JPH0337436B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a washing machine that performs washing by automatically dispensing liquid detergent according to the degree of dirt selected arbitrarily or according to the amount of cloth, and particularly relates to The purpose is to automatically dispense the amount at the appropriate timing.

[Background of the invention]

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-35272 also describes the automatic addition of detergent, but today, as washing machines are equipped with microcomputers and electronic control is progressing, it is possible to add more finely and at the right timing. If the washing machine does not load automatically at the machine, it will not be easy to use. This varies depending on the amount of detergent required depending on the stain, the amount required for different washing processes, the amount required depending on the amount of laundry, and even the temperature of the water used. By this,
A washing machine must be able to maintain stable functionality at all times with little variation in cleaning rate.

[Purpose of the invention]

The purpose of the present invention is to improve the automatic detergent injection amount and timing according to the degree of dirt, the key selected when entering the washing process depending on the laundry item, and the input, and dispense the necessary amount of detergent that precisely matches the conditions. We provide washing machines that do the following:

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention uses a cloth amount sensor that detects the amount of laundry put into the washing tub, a water level sensor that detects the amount of water supplied to the washing tub, a container that stores liquid detergent, and a cloth amount sensor that detects the amount of laundry. It is equipped with a detergent dosing device that automatically dispenses liquid detergent from a container into the washing tub according to the amount of laundry, a water supply channel that leads water to the washing tub, and a water supply valve installed in the water supply channel, and is located on the discharge side of the water supply valve. The top of the water supply channel faces above the washing tank, and the detergent injection device consists of a tube that guides the liquid detergent in the container, a pump, and a motor for driving the pump, and a control device controls the operation of the water supply valve and the motor for driving the pump. In a washing machine that is controlled by There is a washing machine that is characterized by the following:

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with the help of figures.
Reference numeral 1 denotes an outer frame, and 2 an outer tank for storing water for washing, which has an outwardly protruding support portion 2a, with which a hanging rod 7 is engaged via a spring 9. The suspension rod 7 has a lower suspension rod receiver 7a and an upper suspension rod receiver 8 at both ends, and the upper suspension rod receiver 8 is locked to a corner plate 1b provided on the upper surface of the outer frame 1, and elastically supports the outer tank 2. . 1
1 is a washing tub, which also serves as a dehydration tub and has small holes around its outer periphery. Reference numeral 12 indicates an agitation blade for agitating the laundry for washing, and reference numeral 16 is connected to the drive unit 15 by a shaft. The drive section 15 has a speed reduction mechanism and a clutch section, and separates the rotation of the stirring blade 12 and the rotation of the washing tub 11. 15a and 14a are pulleys that transfer the rotational force from the motor 14, which is the drive source, to the belt 1.
It will be communicated at 7. A center base 13 supports a motor 14 and drive parts 15, and is supported at the lower part of the outer tank 2. 2b is a guide part that protrudes from the lower part of the outer tank and guides a water level sensor 6 that connects the tube 5 and checks the amount of water supplied by replacing it with the water level; 2c is a drain hole that connects the tube 5 through the drain valve 3 to the drain hose; 4 extends outside the outer frame 1. 1a is a leg provided at the bottom of the outer frame 1, and 10 is a cloth amount sensor that detects the rotation of the motor 14.

A water supply pipe 18 extending from the water supply outlet is supplied with water into the washing tub 11 through a water supply valve 19. 2
3 is a storage tank for liquid detergent and has a lid 23a. 25 is a motor pump for forcibly transferring liquid detergent, and a suction tube 26 is connected to the tank 23.
The discharging tube 22 has a check valve 32 at its tip, and is connected to a water supply hose that supplies water to the washing tub through a connecting portion 24.

The electrical control circuit in these configurations has a processing circuit made up of a microcomputer in the center.
It has a power supply circuit for driving between the power supplies, a comparison circuit, a detection circuit, and then a cloth amount sensor and a water level sensor. The selection circuit is used to select a washing process, and the display circuit displays these, the amount of detergent, and various abnormal conditions. The motor, water supply valve, drain valve, and detergent dispenser are arbitrarily driven via a drive circuit that processes signals from the aforementioned sensors using a processing circuit made up of a microcomputer.

The details of the detergent dispenser will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6. The relative position of the detergent liquid 3 in the tank 23 and the check valve 32, which is a discharge port, has a head difference of H. (This H is negative, so-called detergent liquid is more
It is also possible to create a case where it is lower than the discharge port. This is tank 2
3 is on the top surface of the top cover 27, the dimension H is positive, but this is the case when it is placed in the margin space within the outer frame 1). In case of positive head,
If there is no check valve 32, the liquid will flow out naturally, and if the voltage is negative, the liquid will return between the tubes 22 and 26.The amount of detergent to be dispensed is determined by the drive time of the motor pump, but this will vary. Put it away.
Therefore, the check valve 32 is formed with a discharge port 32a and a push-in side 32b, and has a rubber plate 38, a spacer 39, and a spring 40 with a weak spring force in the center to make it one-way. The motor pump 25 is a small motor, and has a vane 37 engaged with a motor shaft 36 and a seal 41 inside the casing 27.
Forcibly transfers detergent liquid.

The operation and operation of these configurations will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. The operation panel 51 has a display section 52, and main operation keys 55, 56, 57.
The buttons are large and located in easy-to-operate locations, and the user can select between ``heavily soiled,''``normal,'' and ``slightly soiled,'' and by pressing these keys, laundry can be carried out according to a predetermined washing process program. be.
Reference numerals 53 and 54 indicate auxiliary keys, which can be used to perform "pre-washing" and "soak washing" by keying in before or after the keys 55 to 57. These programs are formed into one integrated program, and after this program is completed, the program is automatically switched to the key-in programs 55 to 57 to perform the washing process.
50 is a simple lid having a handle 50a. Inside this lid, you can arbitrarily change the keyed-in programs 55 and 57, such as changing the washing time, etc.
There is a manual key for changing the dehydration time. There are so many keys that it is a nuisance, so only the keys that are mainly used are exposed, and the keys that are used occasionally are covered with a simple lid.

As shown in FIG. 8, detergent injection by key-in of the main operation keys 55 to 57 corresponds to each key, and is also adjusted according to the amount of laundry for detailed response. For example, the main operation key of A is heavily soiled, and when 55 is pressed to start automatic operation, the amount of detergent is "standard".
The number of keys increased by about 20% compared to the previous year, and 57 keys had "light stains", which was about half that.

In these steps, as shown in the simple flowchart of FIG. 9, the laundry is put in, and water is supplied (1) by keying in the main operation key depending on how dirty the laundry is. This water supply (1) is made up to a low water level as determined by a water level sensor 6, which determines the amount of water supplied into the washing tub by replacing it with the water level, and then it is stopped and the process moves on to stirring (1). Stirring (1) is much weaker stirring than normal washing, and this stirring is used to measure the amount of laundry. Based on this measured value, the water level of the water supply (2), which is the next step, is determined, as well as the amount of detergent. Since we know the amount of laundry and the amount of detergent, we can also decide the amount of water and time for rinsing, and the time for spin-drying, so we can complete the program for the next process and beyond. It's something that makes you do it.

Then, use the water supply (2) to adjust the water level to the amount of laundry to be washed by stirring (2), proceed to the water supply (3) for draining, spin-drying, and rinsing to complete the washing process. . Automatic injection of detergent can be carried out during water supply (2) by mixing it into the water supply, or after water supply (2) is completed, by synchronizing the detergent dispenser with the water supply valve 19 and operating the detergent dispenser. That's how it happens.

Along with the key-in process of these main operation keys, the key-in process of the auxiliary keys 53 and 54 is a separate program that automatically performs the conventional hand washing, and the "pre-wash" process is This is the process of washing extremely dirty work clothes, diapers, etc. before regular washing. After this "pre-washing" is completed, it is common to add another load of laundry and proceed to the next process, so after "pre-washing" automatically adds detergent that is appropriate for the amount of laundry, ○ Stirring (2) → Drain → Dehydration → Pause in the process shown in B, and then issue an alarm and pause. This alarm and pause are "pre-wash"
The system notifies you when the laundry is complete and instructs you to put in another load of laundry.After the machine has paused for the required amount of time, it waits for the required amount of time, and then you can load the laundry separately.
It is possible to pick up the lid opening/closing signal, determine that there is another load of laundry, and proceed to the next process, or conversely, after a predetermined pause, proceed to the next process regardless. It is possible. The next process is water supply (1) where water is supplied to a low water level by key-in.
It is. At this point, the amount of laundry is measured again, detergent is automatically added again, and the washing process proceeds to the rinsing process of stirring (2) → draining → dewatering → water supply (3).

Next, the process of ``soaking'' in ○B involves soaking stubbornly soiled items in water with detergent in a tub, etc., instead of using a washing machine, which was traditionally done by hand. Then add the motion of moving the laundry by kneading it from time to time, let it soak, and after a suitable amount of time, put it in the washing tub with water containing detergent and wash it according to the normal program. After all, this is something that should be done by the washing machine itself. By keying in the auxiliary key 54○A either before or after keying in any of the main operation keys 55 to 57, A to C, the same program will proceed until the detergent is automatically added, and the stirring will start as shown in the figure. (3) The mud is stirred for a period of 10 seconds to 3 minutes, followed by a fairly long pause, and this cycle is repeated several times to create a ``soak wash.''
Usually it takes about 1 hour.

After this "soaking and washing" is completed, washing proceeds from the final resting step to the agitation (2) step, which includes normal washing, without draining or dehydrating.
Further, in this case, automatic injection of detergent is performed only once at the beginning, and is not performed thereafter.

Although it is a complicated program, the agitation (2) time in normal washing is not a preset time, but this time can also be adjusted by keying in each operation key.
First, the automatic detergent dispenser is a liquid detergent, and if you run out of liquid detergent and want to use the powder, you can open the simple lid 50 and use the automatic detergent dispenser that is inside. There is a circuit that does not automatically add detergent when the key is pressed in. At this time, powdered detergent has more time to dissolve in water than liquid detergent, and if the agitation (2) is used for the same amount of time as liquid detergent, stain removal will be worse. Liquid detergent dissolves instantly, whereas powder detergent can take several minutes, depending on the water temperature. Therefore, by keying in the cancel key, it is possible to lengthen the agitation (2) time during washing, thereby eliminating the difference in cleaning efficiency.

Secondly, the key-in for "soaking and washing" is also the same, and it is so effective that it can be done for half the normal time.

The same idea applies to the automatic addition of detergent, and in the case of the key-in of "pre-washing", it is sufficiently effective to reduce the amount of detergent than the original amount, and can save detergent.

Next, the cloth amount sensor 10 for determining the amount of laundry and the water level sensor 6 for determining the amount of water supplied will be explained. In FIGS. 10 to 15, a magnetized magnet 63 is attached to the shaft 10b protruding from the motor 14.
An engaging element 64 having a shape is press-fitted. magnet 6
3, a case 60 having a magnetic pole 60a has a mounting leg 60b fixed to the motor 10 with a screw 65, a coil 61 is wound around a bobbin 66, and a lead 62 is pulled out by the coil 61. Motor 10 stirs for 0.3 to 1.0 seconds.
Repeat ON and OFF for 0.3 to 2.0 seconds. Shaft 1
When the shaft 10b rotates, an electromotive force is generated by the magnet 63 and the magnetic pole 60a, but even if it is turned off, the inertia causes the shaft 10b to rotate, so that a voltage waveform as shown in FIG. 11 is obtained. Here, turn the motor off at point a.
The amount of laundry that has been put in can be determined by reading h, the time until point b when the rotation of the shaft 10b stops. This is shown in FIG.

The water level sensor 6 has a pressure transmission hole 70a in the base 70, and transmits pressure to the diaphragm 71. 72 is a plunger, diaphragm 71
A movable guide support rod 72a is located on the upper surface of the frame to prevent it from falling to the left or right. Reference numeral 73 is made of a magnetic material and is supported integrally with the plunger. A coil 74 has a lead 75. A spring 76 applies a load arbitrarily matched to the pressure transmitted to the diaphragm 71. 77 is a spring receiver. With this configuration, when the water level rises, the diaphragm moves upward, the magnetic body 73 approaches the coil 74, and as the pressure decreases, it descends again and returns to its original state. Due to so-called pressure fluctuations,
The relative position between the magnetic body 73 and the coil 74 changes.
Since the reactance of the coil 74 changes, this change in reactance is used to create a general LC.
It forms an oscillator, and the oscillation frequency is determined by a microcomputer and interpreted as the water level. The basic circuit is shown in FIG. 14, where 80 is a capacitor, 84 and 81 are adjustment resistors, and 83 is an inverter. The oscillation frequency for the actual movement of the magnetic body 73 decreases as the reactance increases, so draw a curve as shown in Figure 15, and use any point on this curve to determine and control the water level. It is something that can be done.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, the present invention includes a cloth amount sensor that detects the amount of laundry put into a washing tub, a water level sensor that detects the amount of water supplied to the washing tub, a container that stores liquid detergent, and a cloth amount sensor that detects the amount of laundry put into a washing tub. Equipped with a detergent dispenser that automatically dispenses liquid detergent from a container into a washing tub according to the amount of laundry detected by a quantity sensor, a water supply channel that leads water to the washing tub, and a water supply valve provided in the water supply channel. The end of the water supply channel on the discharge side of the water supply valve faces above the washing tank, and the detergent injection device consists of a tube that guides the liquid detergent from the container, a pump, and a motor for driving the pump. In a washing machine where the operation of the motor is controlled by a control device, the tip of the tube on the discharge side of the pump faces the water supply channel on the discharge side of the water supply valve, and instructions for opening the water supply valve and operation of the pump drive motor are issued. The feature is that the control device performs the operations at the same time.

According to this configuration, the following advantages can be expected.

(1) The tip of the tube on the discharge side of the pump faces the water supply channel on the discharge side of the water supply valve, so the tip of the tube is washed by the water supply. Liquid detergent tends to harden when exposed to air for a long time, but since the tip of the tube is washed each time the detergent is added, the detergent does not harden and clog the tip of the tube.

(2) Since the detergent concentration is lowered when mixed with the water supply and splashes onto the items to be washed, the undiluted solution of liquid detergent will not damage the fabrics of the items to be washed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the overall configuration of the washing machine;
The figure is a schematic diagram of the electric circuit, Figure 3 is a diagram explaining the operation of the detergent dispenser, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the center line of the check valve, Figure 5 is a diagram showing the blades of the detergent dispenser motor pump, Figure 6 is a sectional view of the casing of the motor pump, Figure 7 is a partial view of the operation and display panel, Figure 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between detergent input amount and selection keys, Figure 9 is a simple flowchart, Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cloth amount sensor, Figure 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between the output of the cloth amount sensor and time, Figure 12 is a diagram showing the relationship between decay time and amount of laundry, and Figure 13 is a diagram showing the water level. Schematic diagram of the sensor, Figure 14 is its electrical circuit diagram, Figure 1
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a curve in which the oscillation frequency changes with the movement of the magnetic material. 6... Water level sensor, 10... Fabric amount sensor,
25...Motor pump.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A cloth amount sensor that detects the amount of laundry put into the washing tub, a water level sensor that detects the amount of water supplied to the washing tub, and a container that stores liquid detergent.
Equipped with a detergent dosing device that automatically dispenses liquid detergent from a container into the washing tub according to the amount of laundry detected by a cloth amount sensor, a water supply channel that leads water to the washing tub, and a water supply valve installed in the water supply channel. The water supply channel, which is the discharge side of the water supply valve, faces above the washing tank, and the detergent injection device consists of a tube that guides the liquid detergent in the container, a pump, and a motor for driving the pump. In a washing machine where the operation of the motor is controlled by a control device, the tip of the tube on the discharge side of the pump faces the water supply channel on the discharge side of the water supply valve, and instructions are given to open the water supply valve and to operate the pump drive motor. A washing machine characterized in that a controller is used to perform the following operations at the same time.