JP3148562B2 - Automatic electric washing machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic electric washing machine.
In particular, the present invention relates to an automatic electric washing machine having a reservation function capable of designating a time at the end of washing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional automatic electric washing machine of this kind,
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 64-17692. This washing machine is provided with a reservation function for automatically designating a washing end time from the outside and automatically performing washing including a washing step, a rinsing step and a dehydrating step.
In addition, since the device is designed to reduce noise during operation, automatic operation can be performed at midnight. Furthermore, since a heater for heating water supplied to the washing tub in the washing machine is provided, there is no need to provide an external hot water supply facility when using hot water for the purpose of enhancing the washing effect. is there.

When such a washing machine is actually used, the time required from the start of water supply or hot water supply until the detergent water is heated to a desired temperature depends on the temperature of the water supplied from the outside. It depends on the temperature around the washing machine. Since these conditions naturally differ depending on the use state and installation state of the washing machine, the times usually differ.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional washing machine, when the washing end time is designated from the outside, the washing start time which is set back by the predetermined washing time predetermined by the built-in control unit is set. After the calculation, the washing is automatically started at that time. Therefore, there is a problem that a difference occurs in the actual washing end time due to a difference in various conditions such as the temperature of water supplied from the outside, and the washing does not end at the designated washing end time. If the actual washing is completed earlier than the designated washing end time, the clothes are left in the spin-drying tub in a dehydrated state, so that the clothes are wrinkled. On the other hand, if the actual washing ends later than the designated washing end time, it means that the washing has not yet ended at the time scheduled by the user.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and washing can be reliably completed at a designated washing end time regardless of external conditions such as the temperature of supplied water. It aims to provide an automatic electric washing machine.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic electric washing machine having a reservation function for performing a washing operation including a washing operation, a rinsing operation and a dehydrating operation and designating a time at the end of the operation. In the washing step, after the water supply step for supplying water and / or hot water to the washing tub and heating the water stored in the washing tub to a predetermined temperature by the heater is completed, the laundry is washed. In an automatic electric washing machine that starts a washing step for performing washing, a) a designation means for designating a washing end time, and b) a washing end time designated by the designation means,
A first calculating means for calculating a washing start time which is retroactive by a required washing time in consideration of a longest required time required in the water supply stage; andc) detecting that the washing start time has come and supplying water. as well as/
Or a start means for starting hot water supply; d) at the time when the water stored in the washing tub is heated to the predetermined temperature, the scheduled washing end time at which the washing ends when the washing step is started from that time. And e) adding the time calculated by the second calculating means to the time for washing and / or the time for rinsing. And time correction means.

Here, the longest required time considered in the first calculating means is that the temperature of the supplied water is the lowest,
In addition, the temperature is predetermined in consideration of a state in which the time required for heating the water in the washing tub to a predetermined temperature becomes longest, such as when the ambient temperature is low. And, as the time required from the start of water supply to the end of water heating, this longest required time,
The overall washing time is determined. For this reason, if it is assumed that the washing is performed based on the initially determined process from the time when the water stored in the washing tub is heated to the predetermined temperature, in most cases, the actual washing end time is specified. It is earlier than the washing end time. Therefore, the time difference calculated by the second calculating means is added to the washing time in the washing process, and the washing is performed by the time difference longer than the preset washing time, whereby the designated washing end time is set. An adjustment is made so that the washing ends.

Therefore, according to the present invention, washing is reliably completed at a designated washing end time regardless of external conditions such as the temperature of supplied water, the ambient temperature, and the presence or absence of an external hot water supply facility. be able to. Further, since the washing is performed for a longer time for adjusting the washing end time, an improvement in the washing power can be expected.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electric system of a drum type automatic electric washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the washing machine according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a control flowchart, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a cleaning pattern when cleaning is performed in the present embodiment.

First, an overall configuration of the washing machine according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Outer box 5 of the washing machine body
An outer tank 52 for storing water during the washing step and the rinsing step is arranged in the inside of the tank. Inside the outer tub 52, a drum 24 for storing clothes is installed supported by a main shaft 60, and clothes are put into the drum 24 from outside through a clothes inlet 54. A water passage hole 58 is formed in the peripheral wall of the drum 24, and water supplied to the outer tub 52 flows into the drum 24 through the water passage hole 58, and water dehydrated from clothes in the drum 24 is removed. It is discharged to the outer tank 52. In addition, a baffle 56 is provided inside the drum 24 for lifting clothes from below to above with rotation. The main shaft 60 is held by a bearing 62 mounted on the outer tub 52, and a main pulley 64 is further mounted thereon. A motor 22 for rotating and driving the drum 24 is disposed below the outer tub 52.
A motor pulley 68 is attached to the second rotating shaft. The rotation of the motor pulley 68 is transmitted to the main pulley 64 through the belt 66.

Water for washing and rinsing is supplied by a water supply port 7.
Water is supplied from outside through the water supply port 72 and the hot water supply port 72, and the amount of water is adjusted by the water supply / hot water supply electromagnetic valve 28.
The water supplied from the water supply port 70 and the hot water supply port 72 becomes detergent water via the detergent input port 74 during the washing process, and becomes the outer tank 5.
2 and is poured into the outer tank 52 without passing through the detergent inlet 74 during the rinsing process. The water after washing and rinsing and the water dehydrated from the clothes are drained through a drain 76. The drain port 76 is opened and closed by the drain solenoid valve 30. A drive voltage is supplied to the motor 22 from the circuit unit 78. An electric circuit as described later is housed in the circuit section 78,
The rotation control of the motor 22 and the operations of the water supply / hot water supply electromagnetic valve 28 and the drainage electromagnetic valve 30 are controlled.

Next, the configuration of the electric system will be described with reference to FIG. An internal memory of the control / processing circuit 10, which is mainly composed of a microcomputer, stores in advance an operation program for performing a washing operation including a washing operation, a rinsing operation, and a dehydration operation. This driving program
In response to an operation from the operation unit 12, for example, in a washing process, each stage of water supply, washing, and drainage is sequentially executed.

When executing the operation program, the control / processing circuit 10 receives a signal from each unit described later as necessary, and outputs a signal for controlling the operation of each unit. The control / processing circuit 10 includes a water level detector 14 for detecting a water level inside the outer tank 52 in which the drum 24 is disposed.
A detection signal is input from the water temperature detector 16 for detecting the temperature of the water stored in the outer tank 52.
Further, a control signal for controlling the rotation speed of the motor 22 is output to the motor drive circuit 20, and the motor drive circuit 20 outputs a drive voltage based on the control signal to the motor 22.
, The motor 22 is rotated. As described above, the rotation of the motor 22 is transmitted to the drum 24, and the drum 24 is rotated.

Further, the control / processing circuit 10 controls the operation or operation of the water supply / hot water supply electromagnetic valve 28, the water discharge electromagnetic valve 30, and the heater 32 for heating the water in the outer tank 52. The signal is output to the drive circuit 26. The drive circuit 26 includes a water supply / hot water supply electromagnetic valve 28, a water discharge electromagnetic valve 30, and a water heater 3 based on a control signal.
Operate 2 The control / processing circuit 10 also has a display control function, and causes the display unit 18 to perform display.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the operation when the reserved operation is performed will be described according to the control flowchart of FIG. First, when the user performs the reserved driving, the user inputs a washing end time and a desired washing course from the operation unit 12 (step S10). The washing course is to select and designate a washing pattern, a washing time, and the like corresponding to the type of the fiber of the clothes and the degree of dirt. here,
As a method of specifying the washing end time, the washing end time may be directly input, or the number of hours from that time to the washing end time may be input.

The control / processing circuit 10 reversely calculates the washing process start time A which is traced back by the required time corresponding to the designated washing course from the designated washing end time (step S12). Here, the required time is the time required from the time when the water supplied into the outer tub 52 is heated to a predetermined temperature in the washing process to the time when all the remaining washing processes are completed.

Subsequently, a washing start time B which is further advanced by a predetermined time C from the washing step start time A is calculated (step S14). The predetermined time C is determined in advance by assuming a state in which the time required for heating the water in the washing tub to the predetermined temperature becomes the longest, such as when the temperature of the supplied water is the lowest and the ambient temperature is low. Can be Therefore, the predetermined time C depends not only on the conditions such as the temperature of the supplied water, but also on the target temperature for heating the water, the heating capacity of the water heater 32 and the like.

Thereafter, the control / processing circuit 10 monitors the time with an internal clock, and when the time reaches the washing start time B (step S16), starts the washing (step S1).
8).

The control / processing circuit 10 first outputs a control signal to the drive circuit 26 so as to open the water supply / hot water supply electromagnetic valve 28, and starts water supply and / or hot water supply into the outer tank 52 (step S20). . At this time, the water supply / hot water supply electromagnetic valve 28
By controlling the opening and closing of the water, the amount of water and the amount of hot water are adjusted such that the temperature of the detergent water in the outer tub 52 detected by the water temperature detector 16 becomes a predetermined temperature. The water level in the outer tub 52 is detected by the water level detector 14, and when the water level reaches a predetermined water level (step S22), the water supply / hot water supply is stopped (step S24). At this time, if the water temperature has not reached the predetermined temperature (step S26), the water heater 3
2 is operated (step S28) to raise the water temperature to the predetermined temperature.

When the water temperature reaches a predetermined temperature (step S
In 30), when the washing stage is started from that time, a time when the remaining steps of washing are to be completed (scheduled end of washing D) is calculated (step S32). Then
A time difference E between the scheduled washing end time D and the designated washing end time is calculated (step S34). The time difference E becomes larger as the temperature of the supplied water and / or the supplied detergent water is closer to the predetermined temperature.

Subsequently, a washing step for actually washing the laundry is started (step S36). At this time, the cleaning is performed during a time period in which the time difference E is added to the cleaning operation time previously incorporated in the operation program. The washing pattern during the time difference E added to the washing operation time, that is, the method of controlling the rotation of the drum 24 is selected from two patterns P1 and P2 according to the washing course selected first (step S38). FIG. 4 shows a method of rotating the drum 24 in these two cleaning patterns. The cleaning pattern P1, that is, the soft
This is a washing method in which damage to the cloth is reduced by lengthening the time during which the rotation of No. 4 is stopped, and the washing pattern P2, that is, normal washing, is a washing method with a high effect of removing dirt. For example, the cleaning pattern P1 is selected when the degree of fiber or dirt that easily causes cloth damage is light, and the cleaning pattern P2 is selected when the degree of fiber or dirt that hardly causes cloth damage is severe.

When the cleaning step is started, the control / processing circuit 10 first outputs a control signal to the motor drive circuit 20 to rotate the drum 24 according to the selected cleaning pattern (Step S40). Then, after performing the cleaning with the selected cleaning pattern during the time difference E, during the cleaning operation time previously incorporated in the operation program,
A control signal is output to the motor drive circuit 20 to rotate the drum 24 according to the cleaning pattern P2 (Step S42).

After the washing step is completed and the detergent water is drained, a rinsing step and a dehydrating step are subsequently performed, and the entire washing step is completed at the first designated washing end time.

In the above-described embodiment, the drum 24 is not rotated while the detergent water is being heated by the heater. However, by rotating the drum 24 in any one of the cleaning patterns P1 and P2. Alternatively, the cleaning effect may be further enhanced. Further, the cleaning pattern shown in FIG. 4 is an example, and other various cleaning patterns may be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a drum-type electric washing machine. However, the present invention can be applied to a spiral-type electric washing machine. In the case of the spiral electric washing machine, since the cloth damage during cleaning is more likely to occur than in the drum type, it is desirable to rotate the laundry basket during the time difference E by a washing method with less cloth damage corresponding to the cleaning pattern P1. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an automatic electric washing machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the automatic electric washing machine of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a control flowchart when a reserved operation is performed in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a cleaning pattern when cleaning is performed in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Control / processing circuit (1st calculating means, starting means, 2nd calculating means, and time correction means) 12 ... Operation part (designating means) 32 ... Heating heater 52 ... Outer tub (washing tub)

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kenji Nakagawa 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Seyuki Suho 2-5-2-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka (56) References JP-A-2-114995 (JP, A) JP-A-2-74288 (JP, A) JP-A-62-49897 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated ( Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) D06F 33/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An automatic electric washing machine having a reservation function capable of performing a washing operation including a washing operation, a rinsing operation and a dehydrating operation and designating a time at the end of the washing operation. And / or automatic water supply for supplying hot water and starting a washing step for washing the laundry after a water supply step for heating water accumulated in the washing tub to a predetermined temperature by a heater is completed. In the washing machine, a) designation means for designating a washing end time, and b) from the washing end time designated by the designation means,
A first calculating means for calculating a washing start time which is retroactive by a required washing time in consideration of a longest required time required in the water supply stage; andc) detecting that the washing start time has come and supplying water. as well as/
Or a start means for starting hot water supply; d) at the time when the water stored in the washing tub is heated to the predetermined temperature, the scheduled washing end time at which the washing ends when the washing step is started from that time. And e) adding the time calculated by the second calculating means to the time for washing and / or the time for rinsing. An automatic electric washing machine comprising: a time correcting unit.