JPH03224597A - Controller of washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a washing machine control device that controls washing, rinsing, and spin-drying by detecting the light transmittance of liquid in the washing machine.

Conventional technology Conventionally, in this type of laundry control device, after detergent is added and operation starts, an optical sensor is used to determine the washing time, rinse course, etc.
The dehydration time was determined, and the type of dirt was determined after washing started using a washing liquid mixed with detergent.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with the above-mentioned washing machine control device, there is a problem that it is difficult to distinguish the type of dirt, for example, when the influence of the detergent is large or because of the relationship between the detergent and the type of dirt. was there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to make it possible to wash clothes with water at the start of washing, and to accurately determine the type of dirt based on the change in transmittance at that time.

Means for Solving the Problem In order to solve this object, the washing machine control device of the present invention includes an automatic detergent dosing device, a transmittance detector that detects the light transmittance of the liquid in the tank, and a transmittance detector that detects the light transmittance of the liquid in the tank. Detergent is added automatically based on the output data from the detector.

control means for controlling washing, rinsing, and dehydration, the control means washing the clothes with water at the start of washing, determining the type of dirt based on the data from the transmittance detector at that time, and determining the type of dirt based on the result. The configuration is such that a series of subsequent operations are controlled accordingly.

Function According to the present invention, by determining the type of dirt during washing with water at the start of washing, it becomes possible to control the subsequent series of operations according to the type of dirt.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example in which the present invention is applied to a fully automatic washing machine will be described with reference to the drawings.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a fully automatic washing machine.
3 is a water receiving tank, 3 is a washing and dehydrating tank, and 6 is a power source that switches the power of the washing and dehydrating motor 6 so as to rotate the washing and dehydrating tank 3 during dehydration and the stirring blade 4 during washing or rinsing. It is a switching mechanism.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an air reservoir that generates pressure corresponding to the water level, 9 an air hose for transmitting the pressure generated in the air reservoir 7 to the water level detection means 8, and 10 a water receiver connected to the tank 2.
11 is a drain hose, and 12 is a water supply valve for supplying tap water into the tank 2. The water receiver 13 is a transmittance detection section for detecting the transmittance of light inside the tank 2, and as shown in FIG. 3, it is composed of an infrared light emitting element 13a and a light receiving element 13b.

14 is an automatic detergent dispenser.

Next, FIG. 1 shows the main structure of a fully automatic washing machine.

In the same figure, 16 is an input means for setting which process of washing, rinsing, and dehydration to operate, water level, etc.;
17 is a display means for informing the user of the contents set by the input means 15 and the progress of washing, 8 is a water receiver for detecting the water level in the tank 2 and generating an electric signal;
18 is a bidirectional thyristor for driving the washing/extracting motor 5; 19 is a bidirectional thyristor for driving the automatic detergent dosing device 14; and 2o is a bidirectional thyristor for driving the water supply valve 12. Nostar, 21 is a bidirectional thyristor for driving the drain valve 10, 22 is a commercial power source,
23 is a power switch; 24 is a transmittance detector for detecting the transmittance of light in the water tray 2; 25 is a cloth amount detecting means for detecting the amount of laundry; and 26 is a transmittance detector for the transmittance detector 24. A microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as microcomputer), which is a control means that controls operations such as washing, rinsing, and dehydration based on the output data and the output signal of the cloth amount detection means 25, determines the type of dirt. It is assumed that the type determination means 26 is included inside.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the transmittance detector 24.

24a is a constant current source made up of a PVVM circuit and a D/A converter, and receives a signal from the microcomputer 26 to send a constant current to the infrared light emitting element 13a; 24b and 24d
24C is a resistor, and 24C is a transistor that controls ON/OFF of the current flowing through the infrared light emitting element 13a according to a signal from the microcomputer 26.

An embodiment of the present invention in a fully automatic washing machine having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the type of stain is either oil stain or mud stain.

FIG. 5 shows an example of changes in the output of the optical sensor when oil-stained and mud-stained clothes are washed with water.

Here, the output v8 of the optical sensor 3 minutes after the start of washing with water is taken as the boundary value for determining the type of dirt. In other words, if the output of the optical sensor 3 minutes after the start of water washing is 78 or more, the stain is oil stain, and if it is less than 78, the stain type determining means 28 determines that it is mud stain. FIG. 6 shows an example of changes in a series of operations such as detergent amount, washing, rinsing, and dehydration depending on the result of soil type discrimination. According to the present invention, when washing certain clothes, when the operation is started, water is supplied to a predetermined water level, the amount of cloth is determined, water is supplied again at the water level detected by the amount of cloth detection means 25, and the clothes are stirred for 3 minutes. At that time, if there is a change in the output of the optical sensor as shown in FIG. 7, this stain is determined to be oil stain because it has a boundary value of 78 or more. Then, the subsequent series of operations is as shown in Figure 6, the amount of detergent is 40g,
Standard water flow, washing is extended for an additional 3 minutes from the time when the microcomputer 26 determines that washing is complete, and the rinsing course is 2 minutes of rinsing twice and 5 minutes of dehydration. Further, as a matter of course, if it is determined that the dirt is muddy, the control corresponding to the muddy dirt shown in FIG. 6 is performed.

Here, we have considered the case where dirt is limited to either oil or mud, and any dirt is always classified into the above two types of dirt. However, in real life, there are various types of dirt, so there are several ways to classify dirt, for example:
It can be classified into three types, such as oil, mud, and something in between, or it can be further classified into many types. To classify only specific stains, such as only oil stains. Alternatively, it is conceivable to conversely classify general stains excluding specific stains. Furthermore, depending on the dirt classification method, a plurality of types of control of the series of operations can be considered. Of course, based on the classification results, the automatic detergent dosing device 14 can be used to increase or decrease the amount of detergent in nine different ways, increase the number of times it is dispensed, etc. It controls a series of operations, and it is also possible to change the data detection level depending on the type of dirt. There is also a method of increasing the accuracy of dirt determination by performing the determination not only once 3 minutes after the start of washing, but multiple times, for example, every 30 seconds.

However, here, the dirt type determination means 28 is the microcomputer 26.
Although it is included inside the , it is quite possible that it exists outside.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the type of dirt can be determined by washing with water at the start of washing. moreover-
This allows for the most effective control of stains, resulting in significantly improved stain removal.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of a fully automatic washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a fully automatic washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a transmittance detector according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a transmittance detector according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Figure 6 shows an example of the present invention and shows a series of operations in response to identified dirt. Figure 7 shows changes in the output of the optical sensor when washing general clothing. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing changes in the output of a photosensor. 2...Water receiver is tank, 13...Transmittance detection unit, 14...Automatic detergent injection device, 24...
・Transmittance detector, 25... Cloth amount detection means, 26
...Microcomputer, 28...Means for determining the type of dirt.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An automatic detergent dosing device, a transmittance detector that detects the light transmittance of the liquid in the tank, and a control means that automatically controls washing, rinsing, and dehydration based on the output data from the transmittance detector. The washing machine is characterized in that the control means washes the clothes with water at the start of washing, and controls a series of subsequent operations including automatic detergent injection based on data from the transmittance detector at that time. Control device.