JPS6366238B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a control method for automatically supplying an appropriate amount of water to a washing machine.

[Prior art and its problems]

In a conventional washing machine water supply control method, for example, two to three levels of water levels are set in advance according to the amount of laundry, and the user selects the water level as appropriate to start water supply. When the water level reaches the water level, a pressure sensor detects the water level and automatically stops the water supply.

However, with this method, the user has to measure the amount of laundry each time to set the water level appropriate for the amount of laundry, which is time-consuming and is not used often. Regardless of the amount of water, the water level was often set at the highest level, resulting in wasted water.

Also, since the water level is set at the user's discretion, it is easy to accidentally wash a large amount of laundry at a low water level.
There is also a risk of damaging the fabric.

Therefore, a washing machine that can automatically supply water to an appropriate water level according to the amount of laundry has been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 75199/1983. This is done by first supplying water up to the standard low water level, then turning on the motor for a predetermined period of time, for example one second, to rotate the pulsator.The number of rotations of the pulsator at this time is detected, and depending on the size of this number of rotations, the amount of laundry is The system automatically supplies additional water to the optimal water level depending on the amount of laundry.

However, with this method of adopting the pulsator rotation speed when the motor is energized as a determining factor for determining the optimal water supply amount, for example, if there is a fluctuation in the power supply voltage, the motor torque will also change due to this, Since the rotation of the pulsator is also affected by this, it is not always possible to detect the rotation speed of the pulsator simply under the same conditions, resulting in poor detection accuracy.

[Purpose of the invention]

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the conventional example,
This eliminates the need for the user to manually measure the amount of laundry and manually set the appropriate water level, and automatically supplies the appropriate amount of water. To provide a water supply control method for a washing machine that does not require the simple rotational speed and number of rotations of a stirring blade as a detection element, is not limited by detection time, prevents wasteful use of water resources, and improves washing efficiency.

[Key points of the invention]

However, according to the present invention, the purpose of the lever is to use a sensor that determines the highest water level and a stirring blade after the drive motor is stopped in an agitating washing machine that automatically supplies water into the washing tub and washes the clothes by rotating the stirring blades in forward and reverse directions alternately. A stirring blade inertial rotational movement amount detection means is provided to detect the amount of rotational movement due to inertia of the stirring blade, and after water is supplied for a certain period of time, the stirring blade is operated until the inertial rotational movement amount of the stirring blade reaches a predetermined amount or the water level reaches the highest water level. This is achieved by repeating water supply and stirring blade operation for a certain period of time.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of an agitation type washing machine using the water supply control method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same.
First, to explain the overall structure of the washing machine, 2 in the figure shows a watertight washing tub fixed inside the exterior case 1 of the washing machine. 4 is attached, and a pulley 6 is attached to the downwardly projecting portion of the rotating shaft 3 of the washing tub 2. Further, a washing drive motor 7 is disposed below the washing tub 2, and a belt 10 is stretched between a pulley 9 attached to a rotating shaft 8 of the motor 7 and the pulley 6.

A plurality of detection holes 11 for detecting the rotation angle and speed of the stirring blade 4 are formed in the pulley 6 at predetermined intervals in a circumferential shape.

In the figure, 12 is a rotation angle detector of the pulley 6 provided near the pulley 6, and the detector 12 is formed in a light emitting part 12a and a light receiving part 12b above and below across the detection hole 11 position of the pulley 6. It is something.

Further, a water supply valve 13 is provided at the upper part of the washing tub 2, and a pressure sensor 14 is provided to detect the highest water level when the water supply valve 13 supplies water into the washing tub 2.

FIG. 3 is a block circuit diagram of an embodiment of the method of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the same as above, in which a water supply control circuit 19 is controlled by a storage circuit 15, an arithmetic processing circuit 16, an input control section 17, and an output control section 18. configure,
The water level detection signal from the pressure sensor 14 and the pulse signal from the rotation angle detector 12 are introduced into the input control section 17, and the output signal from the input control section 17 is input into the arithmetic processing circuit 16. Signals were exchanged with the memory circuit 15. Further, the output signal from the arithmetic processing circuit 16 is introduced into the drive circuit of the water supply valve 13 and the washing drive motor 7 via the output control section 18, and the control circuit 19 is connected to the power switch 20.

Next, the memory contents set in the memory circuit 15 are as follows: The forward/reverse rotation flag of the motor 7 (step 100) and the reference pulse number P ₀ to be generated corresponding to the rotation angle of the stirring blade 4 are set. (Step 101) This number of pulses P ₀ is stored in the register X ₀ (Step 102), and after the operation of the stirring blade 4 is stopped at an appropriate amount of water, the reference number of pulses generated when the stirring blade 4 rotates due to inertia is stored. Set P ₁ register X ₁
(Steps 105 and 106). Furthermore, the water supply time T ₁ during which water is supplied by opening the water supply valve 13
is set and stored in register _Y1 (step 10).
7,108).

Next, the water supply operation of the present invention will be explained. To perform washing, put the laundry and detergent into the washing tub 2, turn on the power switch 20, and set the rotation of the motor 7 to the forward (right) rotation operation flag. If F ₁ is set to 1, the pressure sensor 14 first determines whether the water level in the washing tub 2 has reached the maximum water level (step 109), but since water supply has not yet started at this point, the pressure sensor 14 No detection signal is output from step 14, and the water supply valve 13 is opened by the output signal from the control circuit 19 to start supplying water to the washing tub 2 (step 110), and at the same time, the elapsed water supply time _T2 is measured by the measurement timer. Start (step 111). This elapsed water supply time T ₂ is compared with the water supply time T ₁ (Y ₁ ) set in step 107 in the arithmetic processing circuit 16, and it is determined that Y ₁ >T ₂ , that is, the water supply time T ₁ (Y ₁ ) has not yet been reached. If not, water supply is continued further, and when Y ₁ ≦T ₂ , that is, water supply elapsed time T ₂ reaches water supply time T ₁ (Y ₁ ) (step 112),
The water supply valve 13 is activated by the output signal from the control circuit 19.
will close automatically and the water supply will stop (step 11).
3).

Next, since the rotation flag of motor 7 is set to F ₁ =1, positive (right) rotation (step 11).
4), the rotational shaft 8 of the motor 7 starts to rotate in the positive (rightward) direction (step 115), and this rotation is transmitted to the pulley 6 via the pulley 9 and belt 10, and the rotational shaft 3 rotates to drive the stirring blades. 4 also rotates to the right.
At this time, light emitted from the light emitting part 12a of the rotation angle detector 12 of the pulley 6 passes through the detection hole 11 as the pulley 6 rotates and is detected by the light receiving part 12b, and the detection result is pulsed from the light receiving part 12b. It is added as a signal to the register N in the arithmetic processing circuit 16 (step 117), and is compared with the reference pulse number P ₀ (X ₀ ) (step 123), and N≧
When _X0 , that is, the stirring blade 4 has rotated by a preset angle, the power to the motor 7 is cut off and rotation is stopped (step 124).

After that, the stirring blade 4 continues to rotate due to inertia for a while, but at this time, the light emitting part 12 of the rotation angle detector 12
As the pulley 6 rotates, the light emitted from the a causes the light to pass through the detection hole 11 and is detected by the light receiving section _12b . The process enters the arithmetic processing circuit 16 until it completely stops (step 125) (step 125A). When the rotation of the stirring blade 4 has completely stopped (step 125),
_The number of pulses N ₁ measured during the inertial rotation of the stirring blade ₄ is compared with _the reference number _of pulses If the number of pulses x ₁ has not been reached, that is, if the amount of rotational movement of the stirring blade 4 due to inertia is less than the standard, it indicates that the amount of water supplied is insufficient for the amount of laundry, and then the motor 7 operation flag F ₂ is reversed with F ₂ = 1 (left)
(Step 125C) Proceed to Step 126 and switch the forward/reverse operation flag of the motor 7. In other words, since F ₁ = 1, F ₁ =
0, and the value of the pulse signal is returned to N=0 (steps 128 and 129).

Next, since the flag F ₂ has already been set to F ₂ =1 (step 125C) (step 130),
Return the rotation flag F ₂ =0, the elapsed water supply time T ₂ =0, and the pulse signal N ₁ =0 (steps 131 and 13).
2,134) and start water supply again (step 10).
9, 110), after stopping the water supply again in the same way as above, the motor 7 is now rotated in the opposite direction (to the left) to rotate the stirring blade 4 by a predetermined angle (steps 111 to 123).

After rotation by a predetermined angle, power to the motor 7 is cut off again (step 124), and the number of pulses N ₁ measured again is
and the reference number of pulses P ₁ (X ₁ ), repeat water supply and stirring until the number of pulses N ₁ reaches the reference number of pulses P ₁ when N ₁ ≧X 1, and if _{N 1 ≧} X ₁ , That is, when the amount of rotation of the stirring blade 4 due to inertia reaches a predetermined value, it is determined that a sufficient amount of water has been supplied corresponding to the amount of laundry. Note that water above the maximum water level is not supplied due to the action of the pressure sensor 14 (step 109).

In this way, when the amount of water is insufficient for the amount of laundry, the amount of inertial rotation movement of the stirring blades 4 is small, and when the amount of water corresponding to the amount of laundry is supplied, the stirring blades 4 are moved at a predetermined amount. By using the inertial rotation, the amount of inertial rotation movement of the stirring blade 4 is detected, it is determined whether the appropriate amount of water is supplied, and the water amount is automatically adjusted until the amount of water that matches the amount of laundry is reached. It was designed to supply water.

Once the appropriate amount of water has been supplied in this way, the water supply operation is completed and the washing operation starts, the rotation angle of the stirring blade 4 is detected by the detector 12, and this pulse signal N is input to the arithmetic processing circuit 16. is the reference pulse number
It is compared with P ₀ (X ₀ ) (step 123), and N≧X ₀
That is, once the stirring blade 4 has rotated by a predetermined angle, the rotation of the motor 7 is stopped (step 124), the forward/reverse rotation flag of the motor 7 is switched in step 126, and the process proceeds to step 130 via steps 127, 128, and 129. , F ₂ =0, so go back to step 114 and start the motor 7.
The washing operation is performed by repeating forward and reverse operations until the power switch 20 is turned off.

In this embodiment, as a means for detecting the rotation angle of the stirring blade 4, a detector 1 is installed on the pulley 6 of the stirring blade 4.
2, but it is not limited to this, it is also possible to use a motor that can directly detect the movement of the stirring blade 4, and the type of detector 12 may be a Hall element or a photo sensor in addition to an optical sensor. It is also possible to use a speed generator or the like.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the water supply control method of the present invention detects the amount of rotational movement due to the inertia of the stirring blades after cutting off the power to the motor, and automatically supplies the amount of water that matches the amount of laundry. Therefore, there is no need to set the water amount manually each time, and the work efficiency of washing can be improved.Moreover, the appropriate amount of water is reliably supplied, there is no risk of damage to the laundry, and it is also useful for saving water. Furthermore, since the rotational speed and number of rotations of the stirring blades, which tend to be unstable due to fluctuations in the power supply voltage, are not used as detection factors, accurate measurements can be made without being restricted by set times, and the equipment required for measurement is inexpensive. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view of a washing machine using the water supply control method of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same as above, Fig. 3 is a block circuit diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is a flowchart of the same. be. 1... Exterior case, 2... Washing tub, 3... Rotating shaft, 4
... Stirring blade, 5... Bearing, 6... Pulley, 7... Washing drive motor, 8... Rotating shaft, 9... Pulley, 1
0... Belt, 11... Detection hole, 12... Rotation angle detector, 12a... Light emitting section, 12b... Light receiving section, 13... Water supply valve, 14... Pressure sensor, 15... Memory circuit, 1
6... Arithmetic processing circuit, 17... Input control section, 18... Output control section, 19... Water supply control circuit, 20... Power switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an agitator-type washing machine that automatically supplies water into the washing tub and washes clothes by rotating the agitating blades alternately in forward and reverse directions, there is a sensor that determines the maximum water level and an agitation sensor that detects the amount of rotational movement due to the inertia of the agitating blades after the drive motor has stopped. A blade inertial rotation movement detection means is provided, and after water is supplied for a certain period of time, the stirring blade is operated, and water is supplied for a certain period of time and the stirring blade is operated until the inertial rotation movement of the stirring blade reaches a predetermined amount or the water level reaches the maximum water level. A washing machine water supply control method characterized by repeating the following steps.