JPH036836B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field) The present invention relates to a washing machine that detects the turbidity of a washing liquid and controls washing operations based on the change in turbidity.

(Prior art) Conventionally, this type of washing machine was disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
As seen in Publication No. 66793, it has become possible to accurately detect changes in the turbidity of the cleaning liquid by automatically adjusting the sensitivity of the turbidity detector according to the turbidity of the cleaning liquid at the beginning of the washing operation. There is.

By the way, in conventional washing machines like this, when the washing operation is temporarily stopped and restarted, the sensitivity of the turbidity detector is not readjusted, so the washing machine stops temporarily and restarts the washing process. When the machine is loaded and restarted, it is not possible to accurately detect the end of washing, and there is a risk that the washing operation may end before the laundry is sufficiently cleansed.

(Purpose) The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and aims to eliminate the inconveniences of the conventional method by automatically adjusting the sensitivity of the turbidity detector again when the washing operation is stopped temporarily and restarted. It is something.

(Example) Examples of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described in detail below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 1, 1
2 is an outer tank, 2 is a cleaning liquid, 3 is an inner tank, 4 is a pulsator, 5 is a communication tube, 6 is a turbidity detector that optically detects the turbidity of the cleaning liquid by a combination of a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and 7 is a turbidity detector. A conductive pipe for draining the cleaning liquid in the tank via the drain valve 11, 8 a motor, 9 a motor control section, 10 a memory function for storing detected values from the turbidity detector 6, and a temporal control of the detected values. It has a calculation function to calculate the change, a function to judge the end of the operation by determining that the temporal change in the detected value has become below a certain predetermined value, a sensitivity adjustment function to adjust the sensitivity of the turbidity detector 6, etc. A turbidity determination section, 11 a drain valve, 12 a drain valve control section, 13 a sequence control section, and 14 a temporary stop means.

In the above configuration, as the pulsator 4 rotates, the cleaning liquid circulates in the order of the arrow: inner tank 3 → outer tank 1 → communication pipe 5 → conduction pipe 7 → outer tank 1 → inner tank 3, and the turbidity detector 6 Its turbidity is detected as it passes through the water.

Next, the control will be explained with reference to the operational diagram of FIG. 2. Now, when laundry is put into the inner tub 3 and the motor 8 is driven to start the washing operation, the sensitivity of the turbidity detector 6 is automatically adjusted in the initial stage according to the turbidity of the cleaning liquid at that time. Then, as the washing operation progresses and when the turbidity of the cleaning liquid decreases over time to a certain predetermined value or less, it is determined that the washing has ended and the washing operation is stopped.

During such a washing operation, when a stop signal is input from the temporary stop means 14, the washing operation is interrupted. Then, when new dirty laundry is put in and the operation is restarted, the sensitivity of the turbidity detector 6 is automatically adjusted again according to the turbidity of the cleaning liquid at that time. Therefore, subsequent changes in the turbidity of the washing liquid can be accurately detected, and the end of washing can be accurately determined.

Note that during the rinsing operation, the sensitivity of the turbidity detector 6 is not readjusted because new dirty laundry is hardly ever put in even if the rinsing operation is temporarily stopped.

(Effects) As described above, according to the present invention, by automatically adjusting the sensitivity of the turbidity detector again when the washing operation is stopped temporarily and then restarted, the laundry that became dirty during the pause can be removed. It is possible to accurately detect the end of the washing operation at the point where the washing machine has been loaded, and the inconveniences of the conventional methods can be solved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the same operation. 6: turbidity detector, 10: turbidity determination section, 13: sequence control section, 14: temporary stop means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A turbidity detector that optically detects the turbidity of the cleaning liquid is provided, the sensitivity of this turbidity detector is automatically adjusted at the beginning of the washing operation, and the washing operation is controlled based on changes in the turbidity of the cleaning liquid. A washing machine characterized in that the sensitivity of a turbidity detector is automatically adjusted again when the washing machine stops temporarily in the middle of operation and restarts the operation.