JPH0444798A - Cloth quantity detection device for washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save time by eliminating a waiting time required before determination of a cloth quantity by providing a cloth quantity detection step where, prior to water feed, a stirring blade is operated at a rotational speed lower than the normal rotational speed. CONSTITUTION:In a main control means 11, a signal of a rotational speed detector 6 is input via a rotational speed control unit 16 and also a signal of a water level detector 8 is inputted via a water level detection control unit 18. In this case, the existence or absence of water in a washing tank 2 is detected; if there is no water, a stirring blade 3 is rotated at a low speed. A change in the rotational speed of the stirring blade 3 due to frictional resistance between laundry stuff and the washing tank is detected, so that the cloth quantity is immediately determined on the basis of the extent of this change. If, then, there is water, the stirring blade 3 is rotated at normal speed, so that the cloth quantity is determined on the basis of the change in the rotational frequency due to the hitting of laundry stuff to the stirring blade 3. Consequently, the inconvenience that a person must stand at the side of a washing machine for one or two minutes after start of the operation can be eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cloth amount detection device for a washing machine that detects the amount of cloth in a washing tub based on the magnitude of load applied to stirring blades provided at the inner bottom of the washing tub. It is something.

Conventional technology In recent years, the water level and amount of detergent have changed depending on the amount of cloth in the washing tub.

Washing machines that perform optimal washing by determining washing time, rinsing time, etc. are becoming mainstream.

Therefore, various detection devices for washing machines that detect the amount of cloth in the washing tub have been proposed.

For example, as shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 59-139298, when laundry is put into the washing tub and operation is started, water is first supplied to the washing tub at a predetermined level, and then water is supplied into the washing tub. The amount of laundry was determined by driving the agitating blades installed at the bottom and detecting the number of rotations of the agitating blades at this time. This cloth amount detection is based on the principle that when the amount of cloth in the washing tub is large, the rotation speed of the stirring blade is low, and when the amount of cloth in the washing tub is small, the rotation speed of the stirring blade is high.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such a conventional method for detecting the amount of laundry, the amount of laundry is determined after the laundry is put into the washing tub, water is supplied to a predetermined level, and the water is stirred. There was an inconvenience in that a person had to be at the washing machine for 1 to 2 minutes after the start of operation in order to put the amount of detergent into the washing tub.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention makes it possible to immediately determine the amount of laundry without using water and display the water level and amount of detergent when the laundry is put in the washing tub and the operation is started. To provide a clothes amount detection device for a washing machine that can determine the amount of clothes even when the amount of clothes is too high.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a motor for driving an agitating blade provided at the inner bottom of a washing tub, a motor control means for controlling energization of the motor, A rotation speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the stirring blade or the stirring blade drive system, a cloth amount determination means for determining the amount of cloth based on the output of the rotation speed detection means, and a water level for detecting the water level in the washing tub. The motor control means includes a detection means, and when the water level detection means determines that there is no water, the motor control means operates the stirring blade at a rotation speed lower than the normal rotation speed for a predetermined period of time before supplying water. When the detection step is executed and the water level detection means determines whether water is present, a second cloth amount detection step is performed in which the stirring blade is operated at a normal rotation speed for a predetermined period of time, and the cloth amount determination means determines whether water is present or not. This is a configuration in which the amount of cloth is determined in the amount detection step.

Operation According to the above configuration, the presence or absence of water in the washing tub is detected, and if there is no water, the first cloth amount detection step of rotating the stirring blade at low speed is executed, and at this time, the laundry and the washing tub are separated. A change in the rotational speed of the stirring blade is detected due to the frictional resistance between the blade and the cloth, and the amount of cloth is immediately determined from the degree of change. Further, if water is present, the stirring blade is rotated at a normal rotation speed, and the amount of cloth is determined based on the change in the rotation speed due to the laundry hitting the stirring blade.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a washing machine including a cloth amount detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a washing tub 2 into which laundry 1o is put is rotatably arranged in an outer tub 1, and an agitating blade 3 is rotatably arranged at the inner bottom of the washing tub 2. . Arranged at the outer bottom of the outer tank 1 are a motor 5, a speed reducer 4 that reduces the rotation speed of the motor by 60 to drive the stirring blade 3, and a rotation speed detector that detects the rotation speed of the mocheter 6. .

It's a trench, a drain valve that drains water from the outer tank 17. Water level detector 8 for detecting the water level in the outer tank 1. A water supply valve 9 for supplying water into the outer tank 1 is provided. The motor 6, the drain valve 7, and the water supply valve 9 are each controlled by a motor control means 15. Drain valve control means 17. The water supply valve control means 19 drives and controls the water supply valve. Motor control means 16. Drain valve control means 17. The water supply valve control means 19 is controlled based on a signal from the main control means 11, which is comprised of a microcomputer that executes a washing sequence.

The main control means 11 inputs the signal from the rotation speed detector 6 via the rotation speed detection control section 16 and also inputs the signal from the water level detector 8 via the water level detection control section 16 .

Next, a specific example of operation will be described with reference to FIG. 2 and FIGS. 1, 3, and 4.

First, when the laundry 1o is loaded (step 21) and the 7-tart switch for starting operation is pressed (step 22), the water level detection control section 18. The water level detector 8 confirms whether there is water in the washing tub 2 (step 23). If NO, the process proceeds to step 31, where the main control means 11 and the motor control means 16 supply the motor 6 with the power obtained by cutting % of the commercial power supply waveform shown in FIG. 4, leaving only the shaded portion. This electric power causes the motor 5 to rotate at about 40% of the normal speed (step 31),
The stirring m3 is driven via the speed reducer 4.

The rotation of the stirring blade 3 is detected by the rotation speed detector 6 via the speed reducer 4 (step 32), and the signal is sent to the rotation speed detection control section 16, which indicates when the motor 6 is ONI. , and are integrated separately when they are OFF. These are the first cloth amount detection steps when there is no water.

On the other hand, the motor rotates 50 times, and as shown in FIG.
FF) 0.3 seconds, 0.3 seconds to the left, and a pause of 0.3 seconds, repeated three times for a total of 3.6 seconds.

As a result, the rotation speed of the stirring blade 3 shows changes in the curves A and B in FIG. Curve A is the change characteristic when the amount of cloth is small, and curve B is the change characteristic when the amount of cloth is large. That is, A is motor 5
The rotation speed is almost constant when the switch is ON, and inertial rotation is observed when the switch is OFF. This inertial rotation time has a strong correlation with the amount of cloth when the amount of cloth is small. Next, B is O of motor 5
At N, the start-up is slow and there is almost no inertial rotation.

This delay in rising has a large correlation with the amount of cloth when the amount of cloth is large. Therefore, when the amount of cloth is small, the rotation speed when OFF,
When the amount of cloth is large, if the amount of cloth is detected using the rotation speed when the machine is turned on, highly accurate detection can be achieved.

Based on this characteristic, when the motor 5 is turned on, the rotation speed detection control section 16 sends data obtained by integrating the rotation speeds at FF for a predetermined time to the main control means 11, and determines the amount of cloth (step 33) to ( used in step 41).

The setting value when determining the amount of cloth is determined experimentally based on the above characteristics. Accumulated value X of motor 5 when ○FF
makes an initial judgment using the F1 value, then F2. The value of F3 is used for determination, and finally, the integrated value Y at the time of ON is determined using the value of N1. Here, the relationship is Fl>F2>F3. In this way, the "minimum" shown from (step 33) to (step 41) in FIG.

The amount of cloth is judged as "small,""medium,""largeJ," and "overload," which exceeds the amount that can be washed.

When the determination is completed, the water supply valve control section 19 operates according to instructions from the main control means 11, opens the water supply valve 9, and starts supplying water, and the washing process begins.

Next, if Yes in step 23, the process proceeds to step 24, water is supplied to the minimum water level (step 24), and the main control means 11 and motor control means 15 operate the motor 6 at normal rotation for a predetermined time ○N・○. FF operation is performed, and the rotational speed during the OFF period is detected (step 26). This period is called a second cloth amount detection step.

The detected integrated value Z of the rotation speed over a predetermined time is compared with preset values M1>M2>M3>M4 (step 27) to (step 30). Then, as shown in (step 37) to (y-step 41), the comparison results are "extremely small", "small", and "medium".

The amount of cloth is determined to be "large" or "overload."

When the determination is completed, the water supply valve control section 19 operates according to instructions from the main control section 11, opens the water supply valve 9, supplies water to a predetermined level, and enters the washing process. The rest is the same as a conventional washing machine.

As described above, according to the present invention, if there is no water, the amount of cloth can be detected immediately, and if water is accumulated, water can be supplied to a predetermined level as in the conventional method, and the amount of cloth can be detected.

In this embodiment, if it is determined that water is present, the cloth amount detection step is executed after water is supplied at a predetermined water level. The determination value may be changed, and this method of determining the amount of cloth has the effect that water supply can be omitted.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the device of the present invention, if there is no water in the washing tub, the amount of laundry can be determined immediately when the laundry is put into the washing tub. The correct water level and amount of detergent can be displayed, so the person doing the laundry can
There is no need to wait 1 to 2 minutes before determining the amount of cloth as in the past, and time can be saved.

1. Even if there is water in the washing tub, there is no need to stop detecting the amount of clothes, and the process can proceed to the next step, making it easier for the person washing the clothes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a washing machine including a cloth amount detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a flowchart of main parts showing the operation of the washing machine, and Fig. 3 shows control of the motor and rotation of the stirring blade. A diagram showing the relationship, FIG. 4, is a waveform diagram of power supplied to the motor during control of the same motor. 1...Outer tank, 2...Washing tub, 3...
- Stirring blade, 4...Reducer, 6...Motor, 6...Rotation speed detector, 7...Drain valve, 8... ... Water level detector, 9 ... Water supply valve, 10 ... Laundry, 11 ... Main control means, 15 ... Motor control means, 16.・・・
... Rotation speed detection control section, 17 ... Drain valve control section, 18 ... Water level measurement control section, 19 ...
・Water supply valve control unit. Name of agent: Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano and 1 other person 2~
Washing 1 熟r --- Mita C- Condolence P and shipping turn (rr, -: Maru 51 fallen I + - 1- Misaki 1 Sha f 8 ~ East 1 to the 1st place?

Claims (1)

[Claims] A motor that drives a stirring blade provided at the inner bottom of the washing tub, a motor control means that controls energization of the motor,
A rotation speed detection means for detecting the rotation speed of the stirring blade or the stirring blade drive system, a cloth amount determination means for determining the amount of cloth based on the output of the rotation speed detection means, and a water level for detecting the water level in the washing tub. The motor control means includes a detection means, and if the water level detection means determines that there is no water, the motor control means operates the stirring blade at a rotation speed lower than the normal rotation speed for a predetermined period of time before supplying water. When the step is executed and the water level detection means determines that there is water, a second cloth amount detection step is executed in which the stirring blade is operated at a normal rotation speed for a predetermined time, and the cloth amount determination means detects each of the cloth amounts. A washing machine cloth amount detection device in the process.