, and step S526. It is not only the type of lotion, but it is easy to foam by the water temperature, water hardness, bath water usage status, etc. The detection of the degree element can improve the accuracy of the foaming judgment unit 118.

The cleaning operation is a concentrated type liquid detergent that can be used once. Compared with the liquid detergent that requires two cleaning operations, the conductivity becomes smaller, so the number of cleanings is changed by the judgment result of the foaming judgment unit 118 Can also.

In step S6, the process control unit 112 only drives the circulation pump 17 to rotate in the reverse direction based on the detergent melting time determined in step S5, and stirs the water and detergent to dissolve the detergent to generate a high-concentration detergent solution. . In addition, the method of generating a high-concentration lotion solution is not limited to the method using the circulation pump 17, by rotating both the rotary wing 8a and the water washing and dewatering tank 8, or only rotating the rotary wing 8a to utilize the generated water flow A method of stirring water and lotion is also possible.

In step S7, the conductivity measuring unit 115 measures the conductivity of the generated lotion solution by the water quality sensor 40, and the lotion state discriminating unit 117 re-discriminates the type of lotion and discriminates the actual The concentration of the input lotion. Since the generated lotion solution melts the lotion in a certain amount of water, the change in the concentration of the lotion can be detected as the amount of change in conductivity. When the input amount of the detergent is large (the concentration of the detergent is high), the electrical conductivity becomes larger than when the input amount of the detergent is small (the concentration of the detergent is low). Therefore, even when the foaming determination unit 118 determines that the washing operation is one time, when the amount of detergent input is large, the washing operation can be changed to two times. In addition, in this step S7, in order to improve the measurement accuracy of the conductivity, once the rotation of the water washing and dewatering tank 8 and the rotor 8a for melting the detergent is stopped, the rotation starts again in the next step S8. Therefore, if this step S7 is skipped, the overall operation time can be further shortened.

In step S8, the process control unit 112 drives the circulation pump 17 while rotating the water washing and dehydrating tank 8 and/or the rotary blade 8a, so as to wash and remove the high-concentration detergent solution from the lint removal device 19 The clothes in the sink 8 are scattered.

In step S9, the clothes are washed with water in a state where the amount of water is smaller than that in the subsequent formal washing process (S13 to S19), that is, a high-concentration detergent solution. Hereinafter, the operation of permeating the high-concentration detergent solution into clothes while rotating the rotary wing 8a by the driving device 10 in a state of a lower water level than the actual washing process is called high-concentration washing. In addition, the high-concentration washing process in this embodiment may be operated at a certain water level without water supply, or may be performed while water is being supplied. However, as the lotion melting operation in step S6 is performed by another process (non-continuous) before reaching a predetermined water level, it is not included in the high-concentration washing process.

Moreover, in this embodiment, in the case of liquid lotion and liquid lotion (concentrated), a high-concentration washing is performed while rotating the motor (rotating wing 8a) at a higher rotation number than in the case of powder lotion . This makes it possible to suppress foaming in the case of using a powdered lotion when washing at a high concentration that is easy to foam, and to increase the cleaning power when using a liquid lotion.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the operation time of the conventional high-concentration washing process of about 30 seconds is set to a long time of about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. In this way, by lengthening the operation time of the high-concentration washing process, it becomes possible to effectively remove oily dirt from food. On the other hand, it is also necessary to consider the need for "short time" to shorten the overall washing time. Here, it is better to shorten the operation time of the formal washing process while lengthening the operation time of the high-concentration washing process.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the test results of how the cleaning performance (cleaning ratio) becomes when the ratio of the operating time to the high-concentration cleaning process of the main washing process is changed. According to this Figure 9, by setting the operation time of the high-concentration washing process to the operation time of the full-wash process (the ratio of high-concentration washing) to 0.15 or more, it can be compared with the conventional (high-concentration washing ratio =0.04) improve the cleaning ratio. Further, if the ratio of high-concentration washing is set to 0.2 or more, it is expected that the washing ratio will be greatly improved. In addition, if the ratio of the main washing is too small, on the contrary, the washing ratio deteriorates, so the ratio of the high-concentration washing is preferably 0.35 or less.

In addition, in this embodiment, when it is determined that the powder lotion is determined by the determination means (conductivity detection means for determining the conductivity of the liquid in the outer tank 9b) by detecting the type of the lotion to be put in Compared with the case where it is determined to be a liquid lotion, the rotation speed of the rotary wing 8a during the high-concentration cleaning process can be reduced. Therefore, even in the case of a powder lotion that is easy to foam, the operation time of the high-concentration washing process can be extended while suppressing foaming, and oil dirt can be effectively removed.

Next, the case of the washing machine without the circulation pump 17 will be described. When the circulation pump 17 is not used, especially in the state of low water level, it is difficult for the water washing to distribute a high-concentration lotion solution from above. Therefore, there is a difference in the water content between the upper and lower parts of the water-washed object, the action of the water-washed object becomes slow, and there is a possibility that the washing becomes uneven. Here, in this embodiment, by dispersing the washing water early in the central portion and the end portion (near the inner wall) in the washing and dewatering tank 8a, the water washings stacked on the central portion and attached to the end portion The action of the washed object can be good, even if the water level is low, the difference in water content of the washed object can be suppressed. The specific structure is as follows.

Fig. 10 shows the state of the poured washing water from the water injection hose 11b into the washing and dewatering tank 8. As shown in the figure, the washing water is distributed in a central portion (Wa), an end portion (Wb), and an intermediate portion (Wc) between the end portion and the central portion of the water washing and dewatering tank 8, and is distributed substantially on a straight line. Therefore, not only the end portion but also the central portion, it is possible to spray water to the entire washing tank during the water supply stage, it is easy to make the entire clothes hydrated, and the cloth operates well during washing to suppress uneven washing.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the water supply port 35 of the sprinkler. The washing water fed from the washing hose 11b flows from the position A in the figure as shown in the figure, and is distributed from the plural discharge ports 36 toward the washing and dewatering tank 8. The plurality of discharge ports 36 are arranged substantially straight from the end of the water washing tank toward the center. Specifically, in one water supply port 35, the first discharge port 36a which distributes the washing water (Wa in FIG. 10) toward the central portion of the washing and dewatering tank 8 and the washing and dehydrating tank The second discharge port 36b where the washing water is spread (Wb in FIG. 10) at the end of 8 is formed on a substantially straight line at a predetermined interval. As a result, the water is distributed on a substantially straight line from the end of the water washing tank toward the center, and the water washing and dewatering tank 8 in operation is scattered on the clothes by rotation without omission. Further, as shown in the figure, the third discharge port 36c for spreading the wash water (Wc in FIG. 10) toward the middle between the central portion and the end of the water washing and dewatering tank 8 is provided by the first discharge On the straight line connecting the outlet and the second spit outlet, it can be scattered on the clothing without further omission. Further, a fourth discharge port 36d for spreading the washing water (Wd in FIG. 10) is provided on the wall of the washing and dewatering tank 8, and after dehydration rotating at a high speed, even if the washed object is attached to the wall of the washing tank by centrifugal force In the state, the water can also be sprinkled on the wash. Furthermore, the washing water discharged from the discharge port 36 is distributed toward the central portion of the washing and dewatering tank 8 by the water supply pressure of the faucet of 0.1 MPa or more. In this way, by arranging the discharge ports on a substantially straight line with a predetermined interval, the washing water can be distributed from the end of the washing and dewatering tank 8 toward the center.

In step S10, first, the clothing weight calculation unit 114 calculates the weight of clothing in a state where water is included. Furthermore, the cloth quality (water absorption) of the clothing is determined from the weight of the clothing that does not contain the water calculated in step S1 and the weight of the clothing that contains the water calculated in step S10. The following process is controlled according to the cloth quality of the clothing to be judged.

The water temperature before the water washing process is obtained in step S11. When the water temperature is high, the chemical action of the detergent increases, and the washing power can be increased, so the washing time can be shortened. By measuring the water temperature before the washing process, for example, even when washing with waste hot water after bathing, the water temperature can be accurately detected, and the washing time can be changed.

When the measured water temperature is high and the water hardness is low, the washing time can be shortened by skipping steps S18 and S19.

In this way, by using the water quality sensor 40 to measure the conductivity of the washing liquid, and the foaming determination unit 118 controlling the foaming ease during the cleaning process, the washing time can be controlled (shortened or extended). The washing amount/washing time determination unit 116 is a list table in which the washing time (shortened or extended time) determined by the degree of dirt is memorized in advance. Moreover, the complex threshold value may be set by the cloth amount calculated in step S1.

When the formal washing is finished, in step S20, the imbalance of the clothes is monitored to determine whether it is moved to dehydration.

In step S21, the process control unit 112 opens the drain valve 14 to drain the washing water in the outer tank 9. After the drainage is completed, in step S22, the process control unit 112 rotates the water washing and dehydrating tank 8 to dehydrate the water (washing water) contained in the clothes.

The process control unit 112 closes the drain valve 14, switches the water supply switching solenoid valve 12e, opens the outer tank water supply solenoid valve 12d, and supplies washing water to the washing and dehydrating tank 8. Then, the water washing and dewatering tank 8 is rotated, and the washing water is spread toward the clothes in the water washing and dewatering tank 8 (step S23).

The process control unit 112 rotates the water washing and dewatering tank 8 and closes the outer tank water supply solenoid valve 12d to dehydrate the washing water from clothing (step S24).

The process control unit 112 rotates the water washing and dewatering tank 8 and spreads washing water toward the clothes in the water washing and dewatering tank 8 (step S25).

The process control unit 112 stops the water washing and dewatering tank 8, opens the drain valve 14, and drains the washing water in the outer tank 9 (step S26). After the drainage is completed, the process control unit 112 rotates the washing and dehydrating tank 8 to dehydrate the water (washing water) contained in the clothes (step S27).

Steps S23 and S25 are performed by the rotary rinsing, when the foaming determination unit 118 is determined and the number of cleanings is determined to be one, the process control unit 112 will skip step S27 from step S23 When the instruction is sent, the cleaning operation can be performed once.

When the dehydration ends normally, the water quality sensor 40 is operated in the state where there is no water in the outer tank 9 to measure the conductivity of the water (step S28). The conductivity measured here is stored as an initial value in the conductivity measurement unit 115, and can be used to determine the failure of the water quality sensor 40 and correct the change over time caused by the adhesion of dirt to the electrode unit.

The process control unit 112 closes the drain valve 14 and opens the outer tank feed solenoid valve 12d to supply washing water to the outer tank 9 until the water level at which water hardness is detected (step S29).

The conductivity measurement unit 115 operates the water quality sensor 40 and the temperature sensor 26b (or the temperature sensor 26c) to measure the water temperature and conductivity of the washing water to calculate the hardness of the water (step S30). The water temperature and water hardness measured here are memorized in the washing amount and washing time determination section 116, and can be used for the next washing amount and washing time determination.

The process control unit 112 feeds water until the water level is set (step S31), while rotating the rotary wing 8a (or the water washing and dewatering tank 8) with the washing water trapped in the outer tank 9 to stir the clothes, and feeds the post-treatment agent The valve 12b is opened, and the post-treatment agent is charged into the water washing and dehydrating tank 8 (step S32).

In this step S33 to step S35 (process 2 of washing), by operating the water quality sensor 40 to detect the amount of change in the conductivity of the washing water, the washing degree of the washed object can be detected. By the way, the water quality sensor 40 in this embodiment is provided at the lower part (bottom) of the outer tank 9, so during the cleaning process, the water quality sensor 40 is in a submerged state and can be used for cleaning water Conductivity measurement.

In this way, by using the water quality sensor 40 to measure the conductivity of the washing water during the washing process, the washing time can be controlled (shortened or extended). A table of contents that determines the washing time (shortening or extending the time) from the amount of change in washing water is memorized in advance. In addition, the change amount of the washing water may be determined in comparison with the conductivity of the tap water measured in step S30.

In addition, the amount of change in the washing water can be used not only to shorten/extend the washing time, but also to increase or decrease the number of washing times. Therefore, even if the cleaning state judgment unit 117 is judged to be the cleaning operation once, the concentrated type liquid detergent can be determined by the foaming judgment unit 118, as long as the cleaning operation is once When it is judged as insufficient, an additional cleaning operation can be performed.

In addition, the time when the water quality sensor 40 is operated during the washing process is not limited to the steps S33 to S35, and the operation is performed at the steps S23 and S25, and the washing time may be controlled (shortened or extended).

In step S23 or step S25, the washing time may be controlled (shortened or extended) by the cloth quality of the clothing judged in step S10.

When the stagnation washing is completed, the imbalance of the clothes is monitored to determine whether it has moved to the final dehydration (step S36).

The process control unit 112 opens the drain valve 14 to drain the washing water in the outer tank 9 (step S37). In step S37, in order to stabilize the start-up during dehydration, it may be moved to step S38 (dehydration process) with a certain amount of washing water remaining.

The process control unit 112 dehydrates the water contained in clothes by rotating the water washing and dewatering tank 8 at high speed (step S38). At this step S38 (dehydration process), by measuring the water dehydrated from the clothes using the water quality sensor 40, the amount of water contained in the washing can be determined. During the dehydration process, the water washing and dehydration tank 8 rotates, and the water contained in the water washing is separated from the water washing, and is discharged from the through hole 8b of the water washing and dehydration tank 8 toward the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 9d of the outer tank 9. The water discharged from the peripheral wall portion 9d flows down the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 9d by the action of gravity, flows through the notch portion 9d1, and flows into the groove portion 41d of the water quality sensor 40. As a result, the water quality sensor 40 can detect the conductivity of water during dehydration.

That is, in the water quality sensor 40 at the time of dehydration, by allowing water to flow into the groove 41d, the detected value (conductivity) can be changed according to the amount of water passing through the groove 41d. For example, when the water-washed product is a person with high water absorption, such as a bath towel, the amount of discharged water also increases, and the detected value (conductivity) becomes high. On the other hand, for example, when the water-washed product is a low-absorbent person such as a white shirt, the amount of discharged water decreases, and the detection value (conductivity) decreases.

In this way, by measuring the conductivity of the dehydrated water measured from the clothes using the water quality sensor 40 during the dehydration process, the dehydration time can be controlled (shortened or extended). The washing amount/washing time determination unit 116 memorizes in advance the list table that determines the dehydration time (shortened or extended time). Moreover, the complex threshold value may be set by the cloth amount calculated in step S1.

In addition, the time point at which the water quality sensor 40 operates during the dehydration process is not limited to step S38, and it operates at steps S22, S24, and S27 in other dehydration processes to control (shorten or extend) the dehydration time. can.

As described above, in the washing and drying machine 1 of the present embodiment, by measuring the conductivity of water containing lotion, it is determined whether the type of lotion is a liquid lotion or a powder lotion (refer to S522 and S523) to determine In the case of a non-liquid lotion (No in S54 or No in S55), the melting time of the lotion is set longer than that of the liquid lotion. Therefore, the lotion melting action is longer than that of the liquid lotion, which can prevent the melting residue of the powder lotion. The high-concentration lotion solution can be spread throughout the pre-cleaning process, and the cleaning performance can be improved.

And when it is judged as a liquid lotion (Yes in S54 or Yes in S55), setting the time to dissolve the lotion can be shortened to shorten the time to dissolve the lotion, and the circulation pump 17 ( Either the washing and dewatering tank 8 or the rotation time of the rotary wing 8a) is shortened to reduce energy consumption.

And in this embodiment, by measuring the temperature of the water containing the lotion, the time to dissolve the lotion according to the water temperature is changed. (Refer to S56, S57, S58, S59). That is, the water temperature is the time for the lotion to melt when the lotion higher than the threshold value t1 is easy to melt. For liquid lotion, set the lotion melting time T0 (S56), and for powdered lotion, set the lotion melting time T1 (S57). The water temperature is the time when the lotion below the threshold value t1 is not easily melted. When it is a liquid lotion, the lotion melting time T2 is set (S58), and when it is a powder lotion, the lotion melting time T3 is set (S59). In this way, the melting time of the lotion is set longer for the powder lotion (T1>T0, T3>T2), and when the water temperature is higher, it is set by shortening (T0<T2, T1<T3) The time for dissolving the detergent is shortened, and the driving time of the circulation pump 17 (either the water washing and dewatering tank 8 or the rotary wing 8a) can be shortened to reduce energy consumption.

And the conductivity of the water containing the detergent is lower than the threshold value EC1 (for example, if the cleaning operation is a concentrated liquid detergent which can be performed once) (Yes at S522), set the number of cleaning operations to Once (refer to S524), when the conductivity is equal to or higher than the threshold value EC1 (for example, when the cleaning operation is liquid detergent twice) (No in S522), set the number of cleaning operations to two (S525, S526 Reference). In this way, the state of the detergent (the type of detergent) can be determined based on the conductivity, and the appropriate number of cleaning operations can be set. Therefore, the time for the water cleaning operation can be shortened, and the operation time of the motor 10a during the cleaning process can be shortened. Reducing energy consumption can reduce the amount of water used.

Here, the conductivity measurement of the water containing the lotion is performed before the lotion melting operation (S6), and it is preferable to set the time of the lotion melting operation according to the type of the lotion. The amount of water fed to the lotion melting action (S6) is a certain amount. Compared with the amount of water in the formal washing process (S13 to S19), the concentration of the lotion becomes higher, and the type of the lotion can be discriminated (concentrated) Type of liquid lotion, liquid lotion, powder lotion) degree of electrical conductivity difference. Based on the result of this judgment, the action of dissolving the lotion (S6) is performed, and then again, by measuring the conductivity (S7), it can be re-judged whether the judgment result of the type of lotion is wrong, and the Since the amount (concentration of lotion) can also be measured as the difference in conductivity, it is possible to optimize the discrimination of the state of the lotion.

The lotion state determination unit 117 corrects the electrical conductivity threshold value EC1 and the threshold value EC2 based on the conductivity (hardness) measured in step S30 and the water temperature measured in step S5 during the previous washing operation. That is, when the water temperature is high and when the conductivity (hardness) of the water is high, the threshold value EC1 and the threshold value EC2 are set larger.

In this way, since the threshold value of the electric conductivity can be corrected by the water temperature and the electric conductivity (hardness) of the water, the state of the lotion can be optimally determined.

In this embodiment, the person who changed the number of washing operations based on the conductivity of the washing liquid has been described, but for example, the amount of water used in the washing operation may be changed. Specifically, the higher the conductivity, the more the amount of water used in the washing operation may be controlled. That is, if there is a lot of detergent to be injected (the concentration of the detergent is high), the detergent may have excessive foaming during the cleaning operation. By increasing the amount of water used, foaming of the detergent can be reduced. Also, depending on the conductivity of the washing liquid, the operation time of the pre-washing process and the formal washing process and the amount of water used may be changed.

As described above, although the washing machine of the present embodiment has described that the rotation axis of the washing and dewatering tank is a vertical type vertical washing and drying machine, it is not limited to this, and the rotation axis of the rotary drum (washing and dewatering tank) is approximately A horizontal drum-type washing and drying machine may be used, and a vertical type washing machine or a drum-type washing machine that does not have a drying function may also be used.

In addition, the water quality sensor 40 (conductivity detection means) is not limited to the configuration of the present embodiment, and it may be a configuration that can detect the conductivity of the lotion liquid. Although it has been described that, for example, the capacitance of the capacitor of the oscillation circuit 49 is changed and the characteristics are switched, it is not necessary to use a capacitor but a resistor and a coil.

1‧‧‧Washer and dryer 2‧‧‧Frame 2a‧‧‧Top cover 2b‧‧‧Opening 3‧‧‧Outer cover 4‧‧‧ Water supply hose connection 5‧‧‧Suction hose connection 6‧‧‧Power switch 7‧‧‧Operation display panel 7a‧‧‧Operation switch 7b‧‧‧Monitor 8‧‧‧Water washing and dehydration tank (dissolving means of lotion) 8a‧‧‧Rotary Wing (Lotion Dissolving Means) 8b‧‧‧Through hole 9‧‧‧Outer slot 9a‧‧‧Inner cover 9b‧‧‧fall into the department 9c‧‧‧Bottom wall 9c2‧‧‧Bottom 9d‧‧‧Wall wall section (Wall wall surface) 9d1‧‧‧Notch 10‧‧‧Drive device (drive method) 10a‧‧‧Motor 10b‧‧‧clutch mechanism 10c‧‧‧rotation axis 11‧‧‧ Put into the device 11a‧‧‧Hose 11b‧‧‧Water injection hose 12‧‧‧Water supply unit (water supply means) 12a‧‧‧Solution water supply solenoid valve (detergent supply means) 12b‧‧‧Post-treatment agent feed solenoid valve 12c‧‧‧cooling water supply solenoid valve 12d‧‧‧Outer tank feed water solenoid valve 12e‧‧‧Water supply switching solenoid valve 12f‧‧‧bath water pump 12g‧‧‧Stream 12h‧‧‧Flow 12i‧‧‧Hose 12j‧‧‧Hose 13‧‧‧lower connecting pipe 14‧‧‧Drain valve 15‧‧‧Washed water drainage 16‧‧‧ Foreign matter removal device 17‧‧‧Circulation pump (method for dissolving lotion) 18‧‧‧Water washing water circulation 19‧‧‧Thread removal device 20‧‧‧Dry air duct 20a‧‧‧Snake belly tube 21‧‧‧Fan 22‧‧‧heater 23‧‧‧ Air duct 23a‧‧‧ Snake belly tube 24‧‧‧Blow out the nozzle 25‧‧‧Water level sensor 25a‧‧‧Pressure chamber 26a, 26b, 26c ‧‧‧ temperature sensor (temperature detection means) 27‧‧‧Acceleration sensor 28‧‧‧rotary detection device 29‧‧‧Motor current detection device 30‧‧‧Water supply path unit 31‧‧‧ water inlet 32‧‧‧Water outlet 33‧‧‧ water inlet 34‧‧‧Water outlet 35‧‧‧ water supply 36‧‧‧spit 36a‧‧‧The first spit outlet 36b‧‧‧Second spit outlet 36c‧‧‧The third spit exit 36d‧‧‧4th spit exit 40‧‧‧Water quality sensor (means for detecting conductivity) 41d‧‧‧Ditch 42A, 42B‧‧‧ electrode (a pair of electrodes) 48‧‧‧Resonance circuit 48a‧‧‧coil 49‧‧‧Oscillation circuit 49a‧‧‧coil 100‧‧‧Control device (operation control means) 110‧‧‧Microcomputer 111‧‧‧ Database of operation mode diagram 112‧‧‧ Process Control Department (operation control means) 113‧‧‧ Rotation speed calculation unit 114‧‧‧ Clothing weight calculation section (means for judging the amount of water washed) 115‧‧‧Conductivity measurement section (conductivity detection means) 116‧‧‧Dose of washing‧Determination of washing time (operation control means) 117‧‧‧Determination of lotion status 118‧‧‧Foam Discrimination Department 121‧‧‧Motor drive circuit 122‧‧‧clutch control circuit 123‧‧‧heater switch 124‧‧‧Fan drive circuit 125‧‧‧Circulation pump drive circuit

[Figure 1] An external perspective view of the washing and drying machine of the present embodiment. [Figure 2] A right side cross-sectional view showing a part of a frame and an outer tank cut to show the internal structure of the washing and drying machine of the present embodiment. [Figure 3] A perspective view of the water supply unit of the washer-dryer of this embodiment. [Figure 4] Functional diagram of the conductivity detection means. [Figure 5] A functional configuration diagram of the washer-dryer of this embodiment. [FIG. 6] A process diagram explaining the operation process of the water washing operation (washing to washing to dehydration) of the washing and drying machine of the present embodiment. [Figure 7] A flow chart for determining the action time of lotion melting based on the tap water temperature and conductivity. [Figure 8] Flow chart for determining the type of detergent by conductivity and switching the cleaning method. [Figure 9] A graph showing how the cleaning performance (cleaning ratio) is the test result when the ratio of the operating time of the high-concentration cleaning process in the main cleaning process is changed. [Figure 10] A side sectional view showing the flow of washing water from the sprinkler to the washing and dewatering tank. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of a water supply port of a sprinkler.

Claims (3)

A washing machine, Equipped with: a frame body, an outer tank supported by the frame body to retain washing water, a washing and dewatering tank which is rotatably supported in the outer tank and contains the washed objects, and a washing and dehydrating tank provided in the washing tank A rotating wing at the bottom, a driving device that rotationally drives the rotating wing, and water supply means for supplying water to the outer tank, With: high concentration washing process, and formal washing process, and washing process, and dehydration process, In the high-concentration washing process, the rotor is rotated by the driving device in a state where the water level is lower than the formal washing process, The operation time of the high-concentration washing process is 0.15 or more for the operation time of the formal washing process. For example, the washing machine of patent application item 1, where, It has a means for distinguishing the type of lotion to be put in, When the powdered lotion is put in, the rotation speed of the rotary wing in the high-concentration washing process is reduced compared to the case where the liquid lotion is put. For example, the washing machine of patent application item 1, where, The operation time of the high-concentration washing process is 0.35 or less with respect to the operation time of the formal washing process.

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