JP3611531B2 - Vibration detector - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vibration detection device, and more particularly to a vibration detection device that detects dehydration abnormal vibration (a large amplitude vibration in which an outer tub collides with an outer frame) that occurs during dehydration due to unbalanced cloth ubiquitous in the dehydration tub. is there. By detecting abnormal vibration with this vibration detection device, the operation of the washing machine can be controlled safely.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional vibration detector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-245990. In addition to this, there is one that detects a mechanically operated detection switch with a lever.
[0003]
Further, the vibration detection device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-245990 also serves as a water level detection device. This is because an inclined body is provided on the upper part of the core, and the spherical body rolls on the inclined part due to vibration etc., and the reactance of the coil changes when the spherical body rolls on the inclined surface, resulting in the frequency taken into the LC oscillation circuit. This is detected as a change.
[0004]
In the case of this type, the output size is determined by the size of the spherical body and the size of the inclination. The size of the spherical body is limited by the configuration of the parts and the overall size, and the weight is reduced. For this reason, the inclination cannot be made large, and as a result, the change in reactance of the coil is small, and the output is small, making it difficult for the microcomputer to determine. In addition, since the water level is also detected, the movement of the spherical body being detected may affect the detection accuracy.
[0005]
On the other hand, in the case of a system in which a mechanical switch is operated with a lever, it is necessary to determine the mounting position on the assumption that the tank moves when the cloth is unbalanced, and the mounting position is limited. In addition, the lever can only detect movement in one direction, and the detection accuracy may deteriorate due to movement of the tank.
[0006]
Abnormal vibration detection accuracy failure due to cloth imbalance can lead to serious accidents, and it is necessary to accurately and reliably detect and control the operation.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art, when cloth imbalance occurs during dehydration, the detection accuracy is difficult and cannot be controlled correctly, causing abnormal vibration during dehydration.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the problems of conventional products, and an object thereof is to quickly and smoothly move the core in the vibration detecting device up and down by vibration and impact during dehydration.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to a core that approaches or separates from a coil and changes the inductance of the coil, a diaphragm that supports the core and has flexibility, and is supported by the diaphragm and located on the opposite side of the core. And an inclined surface that is slidably abutted on the distal end side of the operating body and that gives the operating body a sliding motion direction and a vertical motion according to the sliding motion. To do.
[0010]
The present invention will be described more specifically.
[0011]
The vibration detection device of the present invention is based on a water level detection device having a coil, a core, a capacitor, and a diaphragm, and can be achieved by including the following configuration.
(1). In order to move the core up and down efficiently, a spherical body is provided at the center of the diaphragm and the receiving surface is inclined.
(2). In order for the spherical body on which the diaphragm portion is placed to move to the left and right with less frictional resistance, a metal is attached to the diaphragm base portion to increase the inertial force, and the spherical body is made of metal having a diameter of 3 to 6 mm.
(3). In order to detect vibration and impact during dehydration without affecting the detection accuracy of the water level detector, the core is moved up and down without air pressure in the diaphragm, and the change in the reactance of the coil is combined with the capacitor. Is taken into the oscillation circuit formed by
(4). In order for the change in the reactance of the coil to be taken into the oscillation circuit and judged correctly by the microcomputer, a modulation circuit and a comparator circuit are incorporated in the detection circuit unit.
[0012]
When abnormal vibration or impact occurs during dehydration, the diaphragm including the core moves on the metal spherical body and moves left and right, and is converted into vertical movement by the inclination of the spherical body receiving surface. As a result, the core moves relatively between the coils, and the reactance of the coils increases or decreases.
[0013]
This change in reactance is taken into an LC oscillation circuit with a capacitor and converted into a frequency change. Therefore, the frequency changes intermittently as the core moves up and down, and this change is read by the microcomputer as a voltage change signal by passing through the modulation circuit and the comparator circuit.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, examples showing embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0015]
1, 2 and 3 show an outline of a washing machine incorporating the vibration detecting apparatus of the present invention.
[0016]
A lower part of the outer tub 1 is provided with a drive unit (including a clutch unit) 4 and a stirring blade 3 connected to the drive unit. A part of the outer periphery of the outer tank 1 has an air trap 1 a communicating with the inside, and a dehydration tank 2 is provided inside. The outer tub 1 is suspended from four corners of the outer frame 10 by suspension rods 5.
[0017]
The vibration detection device 7 of the present invention also serves as a water level detection device, is attached to the upper part of the outer frame of the washing machine, and is connected to an air trap or the like by a connecting tube 8. Further, it may be directly attached directly above the air trap so that vibrations and shocks during dehydration can be efficiently transmitted. The operation of all processes related to washing of the washing machine is controlled by the control unit 6.
[0018]
At the time of washing, the water supply valve 10 operates, water enters the outer tub 1, the water level is detected by a vibration detection device (also serving as a water level detection device), and the water supply is stopped at a predetermined water level. Thereafter, the agitation blade 3 is moved by the drive unit, and the clothes in the dewatering tub also serving as a washing tub are stirred to remove dirt. During washing, the vibration detection device is set so as not to function.
[0019]
At the time of dehydration, the drain valve 9 at the lower part of the outer tub 1 is opened to discharge water from the washing tub. To prevent foaming due to detergent during dehydration and abnormal rotation due to cloth imbalance, the dehydration tank 2 is rotated when water remains to some extent. From this time, the vibration detection device that also serves as the water level detection device is switched so as to detect vibration and impact, and abnormal vibration and impact detection due to cloth imbalance is performed.
[0020]
Next, the outline of the vibration detection apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0021]
A lower case 12 is joined to the lower portion of the upper case 11 by ultrasonic welding or the like, and a circumferential groove 11a and an air chamber 11b are provided.
[0022]
In addition, a terminal 21, a capacitor 22, and a coil 23 for connecting to an external lead or the like are mounted on the upper part, and a charging part including the coil 23 is insulated with outside air by a casting urethane resin (not shown) or the like. Sealed. The lead wire 23a of the coil 23 formed by winding an electric wire is tangled to the lead portion 22a of the capacitor, and is fixed to the terminal 21 by soldering via the notch portion 21a of the terminal 21. The central portion has a cylindrical portion 11c communicating with the air chamber 11b. A screw is formed on the upper side of the cylindrical portion 11c, and an adjusting screw 19 is engaged therewith. A diaphragm base 15 having a metal plate 16 (weight) and a core 17 sintered with iron powder or the like attached to the air chamber 11 and the cylindrical portion 11c to increase the inertial force due to vibration and impact, a pressure spring 18, A spring receiver 20 that is rotatably engaged with the adjustment screw 19 is provided on the diaphragm 13. In order to ensure the assembling accuracy of these parts, it is advantageous to insert-mold the metal plate 16 and the core 17 to the diaphragm base 15.
[0023]
The diaphragm 13 is attached with the outer peripheral bead portion 13b sandwiched by the circumferential groove 11a of the upper case 11, and the central upper surface protruding portion 13a is inserted and fitted into the hole portion 15a of the diaphragm base 15 so as to be integrated with the diaphragm base 15. It is configured to move. A spherical body 14 is inserted into the spherical recess 13c on the lower surface of the center, and the entire diaphragm 13 is held with a certain gap so as not to touch the inner surface of the lower case 12.
[0024]
The spherical body contact portion on the inner surface of the lower case 12 has an inverted conical inclined surface 12b, and when a vibration or impact is applied from the outside, the diaphragm portion follows the inverted conical inclined portion via the spherical body 14. The moving core 17 is moved upward. That is, since the diaphragm 13 has flexibility and is provided with the metal plate 16 (weight), the diaphragm 13 moves to the left and right when the vibration of the washing machine is transmitted to the vibration detection device. Along with this movement, the spherical body 14 moves up and down the inclined surface 12b, and the moving core 17 moves in the vertical direction. The up-and-down movement of the core 17 occurs every time a washing machine vibration or impact is applied.
[0025]
Further, in order to make the spherical body 14 move easily, the pressurizing spring 18 is attached so as not to give an applying force to the diaphragm portion. That is, when the detection is performed as the vibration detection device, the spherical body 14 is in contact with the inner surface of the lower case 12, so that the pressing force of the pressing spring 18 hardly acts on the diaphragm 13. Thereby, since the restraint of the spring force by the pressurizing spring 18 hardly acts on the spherical body 14, the spherical body 14 moves well, and the vibration and impact of the washing machine are detected with good accuracy.
[0026]
Next, the operation and function will be described taking the washing process of the washing machine as an example.
[0027]
This vibration detection device functions as a water level detection device in the washing process. When water is supplied, the water level in the outer tub 1 gradually rises. The air trap 1a of the outer tub and the water level detection device 7 are communicated with each other by a connecting tube 8. The air pressure in the air trap is received by the pressure inlet 12a, and the diaphragm rises against the pressurizing spring 18 by the increase of the air pressure. Then, it rises to the state shown in FIG. 6 (the state where the diaphragm portion is raised). As a result, the interphase distance between the core 17 and the coil 23 changes (the core 17 approaches or separates from the coil 23), and the reactance of the coil 23 changes. This change in reactance is taken into the LC oscillation circuit shown in FIG. 7 and input to the detection circuit 30 including the microcomputer as a change in oscillation frequency. The relationship between the oscillation frequency and the water level at this time is as shown in FIG. Further, when draining before rinsing, the drain valve 9 is opened, and the air pressure of the air trap portion gradually decreases along with drainage. Along with this, the diaphragm part is lowered and the core is also lowered. When the water level in the outer tub drops and reaches a specified water level, the dehydration tub 2 starts rotating by an instruction signal output from the detection circuit.
[0028]
By the start of this dehydration, the water level detection device is switched to a function function as a vibration detection device. At the start of dehydration, most of the water is drained, the diaphragm portion is lowered, and the spherical body is in contact with the inner surface portion of the lower case 12. At this point, there is no application force of the pressurizing spring, the diaphragm can move smoothly in the radial direction by minute vibrations and impacts, and the spherical body moves up and down along the inverted cone-shaped inclined surface 12b of the lower case. Similarly, the core 17 moves up and down to change the interphase distance with the coil (the core 17 approaches or separates from the coil 23), thereby changing the reactance of the coil. The reactance change is taken into the LC oscillation circuit shown in FIG. 7 and input to the detection circuit 30 including the microcomputer as a frequency change. In order to stabilize the input signal of the detection circuit, it can be input to the microcomputer via the modulation circuit 31 and the comparator circuit 32. The input signal at this time has an intermittent waveform corresponding to the vibration and shock cycle as shown in FIG.
[0029]
Since the input signal input to the detection circuit 30 is only a signal having a large amplitude width in which the vibration of the outer tub 1 exceeds a predetermined amplitude width, if several input signals are input continuously, dehydration is performed. Control to stop driving.
[0030]
As described above, the vibration detection device of the present invention is a core that approaches or separates from the coil and changes the reactance of the coil, a diaphragm that supports the core and has flexibility, and is supported by the diaphragm, and An operating surface located on the opposite side of the core and an inclined surface in which the front end side of the operating body abuts slidably and gives the operating body movement in the sliding operation direction and the vertical direction according to the sliding operation. It has the composition which has. For this reason, the operating body can smoothly detect the abnormal vibration during dehydration by smoothly moving on the inclined surface according to the vibration.
[0031]
In addition, the movement of the core due to unbalanced vibration and shock during dehydration is taken out as the frequency change of the LC oscillation circuit formed by the coil and capacitor, and the signal based on the frequency change is taken into the detection circuit including the microcomputer, so it is stable Unbalanced vibration and impact can be detected. Naturally, a switch with a lever for detecting imbalance is not required, the configuration is simplified, and the restriction on the installation location of the vibration detection device is reduced.
[0032]
Furthermore, since the spherical body provided on the lower surface of the diaphragm is always located at the center, the characteristics at a position where no air pressure is applied (0 point frequency) are stabilized.
[0033]
Further, when this vibration detection device is viewed as a water level detection device, when the air pressure is not applied to the diaphragm 13, the spherical body provided at the center of the lower surface of the diaphragm 13 is formed by the inverted conical inclined surface 12 provided in the lower case 12. The center deviation of the core is always corrected so that the center deviation of the core is corrected automatically.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, vibration and impact can be detected with high accuracy.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a main enlarged view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a vibration detecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a vibration detecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a pressure state of the vibration detecting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a control circuit diagram according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a water level and a frequency when the water level is detected according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a signal entering a detection circuit according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Outer tank, 2 ... Dehydration tank, 3 ... Stirrer blade, 4 ... Drive part, 5 ... Suspension rod, 6 ... Control part, 7 ... Vibration detection apparatus (also serving as a water level detection apparatus), 8 ... Connection tube, 9 ... Drain valve, 10 ... water supply valve, 11 ... upper case, 11a ... circumferential groove, 11b ... air chamber, 11c ... cylindrical portion, 12 ... lower case, 12a ... pressure inlet, 12b ... inclined portion, 13 ... diaphragm, 13a ... Projection part, 13b ... Outer peripheral bead part, 13c ... Spherical concave part, 14 ... Spherical body, 15 ... Diaphragm base, 15a ... Hole part, 16 ... Metal plate, 17 ... Core, 18 ... Spring spring, 19 ... Adjustment screw, 20 ... Spring receiver, 21 ... Terminal, 21a ... Notch, 22 ... Capacitor, 22a ... Lead part, 23 ... Coil, 23a ... Lead wire.

Claims (7)

A coil wire is wound, and a diaphragm having a core for changing the inductance of or is RiHanare approached the coil said coil, and supporting the core, and a flexible, is supported on the diaphragm In addition, the operating body located on the opposite side of the core and the front end side of the operating body are slidably in contact with each other, and the operating body is moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding operation direction according to the sliding operation. vibration detecting apparatus possess an inclined surface, the distal end side abuts against the inclined surface of the actuating body, characterized in that it has an arc shape. A coil wire is wound, and a diaphragm having a core for changing the inductance of or is RiHanare approached the coil said coil, and supporting the core, and a flexible, is supported on the diaphragm And an actuating body having a spherical shape located on the opposite side of the core, and a tip end side of the actuating body are slidably in contact with each other, and the actuating body is substantially in the sliding motion direction according to the sliding motion. A vibration detecting device having an inclined surface that gives vertical movement. A coil wire is wound, and a diaphragm having a core for changing the inductance of or is RiHanare approached the coil said coil, and supporting the core, and a flexible, is supported on the diaphragm and an actuating member located on the opposite side of the core, the distal end side of the acting element is slidably in contact, and a sliding operation direction Boho vertical movement to the actuating member in response to the sliding movement And a vibration detecting device having an inverted conical inclined surface. A coil wire is wound, a core for changing the inductance of the coil or are RiHanare approached the coil, a diaphragm having a supporting and flexible to the core, the core to the diaphragm A metal weight provided so as to surround the actuator, an operating body supported by the diaphragm and positioned on the opposite side of the core, and a distal end side of the operating body slidably contacted, and sliding operation thereof A vibration detecting device comprising an inclined surface that imparts a motion in a substantially vertical direction to the operating body in accordance with the sliding motion direction. A coil wire is wound, a core for changing the inductance of the coil or are RiHanare approached the coil, and a rubber diaphragm having a supporting and flexible to the core, the diaphragm And a metal working body located on the opposite side of the core, and a tip end side of the working body are slidably in contact with each other, and the sliding motion direction of the working body is almost the same as the sliding motion. A vibration detecting device having an inclined surface that gives vertical movement. 3. The vibration detecting apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the spherical body has a diameter of 3 to 6 mm. A coil wire is wound, and a diaphragm having a core for changing the inductance of or is RiHanare approached the coil said coil, and supporting the core, and a flexible, is supported on the diaphragm In addition, the operating body located on the opposite side of the core and the front end side of the operating body are slidably in contact with each other, and the operating body is moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding operation direction according to the sliding operation. An LS oscillation circuit is constituted by the coil and a capacitor electrically connected to the coil, and an output of the LS oscillation circuit is supplied to a detection circuit including a microcomputer via a modulation circuit and a comparator circuit. A vibration detecting apparatus that captures and detects vibration based on a frequency of the LS oscillation circuit .
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