WO2013161252A1

WO2013161252A1 - Drum type washing machine

Info

Publication number: WO2013161252A1
Application number: PCT/JP2013/002678
Authority: WO
Inventors: 健蒲生; 内山　亘; 乾　浩章
Original assignee: パナソニック株式会社
Priority date: 2012-04-23
Filing date: 2013-04-22
Publication date: 2013-10-31
Also published as: CN104246050A; DE112013002158T5; CN104246050B

Abstract

A drum type washing machine is provided with a closed-end cylindrical drum (3) which is supported in a rotatable manner by a horizontal or tilted rotating shaft (31), a water tank (2) which receives the drum (3), a drive motor (4) which drives the drum (3), an annular container (17) which is provided integrally with the drum (3), and rolling bodies (8) which are received in a movable manner within the annular container (17). The drum type washing machine is further provided with: an imbalance detection unit which, while the drum (3) is rotated, detects the state of imbalance of the drum (3) created by the imbalance of laundry within the drum (3) and by the rolling bodies (8); and a control unit which analyzes the position of imbalance detected by the imbalance detection unit and which controls the drive motor (4). The control unit detects the state of imbalance of the drum (3) by means of the imbalance detection unit while rotating the drum (3) at a rotational speed at which the laundry within the drum (3) does not fall and at which the rolling bodies (8) stay at the lower part of the drum (3).

Description

Drum washing machine

The present invention relates to a drum-type washing machine having a drum that can be rotated by accommodating laundry in an elastically supported water tub, and washing, rinsing, and dewatering the laundry in the drum.

Generally, in a dewatering process of a drum type washing machine having a horizontal or inclined rotating shaft, the laundry is often in an uneven state, that is, an unbalanced state in the drum. As a result, a biased force is applied to the rotating shaft during dehydration, and vibration is generated. The amplitude of vibration increases in proportion to the square of the rotational speed of the rotating drum. Problems such as the washing machine itself moving due to the vibration, and the noise being so intense that it becomes impossible to drive at a certain rotational speed or higher.

There is a ball balancer system that uses metal balls (hereinafter referred to as rolling elements) to reduce vibration due to unbalanced laundry. The ball balancer includes a plurality of balls having degrees of freedom in the rotation direction (circumferential direction) in an annular container portion attached to the inner periphery of the drum. The ball balancer is a balance device that utilizes a dynamic phenomenon in which a ball automatically moves to an opposing position with respect to an unbalanced body that generates an eccentric load.

In addition to a single ball balancer in which a ball balancer is disposed only on the opening side of the drum, a double ball balancer in which ball balancers are disposed at two locations on the opening side and bottom side of the drum is also known (for example, Patent Document 1).

FIG. 9 is a view showing a conventional drum-type washing machine. An annular container 102 is provided on the opening side and the bottom surface side of the drum 101, and a rolling element 103 made of a metal sphere is movably included in each annular container 102 to constitute a ball balancer 104. These ball balancers 104 are in principle the same as single ball balancers. That is, in both ball balancers 104, the plurality of rolling elements 103 change their positions and automatically correct the unbalance in response to the unbalance amount of the laundry that changes over time in the dehydration process.

In the conventional drum type washing machine, the drum 101 is rotated at a rotation speed equal to or lower than the resonance rotation speed, and the rolling element 103 moves to the in-phase position with respect to the eccentric load for a predetermined time, and maintains the in-phase position state. . Thereafter, the rotational speed of the drum 101 is gently accelerated to pass through the resonant rotational speed. Thereby, the rolling element 103 is automatically moved to the unbalanced opposing position by the principle of automatic balancing, thereby suppressing vibration.

In another conventional drum-type washing machine, after the rotation of the drum 101 is increased to the upper limit of the transient vibration rotation speed region that is near the high speed side of the resonance rotation speed, the rolling element is moved in a direction that cancels the unbalance. Therefore, the drum 101 is controlled by minutely changing the rotation speed of the drum 101 to a discontinuous rotation speed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

However, in the conventional configuration, the rolling element 103 is in the same phase as the laundry unbalance in a state where the rotation speed of the drum 101 is lower than the resonance rotation speed. For this reason, since the rolling element 103 works as an imbalance with the laundry, there is a problem that vibration may increase when passing through the resonance rotational speed.

Also, when detecting the amount of eccentricity and the eccentric position of the laundry in the drum 101, it is difficult to accurately detect the eccentric state of the laundry because the rolling element 103 also rotates simultaneously with the drum 101. Furthermore, depending on the eccentric state, for example, the amount of eccentricity of the laundry is small, the rolling element 103 for canceling the unbalance has a problem that it causes the unbalance.

JP 2010-125083 A JP2011-125401A

The drum-type washing machine of the present invention is integrally formed with a bottomed cylindrical drum rotatably supported by a horizontal or inclined rotating shaft, a water tank that accommodates the drum, a drive motor that drives the drum, and the drum. An annular container provided and a plurality of rolling elements movably accommodated inside the annular container. Further, when the drum rotates, an eccentricity detection unit that detects the eccentricity of the laundry in the drum and the eccentric state of the drum caused by the rolling elements, and a control unit that analyzes the eccentric position detected by the eccentricity detection unit and controls the drive motor With. Then, the control unit detects the eccentric state of the drum by the eccentricity detection unit in a state where the laundry in the drum does not fall and the drum is rotated at a rotation speed at which the rolling element stays at the lower part of the drum.

This makes it possible to accurately detect the unbalance of the laundry in the drum without being affected by the rolling elements. In addition, the drum-type washing machine of the present invention can start up the rotation of the drum so that the rolling elements can obtain a vibration suppressing effect against the unbalance of the laundry, so that the vibration of the drum at the resonance rotational speed can be increased. It can be minimized.

Further, in the drum type washing machine of the present invention, the controller accelerates the drum after analyzing the eccentric position of the laundry, and the eccentric position of the rolling element and the laundry is opposed at a rotational speed lower than the resonant rotational speed. In this state, the drive motor is controlled so that the drum and the rolling element rotate together.

As a result, it is possible to start up to the resonance rotation speed with low vibration by raising the rotation of the drum so that the rolling element can obtain a vibration suppressing effect against the unbalance of the laundry, so that the resonance rotation speed passes. Sometimes drum vibration can be suppressed.

In the drum type washing machine of the present invention, the control unit analyzes the eccentric position of the laundry, and accelerates the drum when the eccentric position of the laundry is above the rotation axis.

As a result, it is possible to raise the resonance rotational speed with low vibration by raising the rotation of the drum so that the rolling element can obtain a vibration suppressing effect against unbalance. Vibration can be suppressed.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a drum-type washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the ball balancer of the drum type washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the drum type washing machine in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a rotation speed sequence of the drum-type washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a characteristic diagram of the drive motor current of the drum type washing machine in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6A is a characteristic diagram of a drive motor current of the drum type washing machine in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6B is a characteristic diagram of a drive motor current of the drum type washing machine in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a rotation speed sequence of the drum-type washing machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a rotation speed sequence of the drum type washing machine in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a conventional drum-type washing machine.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a drum-type washing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the ball balancer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Inside the drum-type washing machine 1, a cylindrical water tank 2 with a bottom is accommodated. A bottomed cylindrical drum 3 is accommodated in the water tank 2. On the front side of the drum-type washing machine 1, an opening 3 a that communicates with the drum 3 through the opening 2 a of the water tub 2 is formed. The drum 3 is disposed such that a rotating shaft 31 that rotatably supports the drum 3 is inclined downward from the front side toward the back side. The water tank 2 is inclined and arranged along the drum 3 with the opening 2a as the front side. By inclining the rotation shaft 31, the opening on the front side of the water tub 2 can be arranged on the upper side, and the laundry 13 in the drum 3 can be taken out without taking a posture of bending greatly. In addition, by tilting the rotating shaft 31, compared to when the rotating shaft 31 is set in the horizontal direction, water supplied into the water tank 2 is accumulated on the back side, and deep water can be stored even with a small amount of water. That is, the laundry 13 can be easily hydrated even with a small amount of water supply. The water tank 2 is supported by a spring 10 and a damper 5. In addition, if the ease of taking out the laundry 13 and the amount of water supply are not considered, the rotating shaft 31 may be horizontal.

Inside the drum 3, there is provided a triangular columnar baffle 16 that lifts and drops the laundry 13 as the drum 3 rotates. When the drum 3 is driven to rotate, the laundry 13 lifted by the baffle 16 is struck against the water surface from the top of the drum 3 and is washed by tapping (mechanical force). Further, the drum 3 is provided with a plurality of through holes 15. Water can be passed from the water tank 2 into the drum 3 through the through holes 15.

Further, a door 7 is provided in the opening 3a so as to be freely opened and closed. The opening 2a of the water tank 2 is provided with an annular sealing material (not shown) at its mouth edge. The front side of the sealing material is in contact with the back side of the door 7 and sealed, and even if the opening 2a of the water tank 2 that swings up and down, right and left and back and forth moves, the sealing material is deformed and pressed against the back side of the door 7 Sex is maintained.

A ball balancer (balancing part) 30 is provided in the opening 3 a on the front side of the drum 3. The ball balancer 30 includes an annular container 17 disposed on the front side of the drum 3, a rolling element 8 composed of a metal ball that can move in the annular container 17, and a viscous fluid 18 that is stored in the annular container 17. And a gas layer 33 (air). The ring-shaped annular container 17 is installed so as to be concentric with the drum 3. That is, the rotation axis of the annular container 17 coincides with the rotation axis of the rotation shaft 31. In order to control the movement of the rolling element 8, a viscous fluid 18 is stored inside the annular container 17. In the present embodiment, silicon oil is used as the viscous fluid 18. Note that the viscous fluid 18 used in the present embodiment is not limited to silicon oil because the same effect can be obtained even with viscous liquids such as machine oil and other aqueous solutions.

A driving motor 4 for rotating the drum 3 is attached to the inside of the drum type washing machine 1 below the water tank 2. The rotational drive of the drive motor 4 is transmitted to the drum pulley 24 connected to the rotary shaft 31 of the drum 3 via the belt 23. As a result, the drive motor 4 drives the drum 3 to rotate. In this embodiment, the belt driving motor is described. However, a direct motor system that directly drives the drum 3 may be used.

At the top of the drum type washing machine 1, a water supply valve 11 is provided. Water from the water supply valve 11 flows into the detergent case 9 and is supplied into the water tank 2 while dissolving the detergent. In the rinsing process, since there is no detergent in the detergent case 9 even through the detergent case 9, rinsing water containing no detergent component is supplied. A drainage pump 19 is provided at the lower part of the drum-type washing machine 1 together with the drainage pipe 14. By driving the drainage pump 19, the washing water and the rinsing water in the water tank 2 are passed through the drainage pipe 14. Drained. In this embodiment, the drainage pump 19 drains the washing water and the rinsing water in the water tank 2, but a drainage valve may be provided instead of the drainage pump 19.

Next, details of the control device 6 for controlling the drive motor 4 and the like, and controlling the steps of washing, rinsing, dehydration, etc. will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the drum type washing machine in the present embodiment. The control device 6 includes a control unit 6a, an eccentricity detection unit 20, and a current detection unit 22. The control unit 6 a instructs to drive the water supply valve 11, the drain pump 19, and the drive motor 4. Furthermore, the control unit 6a includes a system that can manage all input / output control including various sensor outputs such as the vibration detection unit 12 and the water level sensor 21 with a timer, and can know the time required for each operation and timing. .

The control unit 6a is an electric circuit including a CPU, a memory, a driver circuit, and the like as a hardware configuration, and moves peripheral devices such as the drive motor 4 in accordance with a program stored in the memory in the control unit 6a.

The current detection unit 22 detects the value and phase of the current applied to the drive motor 4 and outputs a signal to the eccentricity detection unit 20. The eccentricity detection unit 20 functions as an eccentric position detection unit that detects the eccentricity of the laundry and the eccentric position of the drum 3 caused by the rolling elements 8 based on the signal of the current detection unit. Furthermore, the eccentricity detection unit 20 also functions as an eccentricity detection unit that detects the amount of eccentricity of the drum 3 by comparing the magnitude of the current applied to the drive motor 4. That is, the control unit 6a can obtain the eccentric amount and the eccentric position of the drum 3 based on the current value and the phase detected by the eccentricity detection unit 20. The control unit 6a determines the eccentric position and the eccentric amount due to the laundry 13 and the position of the rolling element 8, and issues a command to the drive motor 4 to start up the rotation of the drum 3.

The vibration detection unit 12 that detects the vibration of the water tank 2 is provided at the upper part on the back side of the water tank 2. The vibration detection unit 12 detects vibration of the water tank 2 in a series of steps of washing, rinsing, and dehydration. After the control unit 6a analyzes the vibration value in each step, the motor is optimally controlled by issuing a command to the drive motor 4. The vibration detection unit 12 includes at least one acceleration sensor, and detects vibration in at least one of the vertical direction, the horizontal direction, and the front-rear direction of the water tank 2. The acceleration sensor may be a semiconductor acceleration sensor, a piezoelectric acceleration sensor, or the like, and may be a uniaxial or biaxial acceleration sensor.

The dehydrating operation of the drum type washing machine configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 6A, and 6B. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a rotation speed sequence of the drum-type washing machine according to the present embodiment. 5, 6A and 6B are characteristic diagrams of the drive motor current in the present embodiment. The dehydration operation does not mean only final dehydration in the dehydration process, but also includes intermediate dehydration performed after the washing process or after the first rinsing process.

First, when the drum-type washing machine 1 performs dehydration after draining, a drive voltage is applied to the drive motor 4 according to a command from the control unit 6a. The drive motor 4 is operated from low speed rotation to high speed rotation, and the rotation speed of the drum 3 is gradually increased. At this time, since the drive motor 4 is a permanent magnet synchronous motor, the rotor position of the drive motor 4 is detected. Thereby, it is possible to increase the rotational speed safely and at high speed by preventing the drive motor 4 from stepping out.

Next, the controller 6a increases and maintains the rotational speed of the drum 3 to a rotational speed at which the gravity applied to the laundry 13 and the rolling element 8 is smaller than the centrifugal force due to the rotation of the drum 3 ((1) in FIG. 4). At this time, the laundry 13 sticks to the inner wall of the drum 3. The rotational speed of the drum 3 at this time is slightly moved along the rotational direction of the drum 3 in such a manner that the rolling element 8 in the annular container 17 is dragged by the viscous fluid 18 in the annular container 17. 3, and a rotation speed that remains at a fixed position in the annular container 17 without rotating together.

In order to keep the rolling element 8 at a certain position in the annular container 17, the following conditions are required at the drum rotation speed to which the laundry 13 is stuck. That is, the self-weight determined by the density, diameter, and number of the rolling elements 8, the viscous resistance force when the viscous fluid 18 passes through the gap between the rolling elements 8 and the inner surface of the annular container 17, and the rolling elements 8 and the annular container 17 The frictional force is balanced. Further, since the influence of centrifugal force increases as the rotational speed of the drum 3 increases, the rolling element 8 rotates together with the drum 3. When the rolling element 8 rotates together with the drum 3, the eccentricity 13 a caused by the rolling element 8 and the laundry 13 becomes a fluctuation factor of the current of the drive motor 4. On the other hand, in a state where the rolling element 8 remains at a fixed position, if the rotational imbalance of the drum 3 itself is minimized, only the eccentricity 13a caused by the laundry 13 stuck to the drum 3 is affected by the current of the drive motor 4. It becomes a fluctuation factor.

Therefore, in the state where the rolling element 8 is not rotating, only the laundry 13 is rotating, and therefore the laundry is detected from the current value applied to the drive motor 4 detected by the current detection unit 22 or the amount of fluctuation of the current value. 13 eccentric amounts can be determined. Further, the unbalance position of the laundry 13 can be determined from the torque fluctuation (phase).

When the rotation speed of the drum 3 is maintained at the rotation speed described above and the current value is detected by the current detection unit 22, the laundry 13 sticks to the inner wall to generate an eccentric 13 a (unbalance), and the drum 3 rotates once ( It is possible to detect the eccentric position and the eccentric amount due to the deviation of the laundry 13 within one cycle. In the present embodiment, the rotation speed is set to 80 rpm at which the bias of the laundry 13 can be easily confirmed. The controller 6 a determines the eccentric position of the drum 3 at this time, that is, the eccentric position and the eccentric amount of the laundry 13.

Here, the eccentric position detection in the direction of the rotating shaft 31 will be described. In the present embodiment, the vibration detection unit 12 is a triaxial acceleration sensor. The up / down direction, left / right direction, and front / rear direction of the water tank 2 are detected, and the unbalance position is detected by the phase difference of each axis according to the unbalance position. When the unbalanced position is on the front side of the drum 3, the phase difference between the left and right direction and the front and rear direction of the water tank 2 is increased. When the unbalance position is on the rear side of the drum 3, the phase difference between the left and right direction and the front and rear direction is small. Therefore, the control unit 6a can determine the unbalance position based on the signal detected by the vibration detection unit 12. It becomes.

Next, the detection of the eccentric position in the circumferential direction of the drum 3 will be described. In the present embodiment, the eccentricity detection unit 20 monitors the current value (torque current) and phase applied to the drive motor 4. The eccentric position is obtained from the period of the fluctuating current.

When the unbalance is downward on the rotating drum 3, the unbalance is lifted upward against the weight, so that a large amount of current is consumed and the current value detected by the current detector 22 increases. On the contrary, when the unbalance is at the upper part of the drum 3, the unbalance is brought down in the same direction of gravity, so that the current consumption is minimized. For this reason, the current value detected by the current detector 22 decreases. Thus, when the drum 3 is unbalanced, the applied current of the drive motor 4 fluctuates, and the applied current is linked to the unbalanced position when the drum 3 is rotated. Also, the applied current value increases in proportion to the amount of unbalance.

6A shows the characteristics of the drive motor current when the water tank imbalance is large, and FIG. 6B shows the characteristics of the drive motor current when the water tank imbalance is small. As shown in FIG. 6A, if the unbalance amount is large, the maximum current value or the current fluctuation value becomes large. As shown in FIG. 6B, if the unbalance amount is small, the maximum value of the current value or the current fluctuation value is small. Therefore, the amount of eccentricity (unbalance amount) can be determined by the magnitude of the current value and the current fluctuation value.

Next, how to increase the rotation speed of the drum 3 up to the resonance rotation speed will be described with reference to FIG.

First, when the dehydrating operation is started, the drum 3 is raised to 80 rpm and maintained so that the rolling element 8 is stopped without rotating at the lower part in the annular container 17 ((1) in FIG. 4). ). Then, the position and amount of the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 are determined. Next, the control unit 6a accelerates the rotation of the drum 3 from the state where the rolling element 8 remains at the lower part of the water tank 2 (point A in FIG. 4). As the rotational speed of the drum 3 increases, the centrifugal force increases and the rolling element 8 starts to rotate together with the drum 3 ((2) in FIG. 4). The controller 6a detects the amount of eccentricity of the entire water tank 2 during acceleration. As the position of the rolling element 8 and the eccentricity 13a of the laundry 13 deviates from the opposite position, the amount of eccentricity increases and the water tank 2 vibrates greatly. When the controller 6a determines that the value of the eccentricity is greater than the predetermined threshold value X, the controller 6a controls the rotation acceleration of the drum 3 so as to be smaller than the threshold value X (point B in FIG. 4). Then, the rotational speed of the drum 3 passes through the resonant rotational speed in a state where the rotational speed is smaller than the predetermined threshold value X, and is accelerated to a rotational speed higher than the resonant rotational range.

In addition, when controlling the acceleration of drum rotation, the unbalance amount decreases due to the spread between the plurality of rolling elements 8, or the moisture in the laundry 13 decreasing with the rotation of the drum 3 due to centrifugal force. For example, the rolling element 8 may not be controlled to be in a position facing the unbalanced position of the laundry 13 only by information at the time of acceleration.

However, the control unit 6a detects the amount of eccentricity of the entire water tank 2 during acceleration. The amount of eccentricity increases as the deviation from the position at which the rolling element 8 and the laundry 13 are unbalanced increases, and the aquarium 2 vibrates greatly. The control unit 6a controls the acceleration of the drum rotation so that the value of the eccentricity becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold, passes through the resonance rotation speed in a state of being smaller than the predetermined threshold, and has a rotation speed higher than the resonance rotation region. Accelerate all at once. As a result, the vibration of the drum can always be minimized.

(Second Embodiment)
Another form of how to increase the rotation speed of the drum will be described.

The control unit 6a of the drum type washing machine in the second embodiment of the present invention performs the following control. That is, when the controller 6a rotates the eccentric amount and eccentric position of the drum 3 before acceleration, the unbalance of the drum 3 during acceleration, and the rolling element 8 based on the signal obtained by the eccentricity detecting unit 20. The position of each rolling element during drum acceleration, that is, the rolling element 8 is determined from the amount of eccentricity. Then, the drive motor is controlled so that the rolling elements 8 and the unbalance of the laundry are in opposite positions. Other configurations use the first embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, different points will be described.

As shown in the first embodiment of the present invention, in the step of detecting the position of unbalance in the circumferential direction of the drum 3, the rolling element 8 stays at the lower part of the drum 3, thereby washing the drum 3. The unbalance amount and unbalance position of the object 13 can be determined. The weight of the rolling element 8 in the annular container 17 is also known. Next, since the unbalance during acceleration sticks to the drum 3 more than before acceleration due to an increase in centrifugal force, it does not move in the circumferential direction of the drum 3. Therefore, the position of the eccentric 13a during acceleration can always be grasped. Moreover, since the position of the rolling element 8 is based on the speed of the drum 3, it can always be grasped.

Further, the decrease in the unbalance amount during acceleration of the drum 3 can be estimated from the vibration displacement of the drum 3 by the eccentricity detection unit 20 and the decrease in the current value of the drive motor 4 detected by the current detection unit 22. The total unbalance amount between the eccentric 13 a of the laundry 13 and the rolling element 8 can be determined from the vibration displacement of the drum 3.

Further, the eccentric position and eccentric amount of the drum 3 during acceleration can be determined from the amount and position of the eccentric 13a before acceleration and the speed and acceleration of the drum 3. When the position of the accelerating rolling element 8 is determined, the rotation of the drum 3 can be controlled so that the rolling element 8 and the unbalance are opposed to each other. Details of how to increase the rotational speed of the drum will be described below with reference to FIG.

It is the same as in the first embodiment until the drum 3 is maintained at a constant rotational speed of 80 rpm ((1) in FIG. 4).

Next, the control unit 6a accelerates the drum 3 from the state where the rolling element 8 stays in the lower part of the water tank 2 (point A in FIG. 4). As the rotational speed of the drum 3 increases, the centrifugal force increases and the rolling element 8 starts to rotate together with the drum 3. At this time, the dynamic balance of the drum 3 may not be achieved due to the influence of both the rolling elements 8 and the laundry 13 ((2) in FIG. 4).

Since the control unit 6a detects the unbalance position at a constant speed of 80 rpm, the controller 6a grasps the position of the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 at the time of starting acceleration. Therefore, the position of the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 at an arbitrary time during acceleration can be estimated from the drum rotation speed. Moreover, the position of the rolling element 8 at the time of starting acceleration can be estimated by storing the position of the rolling element 8 according to the rotational speed in advance. Therefore, the control part 6a can grasp | ascertain the relative positional relationship of the rolling element 8 and the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 in the arbitrary time in acceleration rotation.

When the rolling element 8 and the eccentricity 13a of the laundry 13 are shifted from the position where the rolling element 8 and the eccentricity 13a of the laundry 13 are opposed to each other, the control unit 6a faces the eccentricity 13a of the rolling element 8 and the laundry 13 so The drive motor 4 is controlled so as to be in a position to perform (B in FIG. 4). This operation corrects the positional relationship between the rolling elements 8 and the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 by increasing or decreasing the acceleration of the drive motor 4 of the drum 3 for a short time, for example. For example, when the eccentricity 13a of the laundry 13 is relatively delayed from the rolling element 8 with respect to the rotation direction of the drum 3, the acceleration of the driving motor 4 of the drum 3 is temporarily increased to oppose it. To be in the position. The laundry 13 can be moved relative to the rolling elements 8 by changing the acceleration of the drive motor 4 of the drum 3. Then, the positional relationship between the rolling element 8 and the eccentricity 13a of the laundry 13 is corrected so as to be brought to the opposite position when the drum 3 passes the resonance rotation speed, and the rotation speed is accelerated to a higher rotation speed than the resonance rotation area. In this way, the vibration is suppressed by bringing it to the opposite position at the drum resonance rotation speed at which the vibration due to unbalance increases ((3) in FIG. 4).

In the first embodiment, the acceleration of the drum 3 is changed when the amount of eccentricity is larger than the threshold value X. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the drum 3 is rotated up to the resonance rotational speed so that the eccentric amount does not become the threshold value X by grasping and estimating the position of the eccentricity 13a of the rolling element 8 and the laundry 13. Can speed up. Therefore, the rotational speed of the drum 3 can be raised smoothly without causing large vibrations even before reaching the resonant rotational speed.

Further, when controlling the rotation acceleration of the drum 3, the unbalance amount is reduced due to the spread between the plurality of rolling elements 8, or the moisture in the laundry 13 is reduced with the rotation of the drum 3 due to the centrifugal force. In some cases, the rolling element 8 and the laundry 13 cannot be controlled to face each other only by information at the time of acceleration.

However, in the present embodiment, the control unit 6a detects the eccentric amount of the entire water tank 2 during acceleration. As the displacement from the position where the rolling element 8 and the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 are opposed to each other increases, the amount of eccentricity increases and the water tank 2 vibrates greatly. Therefore, the control unit 6a controls the acceleration of the rotation of the drum 3 so that the value of the eccentricity becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold value. In a state in which the current value detected by the current detection unit 22 or the fluctuation amount of the current value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the acceleration is accelerated to a rotational speed higher than the resonance rotational region. Thereby, a big vibration does not generate | occur | produce at the time of passing through a resonance rotational speed range, but a dehydration process can be performed.

With this configuration, since the position of the rolling element 8 during acceleration of the drum 3 can be determined by analysis, the drum 3 can be controlled quickly and accurately at a position where the rolling element 8 and the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 face each other. can do. For this reason, the vibration of the drum 3 which becomes large before and after passing through the resonance rotation can be minimized over a wide range.

(Third embodiment)
Hereinafter, operation | movement and an effect | action of the drum type washing machine in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention are demonstrated using FIG.

In addition, about the same component as the 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention, it attaches | subjects and demonstrates the same number, and abbreviate | omits detailed description.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a rotation speed sequence of the drum-type washing machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

Next, the controller 6a increases and maintains the rotational speed of the drum 3 to a rotational speed at which the gravity applied to the laundry 13 and the rolling element 8 is smaller than the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the drum 3 ((1) in FIG. 7).

As described above, the control unit 6a makes the rolling element 8 stay in the lower part of the annular container 17, and determines the position and amount of the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13. And when the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 is located in the position facing the rolling element 8, the drum is accelerated at a stretch to a rotational speed higher than the resonant rotational speed (point A in FIG. 7). As the rolling element 8 rotates, the rolling element 8 moves slightly to the rotational direction side, so that when the unbalanced position of the laundry 13 is located above the drum 3 and on the rotational direction side, the control unit 6a The drum 3 is accelerated ((2) in FIG. 7).

As described above, when the drum 3 is accelerated before the resonance rotation speed, the drum resonance vibration speed at which the vibration of the drum 3 is increased by arranging the laundry eccentricity and the rolling element 8 at a position facing each other. The vibration at can be suppressed.

In addition, when the unbalance amount of clothing is smaller than the unbalance correction amount of the rolling element 8, if the clothes 13 are started up at positions facing the plurality of rolling elements 8 in contact with each other with respect to the position of the eccentric 13 a of the laundry 13. On the contrary, the rolling element itself becomes unbalanced in the rotation of the drum 3, and as a result, the vibration displacement of the drum 3 becomes large.

Therefore, when the unbalance amount of the clothing is determined at 80 rpm and the unbalance amount of the clothing is smaller than the unbalance correction amount of the rolling elements, the plurality of rolling elements 8 are brought into contact with each other from the contacted state to the entire annular container 17. The rotation of the drum 3 is controlled so as to be in a scattered state. As a result, the unbalance amount during rotation of the rolling element 8 itself is lowered, and the drum 3 is accelerated at a stretch to a rotational speed higher than the resonance rotational speed. This control can suppress drum vibration around the resonance rotational speed even when the amount of eccentricity of the garment is small.

(Fourth embodiment)
Another form of how to increase the rotation speed of the drum will be described.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a rotation speed sequence of the drum type washing machine according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The timing for accelerating the drum 3 is different from that of the third embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 6a rotates the drum 3 at a rotational speed at which the laundry in the drum 3 does not fall and the rolling element 8 stays below the drum 3 ((1 in FIG. 8). )), The eccentric position of the laundry detected by the eccentricity detection unit 20 is analyzed, and the drum 3 is accelerated when the position of the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 is above the rotary shaft 31. The other configuration uses the third embodiment. Hereinafter, different points will be described.

The rotation speed of the drum 3 is maintained at 80 rpm ((1) in FIG. 8). At this time, the rolling element 8 remains at the lower part of the drum 3. If the drum 3 is accelerated when the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 is positioned at the upper part of the drum 3, the rolling element 8 stays at the lower part of the drum 3, so the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 and the rolling element 8 are It can be in an opposing state. Therefore, the control unit 6a detects the position of the eccentricity 13a of the laundry 13 by the eccentricity detection unit 20, and accelerates the drum 3 when the eccentricity 13a of the laundry 13 is above the drum 3. As a result, there is almost no unbalance of the drum 3 itself, and in this state, the rotational speed of the drum 3 is increased all at once to the resonance rotational speed (point A in FIG. 8) ((2) in FIG. 8). With this configuration, since the position of the rolling element 8 during acceleration of the drive motor 4 can be determined by analysis, the drum 3 can be quickly and accurately positioned at a position where the eccentric 13a of the laundry 13 and the rolling element 8 face each other. Can be controlled. For this reason, the vibration of the drum that becomes large before and after passing through the resonance rotation can be minimized over a wide range.

As described above, the drum-type washing machine of the invention is a bottomed cylindrical drum that is rotatably supported by a horizontal or inclined rotating shaft, a water tank that houses the drum, a drive motor that drives the drum, An annular container provided integrally with the drum, and a plurality of rolling elements movably accommodated inside the annular container. Further, when the drum rotates, an eccentricity detection unit that detects the eccentricity of the laundry in the drum and the eccentric state of the drum caused by the rolling elements, and a control unit that analyzes the eccentric position detected by the eccentricity detection unit and controls the drive motor With. Then, the control unit detects the eccentric state of the drum by the eccentricity detection unit in a state where the laundry in the drum does not fall and the drum is rotated at a rotation speed at which the rolling elements stay below the drum.

With this configuration, it is possible to create a state in which the laundry sticks to the drum but the rolling element does not rotate with the drum and is stopped at the bottom of the drum, and the unbalanced position of the laundry alone can be detected with high accuracy. For this reason, it becomes easy to control the drum according to the unbalanced state of the laundry, and noise and vibration when the drum is rotated at high speed can be suppressed.

In the present invention, the eccentric position of the drum is detected, and the control unit detects the eccentric state of the drum by the eccentricity detection unit and then accelerates the drum, and the drum rotates when the drum rotation speed passes the resonance rotation speed. The drive motor is controlled so that the eccentric position of is opposite to the rolling element.

With this configuration, it is possible to create a state where the laundry sticks to the drum but the rolling element does not rotate with the drum and is stopped at the bottom of the drum, and the unbalance position of the laundry alone can be detected. Then, based on the positional relationship between the rolling element and the unbalance when the drum starts accelerating, the drive motor is controlled during the drum acceleration, and the unbalanced and the rolling element are in a relative positional relationship facing each other when the resonance rotational speed is passed. Therefore, the vibration of the drum when the resonance rotational speed passes can be minimized.

Further, the present invention detects the amount of eccentricity of the drum, and when the control unit detects that the amount of eccentricity of the drum is larger than a predetermined threshold during the acceleration operation of the drum, the amount of eccentricity of the drum is less than the predetermined threshold. The drive motor is controlled to be small.

With this configuration, since the amount of eccentricity of the drum can be detected while accelerating the drum, even if the rolling element spreads or the unbalance amount changes due to a change in the state of the laundry, the rotation of the drum is controlled accordingly. Thus, the rolling element and the unbalance can be controlled so as to face each other. For this reason, the vibration of the drum can always be minimized.

Further, the present invention determines the drum acceleration up to the resonance rotational speed based on the eccentric position of the drum before the drum acceleration and the position of the rolling element, and when the drum rotation speed passes the resonance rotation speed, The drive motor is controlled so that the rolling elements and the unbalance of the laundry are in opposite positions.

With this configuration, the control of bringing the unbalanced laundry and the rolling elements to the opposite positions during acceleration of the drum can be performed quickly and accurately. Can be minimized over a wide range.

In the drum type washing machine of the present invention, the controller detects the eccentricity in a state in which the laundry in the drum does not fall and the drum is rotated at a rotational speed at which the rolling element stays below the drum. The eccentric position of the laundry detected by is analyzed. Thereafter, the drum is accelerated, and the drive motor is controlled so that the drum and the rolling element rotate integrally at a rotational speed lower than the resonance rotational speed with the eccentric position of the rolling element and the laundry facing each other.

This configuration allows the drum to rotate, but the rolling element stays at the bottom of the drum and does not rotate together. In this state, the vibration of the drum is caused by the imbalance of the clothes rotating together with the drum, and the unbalance amount of only the clothes can be detected from the vibration fluctuation of the drum. Further, when the unbalance rotates, the torque of the motor varies during rotation. The analysis unit analyzes the unbalance position from the fluctuation period. Then, when the unbalance is located at the upper part of the drum, the position where the torque fluctuation of the motor shows the maximum coincides, and at this time, the unbalance and the rolling element are in a relative positional relationship of opposite phases. Therefore, if the motor is accelerated when the imbalance reaches the maximum point, the vibration of the drum can be suppressed when the resonance rotational speed is passed.

In the drum type washing machine of the present invention, the controller detects the eccentricity in a state in which the laundry in the drum does not fall and the drum is rotated at a rotational speed at which the rolling element stays below the drum. The eccentric position of the laundry detected by the above is analyzed, and the drum is accelerated when the eccentric position of the laundry is above the rotation axis.

This configuration allows the drum to rotate, but the rolling element stays at the bottom of the drum and does not rotate together. In this state, the swing of the drum is caused by the imbalance of the clothes rotating together with the drum, and the unbalance amount of only the clothes can be detected from the vibration fluctuation of the drum. In addition, the unvarying rotation causes the motor to undergo torque fluctuations during rotation. The analysis unit analyzes the unbalanced position from the fluctuation period. Since the position where the torque fluctuation of the motor shows the maximum coincides with the time when the uncrowd is located at the upper part of the drum, at this time, the unbalance and the rolling element are in a relative positional relationship of opposite phases. Therefore, if the drum is accelerated when the unbalance reaches the maximum point, that is, when the unbalance is located above the drum, vibration of the drum can be suppressed when the resonance rotational speed is passed.

Further, according to the present invention, the control unit analyzes the eccentric position of the drum detected by the eccentricity detection unit, and controls to accelerate the drum at a position where the eccentric position of the drum and the rolling element face each other and pass the resonance point. I do.

This configuration reduces drum imbalance with simple detection and control, and allows the drum rotation speed to reach the resonance rotation speed.

Further, the present invention further includes a vibration detection unit that detects the vibration of the drum.

This configuration can detect the vibration displacement of the drum even when the unbalanced position cannot be analyzed due to the fact that a plurality of rolling elements are dispersed while the drum is rotating or the unbalanced state of the clothing changes. Therefore, the drum rotation is accelerated and decelerated until the resonance rotational speed is reached, so that the vibration displacement of the drum can be further controlled, and the drum vibration can be minimized when the resonance rotational speed is passed.

The drum type washing machine according to the present invention can increase the rotation speed of the drum so that the rolling element can obtain a vibration suppressing effect against the unbalance, and therefore can further reduce the unbalance. Therefore, since vibration at the time of activation can be suppressed, it is useful as a drum-type washing machine or a cleaning device for home use or business use.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Drum type washing machine 2 Water tank 3,101 Drum 4 Drive motor 5 Damper 6a Control part 8,103 Rolling body 10 Spring 12 Vibration detection part 13 Laundry 16 Baffle 17,102 Annular container 18 Viscous fluid 20 Eccentricity detection part 22

Current detection Part

30, 104 Ball balancer 31 Rotating shaft

Claims

A bottomed cylindrical drum rotatably supported on a horizontal or inclined rotating shaft;
A water tank containing the drum;
A drive motor for driving the drum;
An annular container provided integrally with the drum;
A plurality of rolling elements movably accommodated in the annular container;
An eccentricity detecting unit for detecting the eccentricity of the laundry in the drum and the eccentric state of the drum caused by the rolling elements during rotation of the drum;
A control unit for controlling the drive motor,
The controller is
A drum type that detects the eccentric state of the drum by the eccentricity detecting unit in a state where the laundry in the drum does not fall and the drum is rotated at a rotational speed at which the rolling element stays at the lower part of the drum. Washing machine.
The controller, after detecting the eccentric state of the drum, accelerates the drum and rotates the drum and the laundry in a state where the eccentric position of the rolling element and the laundry face each other at a rotational speed lower than a resonant rotational speed. The drum type washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the driving motor is controlled so that the rolling element rotates integrally with the rolling element.
The drum-type washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit accelerates the drum when an eccentric position of the laundry is above the rotation shaft.
The controller is
After detecting the eccentric state of the drum by the eccentricity detecting unit, the drum is accelerated, and the eccentric position of the drum is opposed to the rolling element when the rotational speed of the drum passes the resonance rotational speed. The drum type washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the driving motor is controlled as described above.
The eccentricity detection unit detects the amount of eccentricity of the drum,
The controller, after detecting the eccentric state of the drum by the eccentricity detector, when accelerating the drum, and detecting that the eccentric amount of the drum is larger than a predetermined threshold during the acceleration operation of the drum, The drum type washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the drive motor is controlled so that an eccentric amount of the drum is smaller than the predetermined threshold value.
2. The drum type washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs control of accelerating the drum at a position where the eccentric position of the drum and the rolling element face each other to pass a resonance point. 3.
The drum-type washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a vibration detection unit that detects vibration of the drum.